2016 Outlander PHEV will debut at New York Auto Show in March, go on sale in August

Release Date: January 2014
Battery Pack Size: 12 kWh
Electric Range: 37.4 miles (on Japan's test cycle)
MPGe: 157.6 MPGe (on Japan's test cycle)
Visit the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Forum

Rather than visit the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week, Mitsubishi decided to skip it altogether, and instead hold a private event last Thursday evening.

At that event, Mitsubishi Motors North America gave a sneak peek at the US version of the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV.

Ken Konieczka, VP of Sale Operations, said the 2016 Outlander PHEV will go on sale in August in the USA – the non-PHEV version went on sale last July.

Konieczka and other executives avoided providing specific details about the plug-in crossover under the guise that some details were still to be determined. We do know that there will be no CHAdeMO available, so that could be in an effort to provide the Outlander at a very competitive price.

The Outlander that was on display was shipped back to Japan right after the event for further development.

photo from autonews
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9 Comments on "2016 Outlander PHEV will debut at New York Auto Show in March, go on sale in August"

  1. Sheldon Cheney | February 11, 2016 at 6:12 am |

    It will be on sale in 2014. No, it will be delayed until 2015. Late 2015. No, it will go on sale first quarter of 2016. No, in April. No, in May. No, in August. Why should I now believe the August date? Or, should I just get in line for a Tesla X? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me how many times? Why can’t Mitsubishi set a date and stick with it? Tesla developed and marketed the X in less time than it took Mitsubishi to decide when to sell us a car they already make. I really wanted this Outlander a couple of years ago. I even inspected one in Germany in 2014. I’m now to the point I don’t care whether they ever put it on the market here. Tesla is a stretch, but, is looking more and more like what I will buy. If Mitsubishi hopes to gain market share in the U. S., this is not the way to do it.

    • What about the BMW X5, or Volvo xc90, or Audi Q7? There are plug-in hybrid SUVs available right now. Granted, they probably all cost more than the Outlander PHEV would, and paying that much would be close to Tesla X territory…

  2. Julie Tilney-Varden | February 11, 2016 at 6:51 pm |

    Do we know how much the PHEV will cost?

    • Nope, not yet. Likely Mitsubishi will reveal pricing with the Outlander PHEV’s U.S. premier at the New York Auto Show in late March.

  3. Does the PHEV retain the 3rd row seat?

    • Unfortunately no, at least not in the current generation Outlander PHEV that’s available in Europe

  4. What does it sell for in Europe? Is that a guide to the US price?

  5. While I share Sheldon’s frustration, the admin’s replies underscore the reality of the situation – it’s not like this CU/PHEV is facing any real competition. The currently available S/CU/PHEVs are an easy $10k above any likely Outlander PHEV price, and GM has inexplicably declined to put their Voltec drivetrain in anything large enough to carry the batteries without compromising passenger and/or cargo space (e.g., the never-delivered Volt MPV5 concept car). Kia’s Niro PHEV could wind up beating the Outlander on price, but it’s considerably smaller and won’t be out this year; by the time it is, Mitsu will likely have the Outlander Sport PHEV ready to face it directly.

    Mitsubishi’s been either ridiculously lucky in the lackadaisical attitude of supposed competitors or getting some kind of financial incentive from somewhere (e.g., GM) to take their time bringing the Outlander PHEV to the U.S. I honestly don’t know which is more likely.

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