Mitsubishi Motors has launched a facelfted Outlander range in Japan following the public debut in New York last April.
The nose is new and includes LED headlights and front position lamps while LED tail lights are also used.
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The under side of the front bumper has been given ‘skid plate’ styling.
The PHEV version has specifically-designed bumper extensions, side garnish and other decorative parts keyed to the body colour.
The PHEV also has specific 18-inch alloy wheels with a two-tone machined surface finish.
The PHEV has new seat trim and now is available with a brown leather trim as an alternative to black. Accent stitching is used both in the seats and door trim; the door trim inserts are now padded.
The PHEV also has a new four-spoke design steering wheel and silver steering wheel-mounted controls have a chrome finish.
The instrument cluster hood gets accent stitching, the newly designed large center console uses a finish mirroring the elegance of Japanese black lacquer and black stream patterns as well as lustrous accents are used in the dashboard and door trim ornament panels.
Standard models have a new cloth design and accent stitching and the firmness of the seat cushioning has been optimized.
Body stiffness has been increased by reinforcing areas subject to inputs from the suspension.
Steering feel, response to and accuracy of steering inputs have been improved by increasing the stiffness of the suspension mounts and ensuring that suspension inputs are transmitted accurately to the body.
Driving feel quality, including the balance between road stability and ride, has been improved by using larger diameter shock absorbers at the rear.
Engine, tyre and wind noise have been reduced by making over 30 improvements, including the addition of extra sound absorbing and insulation material, anti-vibration material and dynamic dampers.
The door close sound has been improved by modifying the door sill structure. This improves the quality feel about the vehicle as well giving as a sense of toughness.
Optimization of the plug-in hybrid EV system control and reduction in engine friction have improved fuel economy by 1.6km/litre to 20.2 km/L measured on the Japanese JC08 drive mode. In addition, improvements to electric motor efficiency have increased all-electric range by 0.6 km to 60.8 km, also based on JC08 mode.
The standard Outlander has a new CVT transmission and optimization of the cooperative control system between engine and CVT have improved fuel economy by 0.8 km/L to 16km/litre in 2WD models and by 0.2 km/L to 14.6 km/L in 4WD models based on JC08 mode.
Acceleration and response from a full stop in urban environments as well as on the move has been improved after revising the plug-in hybrid EV and motor control systems.
Most trim levels offer an Unintentional Vehicle Move Off Control system as a factory option. in both forward and reverse gears it operates to mitigate impact damage by controlling speed when the driver presses the accelerator by mistake and inadvertently moves off either forward or backward when there is another vehicle or obstacle in the way.
Most trim levels have a Multi-around Monitor which assists the driver when parking or manoeuvring in tight spaces by giving a bird’s eye view of the vehicle perimeter.
The top trim level is fitted with a 100V AC (Japanese domestic voltage) onboard socket as standard equipment which can be used to supply up to 1,500W of electricity from the car’s drive battery to serve as a power source for electrical equipment. This is optional on other levels.
All trim levels come standard with a power adjust driver’s seat. Also standard on most trim levels is a Steering Heater which warms up the steering wheel when temperatures are cold to make for more comfortable driving.
Separately, Mitsubishi Europe said the pre-facelift PHEV model had now sold 40,000 units less than two years since after its launch from October 2013. The top six markets are:
Netherlands: 17,733 units
United Kingdom: 11,975 units
Sweden: 3,195 units
Norway: 2,502 units
Germany: 2,132 units
France: 1,127 units.
