Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: Torture tested in the Flinders Ranges! | Auto Expert John Cadogan

Torture testing the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid EV in the Flinders Ranges, SA.
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Mitsubishi says the Outlander PHEV is "rugged ready" - but it rolls off the production line with no spare tyre. In this report I investigate the feasibility of touring the Australian Outback - responsibly - in a vehicle of this nature. Can it (literally) handle the heat, and what do you have to change to do this safely?
This is also the first time I have ever driven an electrically-driven AWD system off road. Is it better, or worse, than ICE?
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[@MitsubishiMotorsAustralia]

John, thank you so much for taking up our offer and putting the Outlander PHEV to the test. We truly appreciate your willingness to showcase what the vehicle can do.

[@wyattfamily8997]

Well M.A. for actually putting forward the challenge. I've hada 2011 Pajero for years, most reliable vehicle I've ever owned, puts the others to shame.

[@MoosesValley]

Sadly no cars are made in Australia anymore ... so there's a definite opportunity there. Please make these cars in Australia and a lot more Aussies will buy them !

[@am1296]

Can't make em here. Unions.

[@jarrodhilton4860]

@@am1296 I don’t think it’s because of the unions. It’s because of the sell out and making parts cheaper O/S. There were a few small businesses here in Aus that lost out too and even went under, not unionised but it was cheaper to manufacture elsewhere.. unions get the workers a fair wage. But other countries can pay nothing to workers to make profit cheap.

[@Peter-qb1ue]

The Unions (Bill Shortens) union kept threatening strike action for ridiculous wage increases whereby they became the highest-paid auto workers in the world. Overseas head officers said ENOUGH!!

[@SomethingRandomChannel]

I’m 3mins in and just the fact that Mitsu has given John a honest crack at their vehicle is enough for me to consider it already.

[@AutoExpertJC]

They were authentically behind it, 100%. The CEO doesn't spend two days with anyone without wanting to prove a point. (He's actually a decent bloke, and a very capable off-roader. Grew up on a farm in Sth Africa.)

[@Dennis-zr3fb]

Well Misubishi have just gained alot of respect from this 4wd enthusiast, putting their car where their mouth is.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Yeah - same here. When they proposed it, I kinda said, 'you're kidding, right?' They weren't. And they weren't even slightly pushy about what kind of report I did.

[@lesmansom7817]

@@AutoExpertJChow’s the bullet proofing for the Jappie market?

[@davidferry548]

They are sponsoring the trip!! Only after he shit canned it, I smell hypocrisy

[@petercraig4648]

Mitsubishi seems to be one of the most genuine car companies in Straya. The fact a realist like John hasn't bashed them, speaks volumes.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Yeah - they're genuine, and pretty good at customer support. Definitely in the top 25%.

[@maifantasia3650]

Here in Thailand, it was the customer service and support that Mitsubishi provides (even assistance on where to get help with my 20 year old Strada G-Wagon) that has resulted in my purchasing their new Pajero, every few years (dealership trade-ins).

[@keefy9663]

When your battery degrades the support dries up. Just look up outlander battery issues where battery State of health degrades daily at highly accelerated rate.

[@emmett3067]

Or they're the only brand left that will talk to him and give him a car. PHEV is the worst of all worlds. A literal "Homer" car. There's only so many videos trying to sell flashlights (fleshlights?) and bagging EVs that John can do in a week.

[@the.parks.of.no.return]

At the moment Mitsubishi or Toyota are the go to vehicles

[@mini_steve]

Only 3 minutes in and I may jump the gun here, however I think it's brave and and rather remarkable a big company like Mitsubishi has allowed you to test it without censorship. Kudos to them, wish there was more of it from car companies.

[@theairstig9164]

MMAL already did the trip. The risks were known

[@AutoExpertJC]

Remarkable is the word. Most companies just have a tantrum when you criticise them.

[@Hunty49]

Nissan doesn't even let out a Patrol out for review for 4WD reviews. Just check 4WD 24-7 roundups and Nissan give nothing.

[@janstafford1490]

Ha ha maybe those companies are learning how honesty wil win in the end, thanks JC.

[@krissteel4074]

These have been around 10 years now in terms of Outlander PHEV's so they're sort of at that generation of development were you get a lot more reliability and refinement. Admittedly, for something without a spare tyre is kind of bananas in this country if you're out of the major cities. Come to think of it, there's a few places I wouldn't like to get a flat in Melb or Sydney!

[@Kyosti5000]

I've had three Mitsubishis so far. Absolutely bullet proof quality vehicles.

[@MrRodgerMoore]

Respect to Mitsubishi for approaching you and being willing to do this experiment.

[@quentinstacy35]

Mitsubishi has a great reputation for building vehicles that can handle some rough terrain. Nine outright wins in the Paris-Dakar with the Pajero is legendary. Risky move, letting Australia's most critical automotive journalist drive it and speak his mind. Well done to all involved.

[@Amsterlager]

lol, he had the CEO of the car company with him who was paying all the expenses. Mitsubishi even commented on this video. This was PRed up the wazoo… no way you could call this a John Cadogan impartial review where he could speak his mind.

[@goneoutside1011]

Not even close to Subaru. That’s what every crossover is chasing

[@quentinstacy35]

How many outright Dakar wins has Subaru earned? Oh, that's right, none.

[@twinrotors]

This is a solid review, stress test. The company has earned my respect for submitting to this adventure!

[@ianchalklen1047]

I’m very impressed that Mitsubishi supported you in what was an open and honest review of their vehicle. Other manufacturers could/should learn a lot.

[@MrAidenaiden71]

Wow I am seriously impressed Love my triton but the outlander is very impressive Mitsubishi Australia well done

[@AutoExpertJC]

I thought it would be substantially worse. It did pretty well in the rough - at least as good as a Subaru Outback or Forester, but I think the SAWC is better than anything Subaru does.

[@ScottMurrayBestFamilyCars]

@@AutoExpertJC I'll put my Outback in the ring to test that claim...

[@AutoExpertJC]

Done.

[@shadowminister4090]

I'm pleased that Mitsubishi reached out to you and made this video possible. I'm not inclined to go 4WDing; it's highway driving for me. I do however have family who live on farms, down some pretty ordinary gravel roads and the thought of not having a spare, even around town or on the highway, would stress the crap out of me. Strapping a spare behind a cargo barrier is, I guess, a work-around solution, one at least work considering. Thanks for the video

[@chrischapman1522]

I like too have a spare tyre

[@weinisable]

@@chrischapman1522 the spare wheel location is easily solved by usung a tow hitch mounted “swing away” wheel carrier ( some can mount two spares. That way you dont lose cargo space or clutter the roof rack..and you dont have to sweat hoisting wheels up onto the roof rack ! Prooven equipment on many touring 4x4s.

[@vandemon8307]

I think that if the car companies want to sell to people in the country they will have to come up with a spare wheel, until then no sale!

[@shadowminister4090]

@@vandemon8307 country folk are a small market. I looked at a Model Y and asked where the spare was. Salesman said that there wasn't one, but the car came with 4 years free road service. Fat lot of use that would be outside of a metro area. No thanks.

[@domnanzwandor]

@@shadowminister4090 True but I also believe that the fragility of newer cars makes people less inclined to go off road. When I was a kid my dad used to take us to out of way places in his VW Beetle but we stopped when he upgraded to newer cars. It wasn't that he didn't want to go off road but for his price range off road capable cars were out and he couldn't keep the beetle as an extra car so that was the end of our adventures.

[@peterbrockman161]

Well done to Mitsubishi Australia for being so transparent and offering this test. Likewise thanks John for your honest, unadulterated opinion. Clearly the lack of a spare wheel, jack and wheel brace as standard items is a huge obstacle for those intending to purchase the vehicle to use in remote locations. Not just off-road. One would have to think that would be a deal-breaker. This vehicle appears to be another urban soft-roader for the 'It will never leave the asphalt' group of 4 wheel drivers. I'm not sure enough boxes have been ticked by these hybrid 4 wheel drive vehicles yet to get them taken seriously in remote locations off-road just yet.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Even getting a flat tyre in the city in a VE Commodore showed me how big a pain in the arse it is . They have very little area under the car to put a jack which doesn't take a jack cause it drops when you have a front wheel tyre flat !!! The workaround is a 700 spare tyre kit workaround not factory supplied.

[@elliottflowers]

I've owned one for 6 months, and so far it has been great. Perfect around the city and does a decent job towing the camper trailer into some remote areas

[@bcme6068]

One of best car video reviews I have seen. Even the no bs from the Mitsu boss, Shaun Westcott, about the car, target, the Simpson trip etc - refreshing to hear. I won't be selling up my diesel 4x4 anytime soon for the trips I do, but I can see this SUV will appeal to alot of people.

[@atsugnam1201]

Thank you for this review, have a new phev myself and was waiting to see what it would be capable of before risking mine. Very realistic and fair review, was impressed with the performance.

[@AutoExpertJC]

As long as you don't do Hilux-spec off-roading, you'll be fine. There are a heap of places you can visit, inside this envelope.

[@HansGruber006]

​@AutoExpertJC a very important distinction John.

[@doriangray6985]

Hilux-spec?

[@tomhicks1009]

@@doriangray6985Ground clearance, water crossings, bush bashing etc

[@adampoll4977]

It's surprisingly capable off-road when it comes to controllable power and traction - clearance is your main limitation. I drove up a steep, recently cleared and wet forest slope, covered in slippery bark and branches (erroneously thinking it a track). It climbed up without fuss and in silence. The next day I walked it, thinking, "If I had walked this first I would NEVER have tried driving up!" and yet it did it safely and didn't even leave a trace of its progress. The great thing about the EV power-train is just how slow and carefully you can tackle an obstacle.

[@dqkneely9803]

mitsubishi wasnt even on my radar as a possible purchase but after such an in depth review and explanation of its systems and capabilities its safe to say that i now genuinely want one. as im on the market for a new vehicle i will definitely be taking one for a test drive.

[@Elemblue2]

Its a really good "Tool Vehicle". It does everything, and it does it well. Freaking amazing in some cases. Absolutely incredible against snow, for example. Is there something you could use this for? It does it. Like a swiss army knife with a damn good knife and saw. But some other specialized cars do some things better. For example if you just want REALLY good fuel efficiency, the new prius is great. The rav4, while bad at many things this car is good at, does have a slightly more fuel efficient engine *(I dont think its worth the trade). I personally think trading 5-10% of a few strengths to be really good at alot is worth it, but maybe not in a few cases. Back when its starting price was 48K, it was really good value tool.

[@TheTonySRich]

I must admit that is is refreshing and not just a little surprising to see a car company put it's money where it's mouth is to prove the ability of their product

[@peterkeultjes9327]

Respect to Mitsubishi for allowing an uncensored report on the Outlander. Well done John. The Outlander definitely shows it more capable than we think it is. Great report.

[@decayofalberta1520]

I’m no EV fan by any means, but this vehicle really impresses me with the driving system. The SWC it’s really a very good system. I had a 2010 outlander before and it was an amazing vehicle. The SWC was was a good system then. I actually think a hybrid is a better option then a EV and would consider one if I was in the market for a new vehicle. Thank you for the great video.

[@jamesspicer5628]

Mitsubishi have just received the best advertising you could ask for. I would definitely consider one and i would never have even considered Mitsubishi before.

[@walterk8602]

Very sensible and informative. I've had a Mitsubishi phev for 6 years and its never let me down. We upgraded to the latest PHEV in September so that towing our camper van was effortless. Very happy.

[@charleslander4866]

Kudos Mitsubishi, well done Cadoges. More like this please.

[@anaussieinvietnam]

It takes a lot of guts to call a person who had criticized your product and offer an open invitation to test it on your terms... Kudos to Mitsubishi Australia.. I think this video shows more about the company culture than the car itself. well done.

[@keithmottram8755]

Hi John, very brave of Mitsubishi to take you on. Kudos to Mitsubishi! I liked your comments about the Outlander being a soft roader. Most of these vehicles will never see dirt, let alone a dirt track. As I watched your report, I waited for you to mention the advantages and disadvantages of this style of vehicle, and you certainly made good. Well done, a good report.

[@brianhoward9217]

Really good to see you doing reports like this John, a welcome change from the Batcave - as I think you would feel too. Much has been said in the other comments with which I agree - willingness of Mitsi staff to trust you, their car and your report. Great to see everyone went home happy. Just a great watch and I learned a lot like you did about the device. Here's a request john - I'd love to see a back to back (or at least your considered comments) of the Mitsi Vs Suby Outback. Yes, Mitsi is a hybrid, I know, with low down advantages. However, I couldn't help but wonder all through your report how the closest competition may be the Suby and how it would cope. Would LOVE to see that review or at least some comments about it. Keep up the great work John and thank you!

[@Parawingdelta2]

I crossed the outback with not a spare tyre in sight. Just the 22 wheels safely tucked away for later. Love those A380's.

[@darrennorth7987]

For those that dont get it. "Leaving, on a jet plane".

[@JasonLianneMac]

Boring. Get out and see this beautiful country.

[@Parawingdelta2]

@@JasonLianneMac I drove from Sydney to Perth and back in an HQ panel van with no air conditioning, vinyl seats and an AM radio. That's about as boring as it can get. See a lot more from an elevated position.

[@GolLeeMe]

Well, I shared your concerns with this vehicle initially as well. Now I have seen the movie, I can say I am impressed. If only from the driving seat comfort of my PC. What a great bit of kit this system is. I see Outlanders around town all the time and I think they are really a great looking vehicle. Now I am convinced by the PHEV version being just that little bit better. Thank you for taking the challenge and going through this methodically for your viewers. Beard strokers take note.

[@lenimbery7038]

I have one of these and am comforted by John’s endorsement even though I won’t be doing any off roading with it

[@gregy1194]

I'm impressed JC left the fatcave. Nice to see you out on the road, testing vehicles. 👍

[@amromano03]

Love this type of content! I hope more manufacturers are willing to do this!

[@timragtec1641]

Great video John, hopefully other manufacturers will learn from this, as many have already said well done Mitisi for backing your product and backing themselves by providing you the opportunity to test it for yourself with no editorial input from them, fingers crossed you can get us more content like this

[@bizyb01]

Brilliant report, nice to see a real comon sense outback adventuring, no fuss, & no ego trip, just an honest down to earth review.

[@chriswells966]

This week we had a power failure that lasted for about 19 hours, after a few hours I assumed the power was not coming back on quickly even though we were told it would be less than 2 hours. I learnt how to get the car to power the power point in the back and ran an extension lead from the garage into the kitchen to run the fridge and the computer as I had a few work meetings to attend remotely. The car went from a range of 54km to 34km powering the fridge until the power was restored. Certainly better than having the food in the fridge and freezer go off. Really you are not only buying a car but also a portable 20kwh battery that you can charge using petrol if required and use it to power what you need to where ever and when ever you need to.

[@ron_zrl]

thanks John, this has just really backed up my decision in getting this vehicle soon hopefully. Truly impressed what Mitsubishi Australia did here and you of course.

[@allanblackbourn990]

Really interesting John. Informative and glad Mitsubishi got you out there to give us your views from outside the bat cave.

[@MrCarbroker]

John is very honest journalist and Mitsubishi didn't doubt in there product to give it to him which can go horribly wrong. Good job John 👏

[@dallass8665]

Mitsubishi has come along way especially the phev outlander great video too john shows us what the outlander can do in the outback instead of being stuck in the city all the time

[@SharkbaitOhLala]

This video answered a lot of my questions. I was choosing between this and the Outback. Can't wait to put my order in

[@mullins6429]

Thanks and congratulations John and Mitsubishi Australia. This is the sort of video in my opinion that might help change peoples thinking towards switching over to electric or hybrid vehicles. Such a good presentation. 👍🇦🇺

[@don-cw1yz]

Terrific review. The fact you had the Mitsubishi crew along was great, especially the tech guy who could explain all the drive train functions. What I liked about the Outlander is its functionality. It is not a huge SUV but with the fold-down seats you have a lot of room to haul larger items. I like that it is not huge for manoeuvrability in parking lots etc. It looks like it has great visibility, which to me is important. I really enjoyed the video, thanks.

[@adamcoe]

Have had a 2024 PHEV for about 6 weeks now and it's been fantastic. I'm not offroading with it but I do a fair bit of winter driving so the S-AWC system is great to have. Even in normal driving mode it stays glued to the ground. Not to mention i'm 2200 km in and I have yet to go through my 2nd tank of gas. Really impressed so far.

[@PascalSchoenhardt]

I'm at 2000km and about to fill the tank for the first time 😁

[@RodneyW]

That's impressive at multiple levels. Firstly - gutsy move from Mitsubishi to give you a crack at it. Secondly, the car performed well in tricky conditions. (Mind you, I'd still be somewhat nervous about the ground clearance, and thus the risk of damaging the 20 kWh battery in an outback road...). Thirdly, the technology of the PHEV may be a more effective EV solution than the traditional (Toyota) hybrid, with full electrical running in town (when EV's work well) and ICE running when on the open road (when ICEV's work well).

[@weinisable]

Toyota had the PHEV tech ,..with bigger battery capaciy for longer electric runs…in the Prius 2,.. but never marketed it in Oz .

[@russelldines5887]

Ground clearance is 205mm which isn't bad. For comparison Subaru Outback is 213mm. Not Landcruiser figures but useful clearance.

[@savannahjackson8513]

I’ve owned my 2023 Outlander PHEV for 3 months now. It’s a truly fantastic vehicle. I’ve put 4,500 kms on it, and only filled the petrol tank twice! I can get up to 80 kms on pure EV by putting it in Eco mode and one pedal driving. It’s the perfect electric vehicle for living in Queenstown, NZ. Fully ev for day to day driving around town… but when we need to go to Dunedin or Christchurch, we don’t have to worry about finding charging stations.

[@darrennorth7987]

Ok this seems like a paid person dropped a comment. Especially the linked-in glamour photo.

[@savannahjackson8513]

⁠@@darrennorth7987Well, you’d be wrong. I’m a genuine person with a real Outlander, living in Queenstown NZ.

[@johnwallace2384]

This has got to be the most sensible "off road " review I have watched for the latest Mitsubishi Outlander phev. Really enjoyable.

[@Measuretwicelad]

Congrats MM Australia, you would do well by potential future customers by putting out less of the ridiculous wanky commercials that EVERY car manufacturer does, more of this type of genuine gloves off testing such as this video, also, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a car manufacturer CEO getting in front of the camera lens, during a test, as I witnessed watching this. Well done JC👍

[@yankos_]

Wow!!! Great Tech....1 speed trans... series/parallel modes. Great educational/promotional video!!! Something you will never see/get in an ad.

[@DaleShipsIt]

Excellent review John. From what you say, it seems that the Outlander makes an average 4WD driver into a good 4WD driver.

[@purplewombat1923]

Thank you for the review, John. Hubby & I have been keeping an eye out for quite some time for a replacement for our 2015 Subaru XV. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was our pick before this video. We are even more convinced it's the best choice now.

[@stevenalexander403]

Pragmatic, unbiased and brutally honest as usual, now which Mitsubishi dealership has an Outlander PHEV in stock?

[@warrenhastwell1705]

One of your best video's, and yes we all don't want to go full on rock hopping, nice vehicle.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Thanks, Wazz.

[@erroneouscode]

Unfortunately nature has the nasty habit of dumping them wherever it wants to.

[@scottarthurs6299]

Good for the Mits guys for doing it, and a very good, and entertaining, fair review, John.

[@MattBlack6]

Had a mate accompany me on some tracks in the Yuraygur National Park in a 3rd gen Mitsubishi Outlander. The majority of it was child's play in my 80 series LandCruiser, but a bit of slippery stuff here and there, the Outlander had to pick a couple of careful lines to not bottom out or take off the bumper, but it was surprisingly capable. Our next trip it came along on the Condamine River track near Killarney, once again piece of piss in the old LandCruiser but some water nearly headlight height in the Outlander and once again, not a problem. If this vehicle is more capable again, then it will be very impressive for a soft roader.

[@dogspeed]

Been waiting for a hands on car review from JC for a while now... Kudos to Mitsubishi Aus, and John, to both step up and not just talk the talk. Interesting outcome to boot; good viewing production wise, and for the grey matter too. Cheers a

[@grantlouw3182]

I can see how a simple removable DIY drawer / fridge slide system built into the back, with accommodating a spare tyre in mind, could make this really useful for the odd light off-roading / gravel road trips that most folks going bush would do.

[@AutoExpertJC]

It might work, but it's all added weight.

[@stephenkellie8911]

@@AutoExpertJChow do you feel it would go pulling a light weight camper van of say 1200kg?

[@SubigarageIstanbul]

hey John, I appreciate your honesty and objectiveness a lot and I also share your love for honest car makers like Volkswagen. I live in Turkey where we are closer to the HQ of Vag group and I think it should be noted. I would like to bring something I have discovered to your attention. I run a small business on car audio and deal with all sorts of cars. VW, Seat, Skoda , Cupra and Audis come equipped with '' premium'' sound systems and you can see their logos on a columns, door panels ,etc. And here is what I discovered: The advertised brands do not exist in these cars. Speakers are made by somebody else in China or Hungary or....and they either have a different unknown brand or no brand at all. Amplifiers are made by Panasonic . Speaker grills say '' Canton, Beats, Harman cardon, etc but the speakers , the actual parts of the system have been made by some other third party. In my book this is deceiving people which is something they have done in other aspects of car making before ( Dieselgate ) I would happily send you some pictures of the equipment I removed from these cars if necessary. take care, Ozkan from Turkey.

[@CNile-se9xw]

I'm glad you brought up off-road training, because it would be easy for someone to become over confidant with this system that makes it so street free.

[@randie450]

Way to got Mitsubishi for standing behind your product and letting one of Australia's most brutally honest car experts speak freely about it. Further more the vehicle was taken out of it's comfort zone and performed remarkably well. I would certainly consider this vehicle if i were in the market for a modern soft roader.

[@matttunstall2159]

Just on the subject of spare tyres in the Outlander PHEV. I had the previous version and I built a trailer with matching wheels and tyres so that I could carry multiple spares. When the time came to actually go on a big remote trip, I traded the Outlander for a Pajero Sport.

[@peterfritzphoto]

This was a real opener, John-thanks. I’ve taken my petrol Outlander into the Vic High Country a bit, and have been amazed how well it’s performed. With a set of A/Ts going on next week, I might even take it up to Cameron Corner next year. Kudos to Mitsubishi for doing this.

[@francodalpozzo7533]

Well done John & well done Mitsubishi. I was a Mitsubishi sceptic but went from a Land Cruiser to a Pajero 3.2 a few years ago & was pleasantly surprised. The Pajero is extremely capable & reliable. Its not as good as the Toyota but much cheaper & better value for your money.

[@Marks.Reviews]

Good to see your doing these types of reviews again, and especially with a factory engineer. Love hearing two engineers having a chat about the techy stuff, l found that quite interesting. Excellent review, keep them coming. Really hope you can do a review like this with a factory engineer on the 2024 Prado, next year.

[@netsurfer1960]

Well done, John and Mitsubishi for doing this. I look forward to other manufacturers doing the same in the future (yeah, I know, high hope) 😆

[@davebrien8487]

10 year hybrid camry owner here. I've been looking to upgrade the wife's car for a while now. Tesla's, new hybrid Camry, Hybrid Rav 4. All have been super expensive and disappointing for the cost. Every time we have landed on. "Sorry no deal, we like our old car better". Until now. After your first report I checked one out. I was very impressed. It did everything we liked about our camry, and actually did it better! The no spare wheel was the only negative. Our other family car is Subaru Forester. This is a great option for us for our snowboard trips to Perisher. A real contender to purchase for the Mrs. Keeping the old Camry for one of our kids. I'll even get to borrow it when I go to the snow, because old faithful is still there fir her to use fir the week. Now you do this video showing it can do all the Forester stuff too. I'll find it hard to not buy one. It really is a good car.

[@hatman1234]

Sounds like Mitsubishi slowly figuring out how to take hyped up technology and deploy it in a way that makes practical sense for real people. I wonder where it will go from here.

[@AutoExpertJC]

This was pretty good - but clearly optimised for city and touring.

[@KaineTube]

Hard not to wonder how an off-road focused PHEV Pajero would perform...

[@BTCsetsyoufree]

My old ML Triton never missed a beat since bought new in 2009. Underrated brand is Mitsubishi.

[@napoleonnz]

Having just had a flat fixed this morning, a spare is a necessity regardless of the powertrain. That rules out hybrids and EV's for me as I don't know of any that come with a spare. However it is great that you have had this opportunity, you haven't been out testing in a while so here's hoping that we will see some more of your trustworthy reviews. I'd particularly like to see a comparative of some cars in the middle- mid sized, mid priced, mid power, cars that us ordinary folk would shortlist. Incidentally, isn't the Outlander just a Nissan Rogue in disguise?

[@mrgarrison3516]

This 60k + car review, low profile tyres & no spare in an outback test is a bit of a joke I thought.

[@weinisable]

@@mrgarrison3516 they were just demonstrating the drive system is capable of off road use. And he did talk about the need for appropiate tyres and spare wheels (all easily solved) if you do venture offten or far off road.

[@vandemon8307]

They are missing out on sales not having a spare, we don't all live in the city, I can't believe the backward thinking by car companies. If they wake up down the track, they will sell more hybrids for sure!

[@mindfreeze0838]

Yes its rogue in a different avatar and they gave a solution for the lack of spare, mount it on the roof with the available roof rack.

[@zaksuzuki]

I think the point is you shouldnt have to mount a spare wheel on the roof rack just to have one. Its kinda stupid. @@mindfreeze0838

[@cassandramaxwell4118]

Im getting readybto buy an Outlander so thank you for your insight.

[@trevormcpherson1447]

Been waiting for a review of one of these.

[@grahammcgrath6453]

Well done Mitsubishi and JC. A great honest review and good on Mitsubishi for standing by their product. 👍

[@nothingspecific04]

Thank you for this review, and well done to Mitsubishi for finding a constructive way to address your earlier criticism. I have an Outland PHEV on order and the waiting time until delivery is giving me too much opportunity to consider if I've ordered the right car, perhaps I should cancel and change etc. This report helps that a great deal.

[@jamiesultana3725]

....I'm on the same boat in regards to that. After seeing this, I'm now thinking a little more confident now about my choice

[@nikolayrayanov2895]

Thank you for that review John! That's exactly what I've been waiting for a while to see on KZbin! I'm also pleasantly surprised that Mitsubishi approached you to do this and they were honest and fair. I think that speaks a lot not only about the quality of what you produce on the channel, but also about the quality of the Mitsubishi vehicles. I'm a fan of Mitsubishi and have already owned two Gen III Outlanders, and I'm looking forward to the 4th Gen Outlander being released in Europe.

[@rrphotography3600]

Seriously impressive for Mitsubishi to hand you the keys. Certainly proves the point. Reminds me of what people used to use sedans and station wagons through the 60s-80s. Plenty of photos of people heading through river crossing and sandy tracks for adventure in a 2wd sedans from that time before 4wds became popular/ family friendly. Mind you its also a stand out thing to meantion that most factory 4wds will go alot further standard than people give them credit. Without needing to drive through the 4wd aftermarket catalog.

[@thejedaru1383]

I have this for nine months now. I really love the rides. Very quiet and smooth as silk. The fuel efficiency is superb 1.5L per 100km.My usage is around 75% EV. Feature wise, very luxurious and practical. I highly recommend this especially around cities and suburbs.

[@ForTheBirbs]

Wow, talk about putting your money where your mouth is. Well done Mitsu Oz. I don't drive due to medical stuff and miss my Paj Sport so much. There seems to be so much BS out there from uninformed and ignorant mechanics and dealers, slagging off Paj Sport and so on. What a great car this is, and such a refreshing and honest report John.

[@ridingwithpat]

Hi John, My wife and I have had a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV since 2016. We towed a 1200kg caravan to the Flinders Ranges and to the Eyre Peninsula from Victor Harbor. We found the Outlander to be adequate for the job. We toured the Flinders and Port Lincoln National Park. Shale rock were scary without a spare, we bought a spare wheel which takes a lot of space but gives peace of mind. We have no kids so just 2 adults. We never got stuck at all. Our only issue was fuel range at highway speeds while towing. 45 litre fuel tank is rediculous. We still own the car and it's been great. We have a bigger caravan and a Mitsubishi Challenger to tow the van.

[@Elemblue2]

Hes not talking about that car. Hes driving a totally different vehicle with the same name. Confusing, i know.

[@ScottMurrayBestFamilyCars]

Cybertruck: I can do that. **struggles** Mitsubishi: Hold my beer.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Quite.

[@Jake-hc3qo]

Great video! Good to see you outside the Fat Cave again John and gives me a new respect for these hybrid drivetrains!

[@stevelloyd5785]

My 5 year old Outlander PHEV does have a jack and the usual bent rod wheel nut tool, although I prefer the trolley jack and socket set when I do wheel rotations. Also has a bottle of goo and a 12V compressor which failed to operate the one time I wanted it after lowering the tyre pressures for beach drive testing. It was just the switch that failed but that rendered it useless, strange because I had previously tested it. I carry the sticky rope type tyre plug kit and a better compressor than the original. I did have to use the plug kit on Anzac day when my aftermarket TPMS showed a 4PSI drop on one tyre due to a stray tech screw. I was near home so it was no big crisis, but good to have on hand and save a trip to the tyre shop which would have been closed. Doesn't have an inverter though, but I might do something about that.

[@justinkennedy5405]

Interesting John. Not unexpected too much though, after all my father drove us through the Flinders Range’s several times in the 80’s in a Nissan Urvan, or Tissue Box on wheels as we used to call it. Did rough tracks, forded streams; we camped in an old army-surplus tent. As far as I can remember we only blew one tire and scratched up the paint-work plenty. My only main concern for the Mitsubishi was the tires. Too low-profile, with a road-going tread pattern. Did well in the dry by the looks of it.

[@geoffkemp3116]

Terrific episode. Having done a lot of touring and some more intense off-roading in this part of the world in my Pajero Sport, I was (like John) very surprised at how capable the PHEV proved to be. Well done John. Well done Mitsubishi.

[@thetowndrunk988]

This is an outstanding review, and I must give big props to Mitsubishi for their rational response to your previous critique. How refreshing would it be if, say, Volkswagen, or Three Spoke, actually considered a real review of their platforms. It’d change the auto world, I dare say.

[@CheapCheerful]

Great video, great CEO. I've owned 3 Mitsus, they've never let me down. Magna, Lancer, Outlander, now looking at another Outlander. Also, as a technical guy, BIG RESPECT to the technician who came along with the CEO and John on this trip! I'm sure he was glad when that was over! haha

[@philmarriott8084]

Thanks for doing the experiment John and thanks Mitsubishi for making it possible. I guess I fall into that “ singlet wearing dude” category, with my beefed up Y61 Wagon. You touched on pretty well all of my concerns throughout the review. I am quite impressed to be honest. If you’re going to take the Fam for a light off-road adventure occasionally in one, you might want to think about incorporating room behind the barrier for a fridge and some simple recovery gear if things turn to poo and you do get hung up. This leads to me to my question, does the car come with proper recovery points front and rear? I mean engineered points for connecting a snatch strap, soft sling or winch hook? Other than that it gets the thumbs up from well done!

[@pquk]

I’ve just bought one and yes, it has a recovery point at front and back. The only standard equipment it comes with is the recovery hook, a bar to tighten it with, an electric air pump and a can of goo for emergency tyre repair. No spare tyre supplied so no jack either. (I do plan to do some travelling so the sort of gear he used here is probably what I need to get. Maybe with a different, less pretty, set of wheels fitted with more outback type tyres.)

[@pstanyer1]

John give a real no nonsense opinion on everything. The car looks good and mitsu should be applauded

[@PeteTheL337]

I can relate to some of this. Coming from a pure diesel with a stick to an automatic phev has been quiet the change and required some mental gymnastics. Like getting use not being in control the same way. Feedback is also very different. I've had mine for a month now(driven around 2500km) and I've gotten the hang of most of it but it still feels a bit odd from time to time.

[@RichardJoashTan]

Glad to see the new Outlander PHEV and its proven capability in its perfect environment

[@T-JS317]

I'm interested to see how Mitsubishi will implement their drive-train know-how into the next Pajero Sport. I bought a Subaru Forester following your suggestion and have been very impressed by the car's AWD system. If you think the SAWC is superior to Subaru's AWD, I'm expecting great things for the next-gen Pajero Sport

[@davidnobular9220]

How's the CVT going ?

[@weinisable]

The Suby is good but doesnt have a low range or the equivalent high torque at low rpm of the electric drive PHEV.

[@T-JS317]

@@davidnobular9220 The CVT is going pretty good. I've had the car for about a year now and have not experienced any nasty surprises, and I think there is enough power for everyday driving, including overtaking when needed.

[@davidnobular9220]

@@T-JS317 Thanks....I was hoping you'd had it for longer and had done a bit of off roading. I'd like to see how the news ones stack up after warranty.

[@hughdrum2370]

Well done Mitsubishi for letting John do a honest test of their vehicle.

[@dougstubbs9637]

John, does adding two hydrogen buffalo to one oxygen buffalo add up to a water buffalo ?

[@AutoExpertJC]

That's how you make them. We did that in engineering school. Buffalo synthesis.

[@aerotube7291]

Good on you for .being open minded to this. I enjoyed this...hopefully the battery safety etc doesn't let it down

[@rolfvonmega3658]

I have never seen you be nice like this. This speaks volumes of this car. What? An honest approachable car company? I gotta stop snorting mushrooms. Excellent review and good on ya Mitsubishi, you have indeed elevated yourself beyond most car companies

[@giddyup3451]

Its almost like he forgot all of those anti ev videos he made saying that batteries are ticking toxic time bombs that will go up in flames the first time you look at them. I guess a free trip will do that to some people.

[@billienomates1606]

Battery packs do not like to come into contact with ruff roads or deep water which tends to make an off roader seem a bit tenuous in my opinion. Give me a classic range rover anyday.

[@SuperNova-Steve]

Good on Mitsi for letting this happen, great marketing move actually and defo putting the brand out there warts and all. One of the best Vans I've ever had was a Delica 4x4 which I took to some unholy off-road venues and it handled it. It was a sad day when the head gasket blew and I retired the Van. It was nice of you to mention the Cameraman, the piece was well shot and edited which added to the Vid immensely.

[@RC-wu6gm]

The off-road capabilities are what I expect and I can understand why it comes with no spare. But they still need a proper spare mounting location or accessory. e.g. a swing out tailgate with spare mount option or vertical mount location in the luggage compartment.

[@bennyjbenham]

Nice work John I didn't think it would survive and great advice for people thinking of using it offroad in the future

[@jeffreyjohnston2445]

Russell Coight should have done this trip.

[@superbinbin08]

The lack of an accessible spare tire can be easily addressed by carrying a spare on hitch mounted tire carrier like the ones sold by Wilco Off-road or Rig’d Supply. Not a deal breaker in any way.

[@stefanziemer6644]

Great to see you out of the fat cave again, it’s been too long. Would a small rugged trailer to carry spares and fuel make it a little easier to manage the spare when the inevitable happens and for a family to carry all the accoutrements required? If so, what’s the towing capacity and GVM etc?

[@dylanwebb9584]

Yep! You've always said Plug in Hybrid is the way to go. Not surprised.

[@gino7444]

Smart move from Mitsubishi, the CEO did the testing himself so he knew what he was inviting John into and it came out as planned, smart guy, good car #respect

[@johannesschaller5510]

Brilliant opportunity to find out how the Outlander PHEV would work in the moderately rough stuff. Mitsubishi’s certainly put some faith in you John, to deliver an honest and cogent report, and I’m sure many of your viewers will be impressed by the outcome. A couple of issues left unclear: towing capacity. Will it tow a small trailer or lightweight camper? This would assist with the need to bring a spare wheel along on such journeys. And what is the roof load capacity? I noticed that you put the roof rack to the test, but given the roof load that I’m guessing would’ve exceeded 100 kg, is the vehicle up for that?

[@jhaydraude]

Tow capacity isn't massive, but it is capable; it's got a decent amount of torque for a crossover and those electric motors love to pull things. I believe in Australia it's rated for 1600kg braked. In North America it's rated for 1500lbs unbraked. Dragging a 16ft boat behind one of these poses no issues.

[@johannesschaller5510]

@@jhaydraude Thanks - good to know. 1600 kg is ample for a small camper trailer or box trailer and gear. Towing something like that I wouldn’t expect the range to suffer too much, compared to an EV at least.