PHEV wars – MG HS coming to rough up Outlander

Brit-by-birthright, Chinese-by-ownership, international-by-intent MG is about to release a competitor for the country’s favourite new plug-in hybrid. 

 MG’s flagship sports utility, the medium-sized HS, will come on sale here in April in a plug-in electric format for $52,990.

The first plug-in hybrid brand model from MG owner SAIC is also the marque’s second electric car here. 

It stands as a big brother to the $4000 cheaper and physically smaller pure electric ZS EV, also a front-drive five seater, whose position as the country’s cheapest fully electric new car has seen it capture strong sales since release four months ago.

The HS will present in a high level specification with a primary target seemingly being a car that has basically had this sub-sector all to itself, the popular choice Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, though potentially the Toyota RAV4 Prime coming later will also become another rival.

 The face-off between the HS and Outlander in present formats will likely rage for all of 2021, because even though the current Outlander is set to be replaced this year, the version with a PHEV format is not arriving until 2022.

They seem sure to become intriguing rivals – for the past year the Outlander has had a 2.4-litre petrol engine, replacing the original’s 2.0-litre, and updated to a higher capacity battery. It sells for $52,490 in XLS and $58,990 in VRX – the latter having a spec level that the MG is set up to match.

MG’s drivetrain pairs a 119kW 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 90kW electric motor for a combined output of 209kW and a 0-100kmh time of 6.9 seconds.

 The MG has a claimed full electric range of 52kms – just 3kms short of the Outlander’s optimal - from its liquid-cooled 16.6kWh battery pack and is claimed to narrowly beat the Japanese offer on overall economy.

Thrift of 1.7 litres per 100km, calculated using the updated WLTP cycle, was quoted at today’s online link to a media conference held in Australia. Mitsubishi reckons Outlander will achieve 1.9L/100km. The HS CO2 count is 39 grams per kilometre.

The HS can be operated in full electric that mode until the battery exhausts; replenishment is by Type 2 plug, with a from-empty recharge on the 7kWh wallbox MG will also sell taking five hours, or fully overnight if plugged into a normal three pin socket.

 Power is sent to the front wheels from both power sources through a newly developed 10-speed gearbox. This involves a six-speed orthodox automatic gearbox while the electric motor uses a four-speed drive unit. Outlander, of course, has a CVT. Unbraked towing is 750kg.

Equipment levels are high. The car takes 18-inch alloy wheels, electrically adjustable heated front seats, a 360-degree camera, keyless entry and climate control, a panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, leather upholstery, ambient lighting and LED headlights.

Safety features equipped as standard across the range include adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning and blind-spot detection. The HS has already achieved a full five-star safety rating from ANCAP. 

The HS PHEV is backed with an 8-year, 160,000-kilometre battery warranty and a 5-year unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty,

Speaking at the launch, Peter Ciao, MG Motor New Zealand’s chief executive said: “The new MG HS Plug-In Hybrid brilliantly showcases the intelligence and innovation we have available within our brand. It offers our customers the opportunity to experience new energy innovation, while remaining in the comfort of a true SUV that is equal parts stylish, sporty and spacious.

“The MG HS Plug-In Hybrid is our first plug-in hybrid, our second new energy vehicle, and one that we’re delighted to bring to our New Zealand customers as part of our commitment to making new energy vehicles mainstream in New Zealand.”

While MG has so far based its market presence around petrol cars, the corporate aim is to go increasingly electric.

Even so, MG also added two other HS editions, the Excite and Essence X, which respectively place at $39,990 and $45,990. These have all-wheel-drive.

New Outlander fully revealed

Alliance co-sharing means the gen four car is a Nis-subishi.

 REVEALED today and set to land locally later this year, the new generation of the popular Outlander sports utility is set to be the first Mitsubishi here with Nissan DNA.

The shared bloodline with a make that has historically been a corporate foe arises from Mitsubishi and Nissan being in an alliance that also involves Renault. 

For Outlander, one of the more popular SUVs with Kiwis with 2424 registrations last year and 2838 in 2019, it means an interesting blend for Kiwis to consider when the car arrives.

Which is when, exactly? “We’re very excited about the launch of the all-new Outlander, which is due to hit our shores later in the year,” says Reece Congdon, head of marketing and communications for Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand.

As for what variants we can expect to see? “Our local line-up will be announced in the coming months.”

Back to the car. External styling is by its actual maker, taking cues from a 2019 concept called the Engelberg Tourer. Likeswise, there’s continuation of core elements such as seven seats and the make’s Super Select all-wheel-drive system. However, the engine, transmission and platform are already used by the Nissan X-Trail.

The platform change to the first all-new Outlander in nine years, and the fourth generation to hold that nameplate, enhances the general dimension and likely will deliver dynamic and safety benefit.

Featuring ultra-high tensile steel for the first time, Mitsubishi claims the new platform offers greater body stiffness, while saving weight thanks to an aluminium bonnet and plastic front quarterpanels.

Measuring 4709mm long, 1862mm wide and 1748mm high, with a 2705mm wheelbase, the new family SUV is 15mm longer in overall length, 51mm wider, 38mm taller and 36mm longer in overall wheelbase – translating into 25mm of additional front and 28mm of rear legroom, and 35mm of additional shoulder room.

The only engine at launch is a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol, developing 135kW of power and 245Nm of torque – a lift of 9kW and 9Nm over cited outputs for the X-Trail version. The current Outlander makes 124kW and 220Nm.

A plug-in hybrid model is expected to debut later in 2021 or early in 2022, expected to mate a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an array of electric motors. No outputs are given, but the current one generates 94kW and 199Nm.

The new engine is mated to a CVT automatic transmission as standard – with eight stepped 'ratios' and a shift-by-wire set-up – sending drive to either the front or all four wheels.

The all-wheel-drive is Mitsubishi's latest Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC), with improved torque vectoring and a new clutch-based centre coupling.

Eco, Normal, Tarmac, Snow and Gravel modes feature with front- and AWD models, but the latter also has a Mud mode.

The styling delivers Mitsubishi's 'Dynamic Shield' corporate face with split LED headlights containing upper daytime-running lights plus LED tail-lights.

 The primary feature of the interior is a tablet-style 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation. This restricts to the high grades and overseas’ media say it’s identical to a display used by the Nissan. They also believe the 12.3-inch configurable digital instrument cluster and 10.8-inch head-up display – the latter pair both firsts for the Mitsubishi brand – are lifted from the X-Trail.

Lower grades lack the head-up display and have 8.0-inch infotainment and 7.0-inch instrument cluster screens.

Available active safety technologies include adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, traffic-sign recognition, auto high-beam, forward and reverse autonomous emergency braking, hill descent control and driver attention alert.

There's also blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert – both capable of detecting and braking for obstacles – plus a 360-degree camera on higher grades. 

Upholstery options comprise fabric, suede, semi-aniline leather and quilted genuine leather depending on variant.

Equipment at flagship level includes a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system, heated seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, a panoramic glass sunroof, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, 15-watt wireless smartphone charging, first- and second-row USB-A and USB-C ports, and rear window sun blinds.

The first market for Outlander is the United States.

More dirt on new Outlander

Video of car undergoing off-road testing reminds that this family model has serious beyond-seal mettle.

 ANOTHER teaser has come from Mitsubishi in respect to the next Outlander, a car that has already been spotted in uncovered format.

This time the brand has issued a video showing the new model being put through its paces off-road; the primary objective being to show the abilities delivered by the latest version of the brand’s Super-All Wheel Control all-wheel-drive system.

The maker promises the latest generation of the S-AWC provides “driver confidence and security in all weather and road conditions.”

The movie follows last month’s release of photographs hinting at the car’s design – images that, unfortunately for Mitsubishi, were issued several days after a Japanese web site shared photos of the model without any of the camouflage it wears in the video.

Knowing that the car’s cover has been blown has apparently not dissuaded Mitsubishi Japan from continuing with a pre-release media campaign that culminates with the car’s global unveiling, timed for midday NZT on February 17.

The current Outlander sells mainly as a family on-road runabout but the gist of information released by the brand seems to suggest restricting to that role will be selling the new one seriously short.

The make says the video reminds that the incoming car has “serious” off-road abilities. It says the S-AWC’s final calibrations were developed in severe weather and road conditions. So Outlander is now actually more like an Outback?

Apparently so. It also reinforces that this Outlander’s development is affected by a knowledge base proven over years of competitions in the deserts of Dakar and on the slippery dirt-covered and snow-packed roads of the world’s rally circuits.

According to Mitsubishi: “ … the all-new Outlander builds on a heritage forged by the Pajero/ Pajero Sport cross-country SUV.”

It says engineers focused on building a crossover SUV that embodies the Mitsubishi Motors DNA and the product concept “I-Fu-Do-Do”, which means authentic and majestic. The all-new Outlander is set to deliver the highest level of maneuverability and superb driving performance.

“We took everything we know about on- and off-road driving from the rally experiences to apply the latest Super All-Wheel Control technology in our newly developed platform,” says Kentaro Honda, the lead engineer for the car.

“We also specifically developed a new drive mode selector to provide confident driving at all times and in all weather conditions. We hope that many customers will have great experiences with the enhanced driving performance of the all-new Outlander.” 

Outlander’s official unveiling less revealing

Days after images of the next-gen edition without disguise hit the internet, Mitsubishi sends out a shadowy sneak preview that reveals little.

This and other images of what appears to be the next Outlander were posted on the web days ago.

INTENT by Mitsubishi to maintain an air of mystery with the next Outlander that is expected to come on sale here in 2021 seems set to proceed, regardless that unexpurgated images of the model have already hit the web.

Today distributors, included Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand, sent out an official shadowy image, that of course discloses little detail, as part of a build-up to the car’s full official unveiling, timed for February.

There’s just one catch to keeping the suspense up – the cover asppears to have been completely blown.

Images of a car without any camouflage have been racing around the internet for most of this week.

Mitsubishi distributors sent this extremely shadowy image out today.

Those pictures, seen here, purport to show a car in a public area and were posted first on Instagram account @allcarnews, then subsequently picked up by other websites, including Australia’s CarAdvice.

 The account claims the car was snapped while sitting in an open car park.

The new Outlander looks to share the bulk of its design with the Engelberg Tourer, a concept that was revealed at the 2019 Geneva motor show.

The ‘caught-out’ car carries the brand's current design language, showcasing slim headlights and pointed front facia.

It's expected the vehicle will share its underpinnings with the upcoming Nissan X-Trail, a result of platform-sharing within the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi Alliance. Some sites suggest an uncanny resemblance to the Nissan at the D-pillar.

According to a report from a US website, CarBuzz, the new Outlander will be powered by the X-Trail's 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder engine, producing 135kW and 245Nm in its American tuning.

There will also be a replacement for the Outlander PHEV, but that comes later. The present model uses a 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder mated to two electric motors mounted on each axle, with 60kW at the front and 70kW at the rear, and powered by a 13.8kWh battery pack.

Last year’s Engelberg Tourer concept

New Outlander in 2021

Change is coming for Mitsubishi’s core sports utilities.

CONFIRMATION that an all-new Outlander will be out in 2021 and that the smaller Eclipse Cross will under significant change in the last part of this year has come from Mitsubishi.

However the brand still has no news about another generation of its smallest crossover, the ASX, which has been in production since 2010 and has just undergone four facelifts in a bid to keep it fresh. 

The news was not imparted by the national distributor but its equivalent in Australia.

Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand head of marketing and corporate affairs, Reece Congdon, has been approached for comment.

According to Mitsubishi Australia, the Eclipse Cross will achieve major front and rear design enhancements, “taking cues from Mitsubishi’s next-generation design language”. It will also have a revised interior including a new infotainment system.

As for Outlander? The design is still under wraps, but the brand has confirmed the next car will be larger than the current offer, though not significantly so. It is also confirmed that it will be the first Mitsubishi to fully benefit from the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance in that it will place on the same platform as the next generation Nissan X-Trail. 

Conceivably, then, new drivetrain options will also feature. Mitsubishi is expected to contribute a revised petrol electric powertrain for the plug-in hybrid that is now a mainstay in New Zealand, but the car will also like achieve a 2.0-litre variable compression petrol turbo engine developed by Nissan. 

Timing for the model looks set to be around mid-2021 or soon after, following the timeline set out for the model launch in North America. 

According to Mitsubishi Australia chief executive Shaun Westcott: “The all-new next generation Outlander will be bigger, bolder and better than ever before, and will be the quietest and best-equipped Mitsubishi ever sold. 

“Completely redesigned and reimagined in every way, the new Outlander will incorporate the latest Mitsubishi design language, with a bold, aggressive, and distinctive appearance. Loaded with technology and significant interior refinements, this game-changing vehicle will surprise many.”