Testing the new 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV on Canada’s scenic West Coast

The Outlander PHEV has been the best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicle in Canada for the last three years, a big deal for the small Japanese automaker. Now the company has given it a mid-cycle update for 2026 giving it more range and power, updated technology, and added refinement.

The first generation was launched here in 2017 as a 2018 model and was the first plug-in hybrid SUV in the world with an electric motor on each axle and a 12 kWh battery pack for 35 km of emission-free electric range.

An all-new generation Outlander was launched in 2022 for the 2023 model year, with the new plug-in arriving with a larger 20 kWh battery nearly doubling the electric range to 61 km.

The new 2026 Outlander PHEV gets a larger 22.7 kWh battery that uses prismatic cells and an improved cooling system for improved efficiency and up to 72 km of electric range. The new pack has 30 per cent higher capacity but fits in the same space as the previous smaller battery.

The pack can now be charged in just 6.5 hours when connected to a Level 2 (240V) charger and in just 29 minutes on a CHaDeMo equipped Level 3 DC fast charger. It can also be charged through a regular 110 V household plug which takes 16.5 hours.

On rain-soaked alpine roads that spread out from Vancouver’s downtown core, the Outlander PHEV provided secure traction and lots of grip. The rear axle has no connection to the front and is independently controlled by the rear electric motor. During spirited cornering, the motor provides enough torque to the rear wheels neatly reducing understeer and pulling you through the corner, making you feel like a much better driver than you are.

There’s more power too, especially noticeable in the mid-range, but it tapers off quickly as you approach highway speeds. The larger battery means that the Outlander PHEV will spend more time in electric mode, further increasing efficiency even when depleted. After a couple hundred kilometres of enthusiastic driving, the Outlander PHEV returned an impressive efficiency of 3L/100 km aided by starting with a fully charged battery.

Design changes on the outside are subtle: a smoothed out piano-black front grille, and revised lower bumper and smoked taillamp lenses in the rear. Mitsubishi Motors didn’t want to do anything radical here as the bold styling is high up on the list of reasons customers chose the Outlander PHEV over its competition. There are also new wheel designs ranging from 18 to 20 inches on all trims.

The new 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is now arriving at dealers in Canada with pricing for the base ES S-AWC starting at $49,998, making it eligible for the federal EV incentive.

The luxuriously equipped GT-Premium S-AWC trim we were given the opportunity to test is $61,698 with the top-spec GT Noir S-AWC moving the needle up to $63,048.