2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed review: capable update, but real-world fuel use splits the outlets

A test car verdict from GoAuto

GoAuto's Peter Barnwell road tested the updated 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV in five-seat Exceed AWD form, priced from $71,640 plus on-road costs. He praised the styling, feature count, near-silent running and comfortable ride, but found the vehicle 'surprisingly thirsty on petrol alone', reporting he could not get consumption under 8.9 litres per 100km once the battery was depleted, against Mitsubishi's claimed 1.2L/100km combined-cycle figure. He also flagged the price and the absence of a spare wheel as key drawbacks. These are GoAuto's own test findings, not DriveAgent's. ¹

On performance, GoAuto found the combined output 'does not feel like 221kW and 450Nm' but is nevertheless decent with a sporty edge off the mark, with confident overtaking and a powertrain that runs smoothly and quietly 'most of the time', noting a couple of fleeting but annoying hiccups at the electric/petrol engine interface. The reviewer concluded the supple, well-controlled ride tapers off when pressed, placing the car firmly in family carry-all territory rather than performance SUV land. ¹

GoAuto's reviewer also expressed scepticism about the plug-in hybrid formula itself, arguing a non-plug-in hybrid would likely cost less to buy and perform much the same, and questioned how long it would take to amortise the PHEV's price premium over a straight petrol version. He noted the PHEV's apparent preference for premium petrol as an additional running cost, and suggested the vehicle is best suited to tar and occasional gravel roads rather than off-road use despite its S-AWC all-wheel drive system. ¹

What CarExpert and 7NEWS found

CarExpert's review of the same 2026 Outlander PHEV range, syndicated by 7NEWS in July 2026, reached a different consumption result: 5.2L/100km as tested, with the outlet attributing its 'impressively low' fuel use to a week of highway commuting and a regional Victoria day trip that kept the battery cycling. CarExpert calculated 22.0kWh/100km of energy consumption from claimed figures, with 20.0kWh/100km as tested, and its specification table lists 91-octane regular unleaded as the fuel requirement. GoAuto's driving experience led it to state the PHEV prefers premium petrol; the two outlets' fuel accounts differ and both are presented here as their respective test findings. ⁵⁴

CarExpert rated the car 'Good', praising a functional, spacious interior, strong performance and the potential to be very economical, while naming the price, the still-obnoxious driver attention monitor and sluggish EV advancements as cons. It described the powertrain as cohesive, with smooth transitions between electric and petrol operation, effective Battery Save and Battery Charge modes, and an Australian steering and suspension tune it called well sorted, if erring slightly firm. The brake pedal was criticised for lacking feel, and the one-pedal-style driving function was noted as unable to bring the car to a complete stop. ⁵⁴

Both outlets, including 7NEWS's syndicated version, highlighted the driver attention monitor as a persistent frustration despite an update Mitsubishi says reduced its sensitivity, requiring deactivation through the instrument display menus on every trip. CarExpert has separately reported that Mitsubishi introduced an update to the Outlander and Triton to reduce the sensitivity of this criticised safety feature, with more fixes foreshadowed. ⁵⁴⁶

Confirmed specifications and range figure conflict

CarExpert's specification table for the Outlander PHEV Exceed lists a 2.4-litre four-cylinder non-turbo petrol engine (98kW/195Nm) with an 85kW/255Nm front motor and 100kW/195Nm rear motor, for system outputs of 221kW/450Nm, a 22.7kWh lithium-ion battery, single-speed transaxle, all-wheel drive, 2156kg kerb weight, a 53-litre tank, 27g/km CO2 under Euro 6, a 1600kg braked tow capacity and a claimed 1.2L/100km combined-cycle figure. GoAuto's review corroborates the 22.7kWh battery, 221kW system output, 1.2L/100km claim and 1600kg tow rating. ⁵¹

The claimed electric range is reported differently: CarExpert and 7NEWS quote 103km on the NEDC cycle, up from 84km previously, while GoAuto states the updated battery lifts all-electric range by 2km to 86km. CarExpert also explains that its test car's trip computer indicated an 86km EV range on a full charge, and that a roughly 60km drive nearly drained the battery, attributing the gap from the 103km claim to driver behaviour and the trip computer's memory. Given the conflicting published claims, buyers should treat the exact official range figure as unresolved on the evidence at hand. ⁵⁴¹

Dimensions and packaging

CarExpert lists the 2026 Outlander PHEV Exceed at 4720mm long, 1862mm wide, 1751mm high, on a 2704mm wheelbase, with cargo capacity of 472 litres (VDA, rear seats up) and 1392 litres to the roof with the rear seats folded. These figures are not accompanied by a stated mirror basis in the source, so the width basis is unknown. ⁵

CarExpert notes the boot is slightly smaller than in petrol-only Outlanders due to PHEV-specific packaging, and smaller than the Toyota RAV4 PHEV's quoted 655 litres, and that PHEV grades receive only a tyre repair kit where five-seat petrol models get a full-size alloy spare. GoAuto independently criticised the lack of any spare wheel as not ideal for excursions into the backblocks of Oz. The Exceed PHEV is offered only as a five-seater, where the Aspire PHEV can be had in five- or seven-seat form. ⁵¹

Price, equipment and competitive context

GoAuto reports the Exceed sits a rung above the Aspire in a four-grade PHEV line-up running from the $58,990 ES to the $74,490 Exceed Tourer, all plus on-road costs, with the Exceed up $2350 on its predecessor. CarExpert's price table corroborates the full PHEV ladder: PHEV ES $58,990, PHEV Aspire $66,790, PHEV Exceed $71,640 and PHEV Exceed Tourer $74,490 before on-road costs. GoAuto notes the Tourer's 12-speaker Yamaha Ultimate audio, front-seat massage and heated second-row seats can be skipped for a $2850 saving. ¹⁵

Equipment on the Exceed includes 20-inch alloy wheels, ventilated front seats appearing for the first time in an Outlander PHEV, a frameless digital rear-view mirror, aluminium-faced pedals, a panoramic sunroof, tri-zone climate control and a hands-free power tailgate, alongside range-wide 12.3-inch infotainment and instrument displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Mitsubishi Connect connected services and an improved drive battery cooling system. GoAuto reports a five-star ANCAP rating and Mitsubishi's 10-year warranty, roadside assistance and capped-price servicing package. ¹⁵

On competitive context, CarExpert lists cheaper Chinese PHEV rivals including the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid Ultimate ($49,990 drive-away), BYD Sealion 6 Premium ($52,990 plus ORCs), GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV ($50,990 drive-away), Geely Starray EM-i Inspire ($41,490 plus ORCs) and MG HS Super Hybrid Essence ($52,990 drive-away), while noting Mazda's CX-60 P50e is similarly priced and the incoming Toyota RAV4 PHEV starts near the base Outlander PHEV. 7NEWS notes Mitsubishi was a plug-in hybrid pioneer in Australia with the Outlander PHEV's 2014 local launch, but that the segment has become far more crowded since. ⁵⁴

Battery development background from Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi Motors' own development story provides context for the current battery. The company says the second-generation Outlander PHEV, which launched globally in December 2021, initially revealed a battery that could not keep up with the electric motors' performance, with European Autobahn driving causing heat build-up that limited EV and motor performance. Development chief Makoto Kamihira said the team fundamentally rethought the battery's energy and heat management, developing a battery specifically for the PHEV with low internal resistance materials and a cell-base cooling design using an aluminium cooling plate in a 10mm gap with a zigzagging coolant flow path, which Mitsubishi says achieved cooling efficiency 1.5 to 2 times higher than the previous module-side method. These are the manufacturer's own accounts of its engineering, published in its newsroom. ²

Mitsubishi's engineering history pages also trace the formula's evolution: battery capacity grew from 12.0kWh to 13.8kWh in the August 2018 update, with engine displacement enlarged from 2.0 to 2.4 litres with Atkinson cycle, and the current-generation car was described as offering around 87km of electric range in Japan's M trim with roughly 1000km or more of total range on a full tank. The Outlander PHEV led global sales in the SUV-type PHEV category from January 2013 to September 2020, according to Mitsubishi. That background frames, but does not replace, the independently reported Australian test findings above. ³