Next Mitsubishi Outlander reported for 2028 with four-motor plug-in hybrid and Elevance concept styling

A new Outlander is reportedly due in 2028

An all-new Mitsubishi Outlander is due in about two years, according to Japanese media. Chasing Cars reports that, while the current SUV's strong Australian sales might mask its age, the fourth-generation Outlander launched in 2021, meaning Mitsubishi is likely partway through developing its successor. ¹

The report from Japanese outlet Response, as carried by Carscoops and Chasing Cars, claims the fifth-generation model is being developed with a bold new design and an upgraded plug-in hybrid powertrain, with a global launch tipped for 2028. Neither Mitsubishi headquarters nor Mitsubishi Motors Australia has confirmed the plans; Chasing Cars notes it has contacted Mitsubishi Australia for comment, while VietnamNet's coverage also states the Japanese manufacturer has yet to officially verify the details. ¹²⁵

Elevance concept points to a bolder look

Chasing Cars reports that the new Outlander's design is reportedly spun from the Elevance concept, unveiled in October 2025 at the Tokyo motor show, suggesting a more extroverted successor to today's monolithic styling. Carscoops identifies concept elements that may carry over, including dramatic headlights and daytime running lights flowing down the fascia and a body-coloured grille, along with a full-width rear LED light bar and taillights extending up the D-pillars and across the rear flanks. Quatro Rodas describes the same direction, noting elongated daytime running lights at the edges of the front bumper, headlights integrated into the main grille, and a continuous LED bar connecting slim rear lamps. ¹²³

Not everything from the concept is expected to survive. Carscoops reports that one of the Elevance's most dramatic features — its huge side windows — is unlikely to make the production car, while VietnamNet similarly observes that many show-car details probably won't be retained in series production. ²⁵

Four electric motors, one per wheel

The headline change is the powertrain. Chasing Cars reports, citing Response, that the Elevance concept's four-motor plug-in hybrid system is closer to production than it looks. Where the current Outlander PHEV uses one electric motor at each axle, the next Outlander is reported to have a motor positioned at each wheel, with the front motors reportedly mounted in the wheels themselves and the rear motors used for torque vectoring. ¹

Quatro Rodas frames the change as an evolution of Mitsubishi's Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel-drive system aimed at raising its practical standard rather than simply posting bigger figures, with a dedicated electric motor at each wheel allowing each axle to be driven individually and traction losses corrected instantly. Carscoops adds that the four motors will play an integral role in a next-generation S-AWC previewed by the concept, improving handling through precise power deployment to each wheel. ²³

The engineering trade-offs are acknowledged in the reporting. Quatro Rodas notes the extra motors make the vehicle inevitably heavier while promising faster responses and superior cornering stability, and that the system will require a higher-energy-density battery to support the increased demand of the four-motor set-up — with fuel consumption remaining the decisive argument for plug-in hybrid buyers. ³

Engine details and variant structure remain open

No engine details have emerged. Chasing Cars reports two speculated possibilities: the current Outlander PHEV's four-cylinder petrol engine could carry over, or the three-cylinder engine from the distantly related Nissan X-Trail ePower could be adopted. Quatro Rodas, by contrast, reports the combustion base will be retained but receive improvements to gain thermal efficiency. ¹³

The quad-motor arrangement may not be universal. Chasing Cars reports, citing Response, that it might feature in a range-topping Outlander PHEV while the dual-motor layout continues in other, likely more affordable, variants. ¹

What the current Outlander PHEV delivers today

The outgoing plug-in hybrid provides the benchmark for the new system. Carscoops details the current US-market Outlander PHEV as a 2.4-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder with two electric motors and a 22.7kWh lithium-ion battery, delivering 297hp and 332lb-ft (450Nm) of torque with an all-electric range of up to 66 miles (106km). Quatro Rodas quotes the same architecture at 301cv combined output and 45.9kgfm of torque with 106km of electric range. ²³

VietnamNet describes the current car's electrified four-wheel-drive layout, with one motor on each axle working alongside Mitsubishi's S-AWC control technology, and notes that independently controlled multi-motor configurations remain uncommon in mainstream hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUVs — a differentiation opportunity if the technology reaches the fifth-generation Outlander. ⁵

Sales pressure behind the push

The model's importance to Mitsubishi is underscored by recent sales figures. Carscoops reports that 35,895 Outlanders were sold in the United States last year, down from 45,253 the previous year, though it remained comfortably the brand's best-selling model. Quatro Rodas cites the same decline in US registrations, saying the changes arrive at a moment when the Outlander needs to react to stem falling global sales against hybrid rivals such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 and a wave of arriving Chinese hybrid SUVs. ²³

Until Mitsubishi confirms any of this, the 2028 timing, the quad-motor PHEV and the Elevance-derived styling all remain reports rather than announcements. Mitsubishi headquarters is, as fakti.bg puts it, maintaining silence on exact technical specifications and the production schedule for now. ⁴