William Maley

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was originally supposed to arrive in the U.S. a few years back. But the launch would be pushed back as the model would prove to be quite popular in Europe, causing Mitsubishi to reallocate supplies. Now, Mitsubishi has finally started selling the Outlander PHEV in the U.S. Was it worth the wait? Much like the Eclipse Cross I posted a couple of weeks back, this first drive of the Outlander PHEV was quite brief. I only had about 15 to 20 miles of driving under my belt, while the rest saw me sitting in the passenger seat. Hopefully, in the near future, I’ll be able to spend some more time to give an overall impression. The Outlander PHEV wants everyone to know that it is a plug-in hybrid vehicle with PHEV decals on the rear doors and badges on the front fenders. Most people will find it to be a bit much. Otherwise, I like the Outlander’s shape with a boxy profile and slightly bold front end. The interior design is a bit plain, but most controls are within easy reach. The top-line GT I drove featured leather surfaces and plenty of soft-touch materials. I would have liked to see less piano black plastic used throughout as it becomes a fingerprint magnet. One issue with the Outlander PHEV’s interior is the placement of the Park button. Due to the location of the gear selector, it isn’t easy to find the button. My drive partner spent a few moments wondering where the button was before I pointed it out. Not the most user-friendly setup. Unlike the standard Outlander which offers three-rows of seating, the PHEV makes do with two. This is due to the placement of the battery pack in the back. I’m ok with this sacrifice as the third-row in the regular Outlander should only be used for emergencies due to the limited amount of space and uncomfortable seats. Powering the Outlander PHEV are two 80 horsepower electric motors. The one on the front axle produces 101 pound-feet and the one on the rear makes 144 pound-feet. A 2.0L DOHC four-cylinder with 117 horsepower and 137 lb-ft acts as the generator. There are three different driving modes on the Outlander PHEV: EV Mode, Series Hybrid mode (gas engine provides energy for electric motors for extra power and charges the battery), and Parallel Hybrid mode (gas engine power the wheels and electric motors). The plug-in hybrid system is very responsive in EV mode thanks to the instantaneous torque available from the two electric motors. In the Series Hybrid mode, the gas engine, for the most part, is muted and doesn’t intrude. Only during hard acceleration does the engine begin to make some racket. Transitions between the electric to the hybrid powertrain is very seamless. One disappointment is the range. Mitsubishi says the Outlander PHEV can travel up to 22 miles on a full charge. Chrysler’s bigger Pacifica Hybrid can go 32 miles on a full charge. A lot of this comes down to the Pacifica using a larger battery pack. Mitsubishi has introduced an updated Outlander PHEV for Japan and Europe that introduces larger battery pack and engine. The overall electric range has increased to 28 miles on the WLTP testing cycle. We’re wondering when this updated powertrain will arrive in the U.S. (2020?) Mitsubishi offers three different charging options for the Outlander PHEV - 120V, 240V, and a DC fast-charging through a CHAdeMO port. Charging times are eight hours with the 120V charger, 3.5 hours on the 240V, and 25 minutes for an 80 percent charge on the DC fast-charger. Six-levels of regenerative braking from B0 to B5 can be selected through a pair of paddles behind the wheel. I left the vehicle in B3 and found it to be a nice balance of regeneration without slowing the vehicle down too much. Handling is about what you might expect with a crossover. There is a fair amount of body roll when cornering and the steering feels somewhat light. Ride quality is quite nice as most bumps and imperfections are ironed out. The 2018 Outlander PHEV begins at $34,595 for the SEL S-AWC and $40,295 for the GT S-AWC. There is a tax credit available for the model, but be aware that only comes into play when you do your taxes. You cannot use it to help drop the price of the Outlander PHEV. Disclaimer: Mitsubishi provided breakfast, a quick snack, and the Outlander PHEV for this first drive event. Year: 2018 Make: Mitsubishi Model: Outlander PHEV Engine: 2.0L MIVEC DOHC, 16-valve Inline-Four (Gas Generator); Twin AC synchronous permanent magnetic motors Driveline: Single-Speed Transmission, All-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 117 @ 4,500 (Gas); 80 @ 0 (Electric Motors) Torque @ RPM: 137 @ 4,500 (Gas); 101 @ 0 (Front Electric Motor); 144 @ 0 (Rear Electric Motor) Fuel Economy: Gas+Electric Combined/Combined - 74/25 Curb Weight: 4,178 lbs Location of Manufacture: Okazaki, Aichi, Japan Base Price: $34,595 (SEL S-AWC), $40,295 (GT S-AWC) View full article

It seems someone at Ford wasn't paying attention and allowed some photos from their recent dealer conference to appear on a public site. Off-Road.com got their hands on some photos that were "publicly accessible part of a Ford website." The photos are from last month's dealer meeting in Las Vegas. The key picture that everyone is talking about is the one seen above, showing a new SUV's front and side profile, and an angled shot. Off-Road originally reported this was the Bronco, but later reports from Automotive News and Motor Authority say it is the new Baby Bronco. We tend to with the latter as the photos match up with this teaser released by Ford back in March. It certainly is drawing on the DNA from the 1960's Bronco with a square profile and round headlights - LEDs in this case. The Ford name is in block letters and sits between the headlights. As we reported in August, this new Baby Bronco will use the underpinnings of the new Ford Focus. Unsurprisingly, Ford declined to comment on this. View full article

Subaru's first plug-in hybrid is just around the corner. The 2019 Crosstrek Plug-In Hybrid is expected to debut later this month at the LA Auto Show. As we reported back in February, Subaru would be using the electric powertrain from Toyota's Prius Prime, teamed with one of their boxer engines. We now have some new details on the Crosstrek Plug-In Hybrid via a California Air Resources Board (CARB) filing. Autoblog obtained the document which reveals that the Crosstrek PHEV will utilize a 2.0L boxer-four engine (most likely the same engine found in standard Crosstrek). The document also lists an electric range at 25.650 miles based on the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule - replicates city driving conditions. That's very similar to the Toyota Prius Prime when it is put into EV mode. But this also prompts some questions. Is the Crosstrek PHEV using a larger battery than the Prius Prime? We would think the added weight of the all-wheel-drive system would bring the range down. Also, is the electric motor providing power to all four wheels or just to one of the axles? Hopefully, we'll some get answers in the near future. View full article

Since last August, we have been calling Jeep's upcoming Wrangler pickup the Scrambler. But a new report says that the name of the truck will be Gladiator. The Jeep Scrambler Forum obtained a screenshot of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' media site titled “2020 Jeep Gladiator.” Reportedly, this page included mentions of the Sport, Overland, and Rubicon trims. The page has since been deleted. A source told the forum, “I actually went to the media site and saw the page. I saw it on my iPhone browser and on Google Chrome.” A Jeep spokesman declined to comment when asked by Automobile. While most people will know the Gladiator name from the 2005 concept shown at the Detroit Auto Show, the Gladiator name was used on Jeep trucks from the 1960's. We'll find out if Gladiator, Scrambler, or something else appears on the truck at the LA Auto Show on November 28th. View full article

It would be safe to assume that not many people thought the Jaguar F-Type could make for a rally car. But the British automaker decided to give a shot. Jaguar built two F-Type rally car prototypes to honor the 70th anniversary of the Jaguar XK 120, a sports car that won a number of rallies in its time. They are much more than a convertible with extra lights and off-road tires. Jaguar installed a set of hand-built competition suspension components that can take the abuse of a rally stage; limited-slip differential, hydraulic handbrake, larger brakes, and an FIA-certified roll cage. One area Jaguar hasn't messed with is the engine. Both vehicles use the base turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder with 296 horsepower. Jaguar is planning to bring both of the models out to various events in the coming months. Gallery: Jaguar F-Type Rally Car View full article