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Mitsubishi Outlander: petrol vs plug-in hybrid

The Outlander comes as a petrol or a plug-in hybrid. Same seven seat family SUV underneath, very different running costs. Here is what the plug-in really saves, and how long it takes to earn back its higher price.

The bottom line

The plug-in hybrid costs about $15,750 more to buy than the petrol, and even charged every night it takes well over ten years of fuel savings to earn that back, around thirteen years on our figures. That is longer than most people keep a car. So unless you plan to own it for a very long time, buy the plug-in for the way it drives, not to save money.

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

Outlander

From $39,990

Buy the petrol if

you cannot charge at home, or you do big highway miles where the plug-in's battery is just weight. It is $15,750 cheaper to buy and cheaper to service.

View the Outlander
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Mitsubishi

Outlander PHEV

From $58,990

Buy the plug-in hybrid if

you can charge where you park and most of your driving is short daily runs. You will spend most days on electricity, and you also get a quieter, quicker car with standard all wheel drive that can even power your home or campsite. Just go in knowing the premium mostly buys the drive and the capability, not a quick saving.

View the Outlander PHEV

The numbers

Outlander Outlander PHEV
Starting price (ES AWD)$43,240$58,990
Fuel / energy use7.8 L/100km1.2 L/100km + 86km electric (WLTP)
Fuel or charging a year~$2,340 petrol~$1,000 power, charged nightly
Servicing$465 a visit$572 a visit
Seats5 or 75, or 7 from Aspire

Running-cost figures are estimates for comparison only and will vary with your driving, energy prices and state. They assume 15,000 km a year, petrol at $2.00 a litre and home charging at 30 cents per kWh. Prices are MRRP.

The verdict

Underneath, both are the same seven seat family SUV. What changes is the drivetrain, and that changes both what you pay to buy and what you pay to run. The petrol ES AWD starts at $43,240. The plug-in ES starts at $58,990, about $15,750 more.

On fuel the plug-in wins, but only if you charge it. On our assumptions a plug-in charged overnight, doing most trips inside its real world range of roughly 65 to 70 km, spends about $1,000 a year on power against $2,340 a year in petrol. Servicing runs the other way by about $100 a year, since the plug-in costs $572 a service against the petrol's $465. Net, a plug-in charged every night saves something like $1,200 a year. Cheaper off peak power or dearer petrol shortens the payback, but neither turns thirteen years into three.

An Outlander PHEV that never gets plugged in is the worst of both worlds. It carries its heavy battery around for nothing, uses about as much fuel as the petrol, and still cost you $15,750 more.

Compare them spec for spec

Specs and prices change with each grade and configuration, so the fairest comparison is at the exact versions you are weighing up. Line them up side by side, down to the grade, in the interactive tool.

Compare Outlander & Outlander PHEV

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Last updated August 2026