New Member - Feedback From 1st 4000 miles

[Yorks2000]

1st post so I thought I'd start with some ramblings from 2 months driving my MY2016 GX4h around the hills of Yorkshire. Should also say that I 'traded down' my company car from a 5 series BMW - yes, to save a few £ on BIK but also to get a 4WD and I work in energy efficiency so I have a particular interest. Also,I don't like diesels! So.

Plus points
+ Excellent gliding around in EV mode
+ Space a general packaging
+ Quality improvements in MY16 model are incremental but very welcome
+ Very easy to own and drive
+ Excellent economy on short journeys [not bad on longer journeys either]
+ Real world performance much better than 0-60 time suggests
+ Surprising good motorway cruiser
+ 360 camera is absolutely superb
+ Preheat option is great

OK points
= Overall refinement is very good - comparable to 5 series
= Ride is generally ok
= Fuel economy - I average 45mpg [inc elec] over a broad mix of journeys typically 60 miles per day. I had researched it in advance so I knew 156mpg was only a dream.
= Quality - is not up to German standards but is adequate.
= ICE is ok - not great but ok

Weak Points
- Screaming engine in serial mode acceleration is just embarrassing! I've driven many many cars but not experienced this before [I never drove the DAF66!]. Learning to adapt!
- No EV button - COME ON Mitsubishi - this is just stupid. Yes, I know is much lamented.
- In car tech. The MMCS system is poor. The phone system is rubbish [yes, I do use voice commands but not all functions can be activated by voice]. Sat Nav is ok. Info screens are cluttered. I appreciate the engineering around the drivetrain but the poor tech is just lazy. Some £10k city cars have far better systems.
- App works but is rather basic [no problem linking to my iphone!]
- £40k is rather expensive. Better have an X3 for that price.

Overall, I really like the car and as long as the maths add up, I would have another but only as a company car - I doubt it would make sense as a private car [for me]. I think that if we are to be early adopters for PHEVs, we should expect some small inconveniences - but actually, the Outlander demands very little compromise.

Is just a shame that Mitsubishi didn't take on board the avalanche of feedback on a few relatively easy issues. Nevertheless, at the moment, I'm in YES, I would have another camp!

I'm sure others will highlight key points that I've missed :

 

[Neverfuel]

1st post so I thought I'd start with some ramblings from 2 months driving my MY2016 GX4h around the hills of Yorkshire. Should also say that I 'traded down' my company car from a 5 series BMW - yes, to save a few £ on BIK but also to get a 4WD and I work in energy efficiency so I have a particular interest. Also,I don't like diesels! So.

Plus points
+ Excellent gliding around in EV mode
+ Space a general packaging
+ Quality improvements in MY16 model are incremental but very welcome
+ Very easy to own and drive
+ Excellent economy on short journeys [not bad on longer journeys either]
+ Real world performance much better than 0-60 time suggests
+ Surprising good motorway cruiser
+ 360 camera is absolutely superb
+ Preheat option is great

OK points
= Overall refinement is very good - comparable to 5 series
= Ride is generally ok
= Fuel economy - I average 45mpg [inc elec] over a broad mix of journeys typically 60 miles per day. I had researched it in advance so I knew 156mpg was only a dream.
= Quality - is not up to German standards but is adequate.
= ICE is ok - not great but ok

Weak Points
- Screaming engine in serial mode acceleration is just embarrassing! I've driven many many cars but not experienced this before [I never drove the DAF66!]. Learning to adapt!
- No EV button - COME ON Mitsubishi - this is just stupid. Yes, I know is much lamented.
- In car tech. The MMCS system is poor. The phone system is rubbish [yes, I do use voice commands but not all functions can be activated by voice]. Sat Nav is ok. Info screens are cluttered. I appreciate the engineering around the drivetrain but the poor tech is just lazy. Some £10k city cars have far better systems.
- App works but is rather basic [no problem linking to my iphone!]
- £40k is rather expensive. Better have an X3 for that price.

Overall, I really like the car and as long as the maths add up, I would have another but only as a company car - I doubt it would make sense as a private car [for me]. I think that if we are to be early adopters for PHEVs, we should expect some small inconveniences - but actually, the Outlander demands very little compromise.

Is just a shame that Mitsubishi didn't take on board the avalanche of feedback on a few relatively easy issues. Nevertheless, at the moment, I'm in YES, I would have another camp!

I'm sure others will highlight key points that I've missed :

Welcome to the forum Yorks2000

Good honest write up

 

[anko]

Thanks for sharing. What I do not understand is this:

- £40k is rather expensive. Better have an X3 for that price.

Overall, I really like the car and as long as the maths add up, I would have another but only as a company car

Isn't that price tag part of the math? A Petrol Outlander would be a lot cheaper to buy, but for that car, the math would probably not add up.

 

[greendwarf]

A Petrol Outlander would be a lot cheaper to buy, but for that car, the math would probably not add up.

Petrol? - not in UK :?

 

[anko]

A Petrol Outlander would be a lot cheaper to buy, but for that car, the math would probably not add up.

Petrol? - not in UK :?

Sorry, not what?

 

[user 816]

Thanks for sharing. What I do not understand is this:

- £40k is rather expensive. Better have an X3 for that price.

Overall, I really like the car and as long as the maths add up, I would have another but only as a company car

Isn't that price tag part of the math? A Petrol Outlander would be a lot cheaper to buy, but for that car, the math would probably not add up.

That threw me a bit on that one but I think he meant in a purely private purchase mode, and I agree there are a lot of great vehicles for £40K that will do great mileage on diesel.

In a company car context of course an X3 doesn't compare as the tax bill opens a massive lead for the PHEV.

I agree on the MMCS too, the one in a £12K Suzuki blows it away, even the one in the courtesy Vauxhall Corsa I have today is more responsive and has better phone integration.

The only other point not sure of in my experience is the 'screaming engine' I see this mentioned at times but don't get it. I must be lucky and got one with extra insulation! at full power mine raises to a steady speed state but is not that loud or unpleasant.

I think we have been 'forced' out of petrol cars so long now that we have forgotten what its like to need to rev an engine being so used to the low torque of diesels... I had a courtesy petrol Mitsubishi ASX the other day, now that made a REAL racket!!! The Corsa I am in drowns out the stereo totally at hard acceleration, the engine in my PHEV is very muted compared to either.

 

[Yorks2000]

Thanks for the comments to clarify the points raised...

£40k - If I was paying £40k of my hard earned Great British Pounds as a private buyer, I would be able to get a 'better', more luxurious alternative - X3, Disco Sport etc. However, as a company car, it works really well at the moment - we'll see how that goes with reduced incentives and increased taxes in the coming years.

Screaming engine - This is much commented on this forum and it seems some are more sensitive to it than others. I find that if you accelerate up a very steep hill with low SOC then the engine 'screams' - we have quite a few of these steep hills in my part of the world. For sure the perception is 'amplified' by the comparison with the serenity of usual EV mode. Once you get past 40 mph or so and it goes to parallel mode then it calms down.

Just trying to give a balanced view

 

[user 816]

Thanks for the comments to clarify the points raised...

£40k - If I was paying £40k of my hard earned Great British Pounds as a private buyer, I would be able to get a 'better', more luxurious alternative - X3, Disco Sport etc. However, as a company car, it works really well at the moment - we'll see how that goes with reduced incentives and increased taxes in the coming years.

Screaming engine - This is much commented on this forum and it seems some are more sensitive to it than others. I find that if you accelerate up a very steep hill with low SOC then the engine 'screams' - we have quite a few of these steep hills in my part of the world. For sure the perception is 'amplified' by the comparison with the serenity of usual EV mode. Once you get past 40 mph or so and it goes to parallel mode then it calms down.

Just trying to give a balanced view

Agreed fully. It is of course all relative on such as noise.

It will be interesting to see how it works out incentive wise, whilst the PHEV is due to lose its rock bottom advantage, the CO2 bands are going to move for other cars too and cars never seem to get cheaper so the BIK all round will continue to rise as they have last few years.

The way its going soon the only option to keep BIK affordable will be to downsize to cheaper vehicles, or earn lots more!

 

[greendwarf]

A Petrol Outlander would be a lot cheaper to buy, but for that car, the math would probably not add up.

Petrol? - not in UK :?

Sorry, not what?

Only diesel outlander in UK

 

[anko]

Only diesel outlander in UK

Really. Weird. Anyway, you could probably buy a Petrol over here and have it shipped to you, and it will still be cheaper than a PHEV. Probably will save you enough money to have the steering wheel moved to the wrong side, too :lol:

 

[jthspace]

Probably will save you enough money to have the steering wheel moved to the wrong side, too :lol:

Living dangerously, again, Anko.