When we talk about Japanese cars most people think of Toyota and Honda, but the fact is that Mitsubishi started making cars in 1917. And it was the first company building mass-produced automobiles in Japanese history.  They even had an electric car back 1970. So with over a hundred years of building quality cars I am always surprised that many people are not familiar with the nameplate. Perhaps is has to do with marketing the brand, which is understandable, not everyone abroad knows the American consumer mindset.  Through the years I have seen many good cars from the brand and the latest flagship seems to be one of the best.

The Mitsubishi Outlander is a great midsize SUV that can appeal to families or active singles as well. It has  a newly developed platform and power train, very distinctive exterior styling and a luxury car interior. It is a midsize SUV and is the only standard third-row seating and places a premium on comfort and convenience with class-above materials in every trim. I was very surprised with the ample and comfortable cabin.  It has a 12.3-inch, full color LCD digital driver display which brings this  Mitsubishi to be on par with the rest of the offerings in the segment.  There is another center screen  where most of the accessories and controls are for the gps, a/c, audio and more. It also comes as a PHEV (Plug-in Electric Vehicle), and this is my favorite model.  You can drive 100% "clean" for about 22-25 miles, so in LA traffic you are not suing any gasoline. The newest version  has an improved power train that has a bigger and more efficient battery. The rear axle electric motor is a powerful 70KW unit, and that is big for the car. There is a switch that lets you change the modes of the all wheel drive system so you can traverse over any surfaces without troubles.

Sitting on the driver seat you have easy access to the screen, thus using the nav or apps is easy. I also like the 10.8-inch full-color head-up display (HUD) with all the driving info reflected on the windshield.   I found the rotating gauges in front of me something different that i have never seen before.  The Outlander comes with Apple CarPlay®³ (wireless on SE and above) and Android AutoTM⁴ (wired) integration standard. There is SiriusXM® compatibility, wireless smart phone charging, and Mitsubishi Connect with Safeguard and Remote Services with a 24-month free trial. Mitsubishi Connect is also available on models with the 8-inch SDA center touch screen. The audio was adequate, but there is an optional 10-speaker BOSE®⁵ audio system if you need it.  

Because it is a PHEV the Outlander PHEV is eligible for additional federal tax incentives. Outlander PHEV is now eligible for $6,587 in federal tax credits, an increase of $751 compared to the 2020 model year. In California it may be  eligible to receive an additional $1,000 clean air vehicle credit through the California Air Resources Board (CARB) through it's Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP). Please check with the dealer about all the incentives that apply.

On the road the Outlander is quiet and the only thing I found is that the steering is pretty sensitive to your touch. The ride on par with anything else in the market.

I drive a lot of cars, and this Mitsubishi I found very practical and well equiped. Priced in the mid $30's is it something to keep in mind, specially as a family car. You will be getting a lot for the money. Mitsubishi has been around a lot longer than most car makers today, there has to be a good reason for it.