Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

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Wed 8 Jul 2015 17:00

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

I've been looking into this car as a possible future purchase and am just wondering what the main pro/cons are. There are obvious benefits such as zero VED/CZ (which could easily change) and the prospect of very cheap short jouneys (in EV mode) but I'm also thinking about stuff like servicing costs, maintenance etc. (which I can't find much information on) compared to the diesel/petrol variants. I'm wary of how complex modern diesels are and have a nagging doubt that the PHEV might throw up similarly expensive problems which could be very costly when it's out of warranty. Then there's the question of battery pack longevity and cost to replace, which Mitsubisihi seem to be skirting around for now, judging by the FAQ's I read on their website which seem to be reduced to 'well they're bound to get cheaper...'

Is there anything likely to be inherently more/less reliable about such a vehicle or is the truth that it's as likely to cost a bomb to fix at some point as any other similarly sized/equipped vehicle but possibly for different reasons?

TIA

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Wed 8 Jul 2015 17:16

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - brum

Come back in 5 years and ask the question. Only then will an informed opinion be available.

Mitsubishi have in the past had a reputation for high serving costs, eyewatering parts prices and poor availability.

Battery pack life/cost are unknown quantities.

Are you feeling lucky?

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Wed 8 Jul 2015 17:23

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - craig-pd130

Priuses (Prii?) have proven to be reliable long-term, but obviously that's a completely different manufacturer.

The Prius example does show that there's no reason why the technology cannot be made to work reliably -- but what one manufacturer does well, another can make a right pig's ear of.

There's no doubt that petrol hybrids will become more and more prevalent but personally, I wouldn't want to own one outside of the manufacturer's warranty period just yet.

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Wed 8 Jul 2015 17:47

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - gordonbennet

You could look up the crazed headlight issue on Outlander 1 and the company's response, but maybe they've morphed into another Toyota since, as above do you feel lucky.

I have no doubt the vehicle will be good during warranty, as above what happens after that is anyones guess.

If i wanted a hybrid to keep out of warranty i would feel confident in a Toyota/Lexus, and to be perfectly honest not much else.

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Wed 8 Jul 2015 18:02

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

That's interesting.

Of course only time will tell for sure but I'm really wondering whether this type of technology is likely to be more reliable and cheaper to run by doing away with or mitigating some of the major potential problem areas associated with modern diesel/petrol cars e.g. dpfs, turbos, gearboxes, clutches. For example, do electric motors tend to be reliable or are there known issues with them?

If this technology is really only replacing one lot of new, highly complex and expensive equipment with another, there may be no huge advantage but, if not, that might add to its appeal to anyone thinking of owning one longer term.

Preumably any servicing would involve the petrol engine together with some of the electrial components not found in traditional cars so that might be quite a bit more expensive. Also, if such a vehicle were to be used for mainly short electric only journeys, would that have any adverse effect on the petrol engine and such things as the exhaust system?

I'd love to see a side by side comparison of the running, servicing, maintenance and major repair costs for the petrol, diesel and PHEV variants to see how they stack up.

Edited by Mazda-Man on 08/07/2015 at 18:12

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Wed 8 Jul 2015 18:00

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Avant

I had a test drive in a PHEV: like most hybrids, if you are happy to drive in an unhurried fashion you can save fuel. Subjectivelt, this felt a little ponderous, more so than the Prius which I actually quite liked driving.

But I wouldn't have a PHEV - spare wheel not even available as an option, and nowhere to put even a spacesaver.

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Wed 8 Jul 2015 18:10

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

I like unhurried driving and to arrive safely, neither shaken or stirred so it'd suit me fine on that score. :) However I like the air-con on and realise this will have implications on EV range. :(

I may not be explaining myself very well and am interested in this car but wouldn't rule out something else if I felt it would suit us better. I've never been a high mileage driver or changed cars frequently and don't think I ever will be so I'm looking for something which ought to be reliable and relatively cheap to own over a long period.

Just the car tax would save me nearly £300 pa at present rates so that's a good starting point but meaningless if other costs are much higher for whatever reason.

I suppose this car must share a number of major parts/components/systems with other Outlander models so I should add that the presence of significant known issues with these would also be a factor in any decision. HJ's CBC report doesn't seem to reveal anything worrying however.

Edited by Mazda-Man on 08/07/2015 at 18:21

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Wed 8 Jul 2015 23:16

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - focussed

Some friends of ours have a diesel Outlander, an early one with a VW motor, wouldn't be my choice but absolutely nothing has gone wrong with it in about 60000 miles. They just have it serviced.

Rear suspenders are a bit bouncy though with two in the back.

Edited by focussed on 08/07/2015 at 23:19

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Thu 9 Jul 2015 02:09

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - SteveLee

I had a test drive in a PHEV: like most hybrids, if you are happy to drive in an unhurried fashion you can save fuel.

The whole point of hybrids is they recover braking energy - so if you drive in a spirited manner you should be quids in because you are doing a lot of otherwise unnecessary braking.

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Thu 9 Jul 2015 10:51

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - madf

I had a test drive in a PHEV: like most hybrids, if you are happy to drive in an unhurried fashion you can save fuel.

The whole point of hybrids is they recover braking energy - so if you drive in a spirited manner you should be quids in because you are doing a lot of otherwise unnecessary braking.

Err no.

The battery capacity is limited. So after a whiel the recovered energy has nowhere to go and is wasted.. Or if you start with a full battery there will be no saving in the above example.

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Thu 9 Jul 2015 11:57

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - brum

Start with a full battery and the management system will use that energy source first to accelerate away. So there should always be room for energy recovery, unless you live on top of a steep hill.....

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Thu 9 Jul 2015 13:27

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Happy Blue!

I had a test drive in a PHEV and then had a look inside a Lexus RX450h. It is clear from the graphics on the dashboard (identical power meters in every respect) that there is a great deal of technology sharing between the manufacturers. You would have though the cars were made by the same manufacturer.

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Thu 9 Jul 2015 16:09

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Manatee

You would have though the cars were made by the same manufacturer.

That's interesting.

I had a test drive in a PHEV 2 or 3 months ago, the dealer offered me an attratcive p/x against their 2014 demonstrator. The electric bits and batteries were guaranteed for 5 years, and now new ones have a full 5 year warranty.

The battery pack can now be replaced for £4,500, not a trivial amount but a lot better than the £15,000 it started at according to the dealer.

The car isn't as lively as my 2011 diesel one (which also has the Mitsubishi MIVEC diesel with 174bhp, not the current ~140bhp version) but it is quiet and smooth.

My main reason for deciding against it was that the savings simply wouldn't be high enough to warrant early replacement of my car. Basically a bit of a fuel saving plus the VED (which has just gone up from 0 to £140 anyway in the budget). I think most have probably been chosen as company cars because of the BIK savings, and I bet half of them never even bother to plug in.

There are paddles on the steering wheel to adjust to energy recovery. At maximum, this gives pronounced "engine" braking, but doesn't put the brake lights on so as a braking substitute it might increase the chance of being rear ended!

I also didn't like the idea of having no spare at all - especially as it is my towcar.

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Thu 9 Jul 2015 21:22

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Ethan Edwards

I believe that you cannot tow with a Hybrid at all. Did you do any research at all?

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Thu 9 Jul 2015 21:48

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Ethan Edwards

OK just looked and you can tow with the Mitsubishi but most Hybrids you cannot.

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Thu 16 Jul 2015 02:05

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - SteveLee

The Lexus RX has a tow kit available - but the allowable towing capacity isn't much to shout about.

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Thu 9 Jul 2015 22:43

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

Thanks for the replies.

Yes £4500 for a new battery pack (albeit heading south probably) is still a considerable amount of money for anyone who wouldn't be benefitting massively from the savings possible when uswed as a company car. I wonder whether Mitsubishi would look kindly on owners with failures out of warranty or leave them high and dry. Time will tell no doubt.

As for VED I believe the changes don't come in until 2017 so cars bought prior to that will be subject to the current regime whereas a PHEV bought from 2017 would have a 1st year VED of £25 and £140 pa thereafter. Compared to my current car it'd still make sense from that point of view if the other questions I raised could be answered favourably.

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 00:41

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - gordonbennet

I know its a smaller vehicle but i believe a new, or possibly properly rebuilt, battery pack for Prius is around £1500 fitted, there's not a lot of postings about prices * because so few have needed new battery packs.

How Mitsi will compare i don't know, i suppose the Lexus RX400 and 450h are comparable size if not price wise, maybe some time on the Toyota Hybrid forums might be well spent.

If £1500 to £2000 is the real price to pay after about 8 years in order to give another 8 year service then it's not worse, and probably cheaper, than the cost of sorting out the average modern Diesel's DMF/DPF/fuel pump/injectors etc at similar time.

I'd be morre worried about more expensive and individual parts like inverters (i have no doubt the indy battery industry will grow quickly) where costs can be eye watering, didn't we recently have a Civic Hybrid here where the inverter failed just out of warranty and Honda were extremely reluctant to offer goodwill, but did eventually, for something costing around £4500.

* there were many scare stories about Prius needing new battery packs regularly @ up to £5k a throw, luridly exaggerated by the anti hybrid camps of which there are legion.

Edited by gordonbennet on 10/07/2015 at 00:42

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 07:31

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - madf

Battery pack repair is feasible- there are people in the UK doing it.

Test cells, find dud ones, replace.. Simples.. (if you are trained and know electronics of course-- which excludes those who abhor electronics:-)

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 09:19

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - daveyjp

If it is purely a finance based decision get the spreadsheet opened up and play with the figures to see just how much you will actually save.

The marginal savings in fuel and road tax will no doubt be completely overshadowed by depreciation and main dealer servicing costs for 10 years.

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 13:55

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

Yes that (inverters) would be the sort of thing I'd be worried about - major parts failing and costing a fortune to fix when out of warranty. What are the other possible major failures or problem areas with this type of car as compared to the alternatives? I'd also like to see a comparison of annual servicing costs for PHEV v. diesel, including any major items which may have to be done after say 5 or 7 years. All I've found is that the 3 year service plan for the diesel is £700 and the PHEV £500, but what other major servicing costs lie in wait I wonder?

That's my fear with modern diesels as I would intend to keep my car for a long time all being well and I'd rather reduce the risk of major bills if possible because these will wipe out any savings accrued from fuel etc.

Is the general concensus that a car like the PHEV is likely to be just as costly to keep on the road as the diesel equivalent (e.g. DPFs, injectors, fuel pumps etc. etc.) albeit for different reasons then or do we think it's likely to be more reliable and cheaper to maintain longer term due to its inherent design, albeit with a few caveats regarding things like battery packs and inverters?

I realise there are no guarantees and only time will tell for sure but I'd be interested in any opinions.

Edited by Mazda-Man on 10/07/2015 at 14:02

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 15:25

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Happy Blue!

I am a dubious about this diesel unreliability talk. My only recent experience was 4.75 years and 44,000 miles in an S-Max TDCi with complete reliability from the car (apart from one minor issue unrelated to the drivetrain). We do not see huge number of cars littering the side of the road or motorway broken down - far less than we used to - and generally those you do see look as though they suffer from a lack of maintenance anyway.

Yes there are various 'horror' stories, but I don't think I would be put off buying a diesel if I knew that my style of regular driving was suitable for one.

My father's five year old and 20,000 miles Daihatsu Sirion is a paragon of reliability. The last MOT gave an advisory for knocking ball joints or something similar. I can only think that the reason is the large numbers of road humps in our area. So there are lots of reasons why a car may suffer a component failure, but regular driving should mean a quality vehicle will last many years. If a Land Rover suffered the same advisory as the Daihatsu I would be upset as it should be able to cope - horses for courses.

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 20:28

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

Although I drive an old one (pre-dpf), for me a diesel doesn't really make sense as my annual mileage is only 3-4k, I only use my car 3-4 times pw and most of my journeys would be between 5-10 miles.

The issue of regular use I alluded to in my original post. Albeit supposedly great for short journeys, how would the PHEV cope with my usage of primarily short suburban runs from a mechanical point of view?

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 21:50

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Avant

I can't see why you should have any problems, as a hybrid in in its element in short urban journeys.

But personally if I were going to do such a low mileage, I wouldn't want to buy such a large and expensive car. But you know what your needs are.

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 22:33

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

It's a fair pint but although I don't do big miles, I like driving larger cars and do make full use of the space in my 7 seater on a fairly regular basis. The Outlander is smaller so I'd actually be downsizing. There's not that much choice outside of diesel for large cars unless you have very deep pockets it seems.

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Sat 11 Jul 2015 01:33

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Nickdm

Outlander PHEV only had 5 seats - the battery pack takes up the space where the 2 extra seats usually fit. So for 7 seats you need the diesel version...

FWIW the PHEV - in fact all Mitsis - seem to be selling very well, with strong y-on-y growth.

PHEV or diesel choice probably depends on your annual mileage and type of driving. I plumped for the diesel version back in January. 400 miles in and no regrets. It's not a sports car, but is well-equipped and comfy. Perfect for family use I'd say?

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Sat 11 Jul 2015 07:16

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - madf

It sounds ideal for short runs. If you are worried about expensive future out of warranty failures, buy an extended warranty.. The costs will be small versus the cost of a new inverter..

My worry would be more the ability of any Mitsubishi garage to enact a complex repair if the need arises...it is rare on Toyota hybrids I belive - see their reliability figures. So if it does happen, not much experience likely of doing it in a Mitsubishi garage.

|Perosnally if you are buying a £30k car and low mileage, I'd buy a petrol one... The running costs will be increased by peanuts (in the scheme of things#) versus a hybrid and it's cheaper to buy...

# say 5k miles a year.

at Hybrid estimated real mpg around 70?mpg,,,70gallons.

At petrol estimated mpg say 20mpg...250gallons.

Extra cost 180gallons at £6.50 just over £1k a year.

Peanust of a £30k car with annual depreciation 4 times that.

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Sat 11 Jul 2015 09:20

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - daveyjp

Madf has hit the nail on the head. In pure financial terms it makes absolutely no sense to buy a hybrid to save a few £ on fuel. 20mpg from a modern petrol is very pessimistic, add at least 50%.

Any such purchase will be because the buyer wants the particular vehicle and there is nothing having something you want!

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Sat 11 Jul 2015 14:30

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

Really helpful thanks. I've never considered an extended warranty so will look into that option. Complex repairs are what I'd fear but these days they seem possible with any type of car sadly. I'm regularly searching the web for evidence of such issues with this car and hoping that as it becomes more popular there'll be more feedback on such things from owners. I'm not in a rush but when my car dies I'll want to have a good idea of what to replace it with.

Just to add, I wouldn't buy new - never have - and would intend to keep the car until it dies (like my present one which I have owned for over 11 years) so depreciation isn't the big factor it might be for some.

Cheers!

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Sat 11 Jul 2015 14:20

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

Sorry I should have been clearer, I have a 7 seater but don't need 7 seats anymore. If that were not the case I'd never have considered the PHEV. I just like having the rear load space a big car offers.

Edited by Mazda-Man on 11/07/2015 at 14:23

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Thu 16 Jul 2015 02:08

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - SteveLee

In my experience of driving up and down the country regularly - I'd say the vast majority of breakdowns (modern cars) are VW group cars. Lots of Passats and Golfs and as most of these are diesels there may be some mileage in that story ('scuse the pun). Perhaps there's just more of them on the road? Anyhow there definately seems to be alot of them.

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Sat 18 Jul 2015 00:00

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - SteveLee

Note the "drive in spirited manner" bit - that means accelerating hard as well as braking hard - accelerating hard will use some of the stored energy - and braking will put some of it back again.

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Sun 12 Jul 2015 00:00

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Avant

It seems that the PHEV is now the only petrol-powered Outlander (was that always the case? - not sure). If you're not buying new, Mazdaman, you may find used PHEVs hard to find, and still quite expensive, as they haven't been on the market all that long.

But you may find an ex-demonstrator. I can see why you want one - most of the competition is diesel-powered. I presume that something like a Skoda Yeti is too small for your needs.

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Sun 12 Jul 2015 07:52

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - madf

A Lexus 450H is a far nicer car..And FAR more reliable than any Mitsubishi - being proven in service..

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Thu 16 Jul 2015 02:01

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - SteveLee

The two cars aren't really comparable - the Lexus is not a "plug in" for starters and it's a much higher performing car with a much shorter electric-only range and speed. The Lexus is all about acheiving diesel like economy (for the class) with V8 like performance. The Outlander is all about economy, managing to be effectively a full electric car around town - although on a steady cruise with little chance to recover energy they probably return similar fuel consumption around 40mpg - the older 400h will only return 30mpg as the 3.3 petrol engine is much less efficient than the 450's 3.5.

Incidently the 400h is quicker than the (heavier) 450 because the 450h tries to eak out battery power longer (less electric assist but for longer as the Atkinson cycle petrol engine is inherently more efficient) hence the 10mpg better economy despite the weight. The Outlander is bareable performance wise where as the RX can be described as quick - particularly with a fully charged battery pack where 0-60 times can be siginicantly quicker than the official figures.

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Sun 12 Jul 2015 17:45

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

I honestly haven't decided yet but find that coming to places like this helps focus the mind and reveal unforeseen issues. I'm in no hurry, unless my current car blows up, as I intend to run it into the ground. Unless my situation dratsically changes, I can't see a modern diesel being suitable and that reduces the choice a lot but I'm certainly not ruling out a simple (if anything's simple anymore) petrol model if something suitable could be found. Not knowing anything about electric vehicles and their complexity, I was intrigued by the PHEV and keen to find out if going down that route would be a viable option for someone like me. Jury's still out... :)

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Fri 17 Jul 2015 02:11

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - SteveLee

Good for you - running a car into the ground is ALWAYS significantly cheaper regardless of the perceived fuel economy gains obtained by buying newer vehicles. It's not as if you're losing out. For at least 15 years most everyday workaday cars drive very well. Unless you're after an image change there's no point wasting money on a newer car. I know people who drive 8,000 miles a year who've spent £20,000 (net) to reduce their fuel costs by £10 per week - madness.

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Wed 17 Oct 2018 23:28

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - sabr ber

Dear Mazda-Man, hope you doing fine and found what you were looking for back in 2015

Thank you for starting the thread and sharing your thought with rest forums. I'm going through exactly what you were going through then.

I'm in process of changing my vehicle ( is dying on my have had it for 7yrs, was second hand when bought).

It's now 2018,I'm super curious how did you go on about back 2015? . Did you actually buy Oulander PHEV Used one? and did it serve you well?

Was there any expensive problems, parts and servicing? all financial cost to it?/

I'm really torn between Prius Plug-in (2012) and Outlander PHEV 2014, inclined to latter due to EV range longer than prius' 15 miles pure EV. My driving very similar what you mentioned, do do very short journeys, school runs shopping, and sometimes to work about 18 miles both ways, I'm offered free charging facilities at car park where i live (hence started thinking about plug in and electrical cars in general)

I want to buy used Outlander PHEV milage around 80k, GX4H, which in market i can get for £10-112k , but never owned SUV or Mitsubishi? hence very worried if i'd be doing mistake and becomes costly even normal service charges and should there be part replacements, labor and etc.?

is it worth it? or should i stick with normal hybrid prius (non plug-in) which is 2k less for 2012 80k on the clock.

I'd really appreciate you experience and thought and from anyone else in the forum?

Thank you in advance.

Fara

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Wed 17 Oct 2018 23:37

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - sabr ber

Duplicate post.

Edited by Avant on 18/10/2018 at 00:21

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Sun 12 Jul 2015 17:49

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Avant

I'm glad we're able to help. It can be quite fun to think about a new car and conside the options when one's in no hurry. Let us know your thoughts as time goes on.

What's your current car which is clearly serving you well? A Mazda perhaps?

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Sun 12 Jul 2015 22:54

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - Mazda-Man

It's a Mazda MPV 2.0l diesel and it's been excellent but we're at the point when things are starting to go wrong and it'll be uneconomic to repair. Hence my desire to start looking around for an alternative which will hopefully be just as reliable given my usage and hopefully cheaper to run.

Petrol alternatives would be considered but I worry about future fuel costs and when I look at the SMax, for example, the list of problem issues looks horrendous in HJ's CBC. I'm prepared to be educated however if anyone has any thoughts on large petrol alternatives.

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Sun 12 Jul 2015 23:31

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - PHEV pros/cons - reliability, servicing etc. - daveyjp

You are going through exactly what I went through recently.

I wanted a good sized car suitable for long journeys and hauling a load with a petrol engine, During the week it isn't used much, so urban mpg wasn't a huge issue.

I also wanted something higher off the ground having got used to it with a B class.

I ended up with a Subaru Forester. New 2.0l engine is much better on fuel than the old version. I did about 30 urban miles today, including lots of very heavy traffic thanks to a combination of Sunday road works, temporary lights and roads closed for a 10k run, but it still did an indicated 38mpg.

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