- The gas-powered Mitsubishi Outlander will get a mild-hybrid powertrain for 2026
- The Outlander Plug-In Hybrid gets new styling and increased all-electric range
In the 2026 model year, every Mitsubishi Outlander will be a hybrid. This includes the usual Outlander Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) and the conventional Outlander.
The 2026 Outlander will look the same on the outside, the company announced this week. But under the hood, it will carry “a new Mitsubishi Motors-designed and developed engine, the basis of which is shared with Eclipse Cross. A 1.5-liter turbocharged, 16-valve, four-cylinder gasoline unit, this engine will be combined with the company’s first mild-hybrid system.”
The company didn’t reveal power or mpg figures for the new powertrain, but promised “increased confidence and drivability thanks to electrified torque aiding off-the-line acceleration.”
Industry publication Automotive News says the system will “boost the crossover’s fuel economy by about 10%.”
Plug-in Hybrid Refreshed a Year Later
- A redesign applied to the gas-powered Outlander for 2025 will appear on the PHEV for 2026
The plug-in hybrid Outlander will look different in 2026. Mitsubishi tends to update the styling of the gas-powered version one year, then apply those updates to the PHEV a year later.
So, a refresh applied to the 2025 Outlander will appear on the PHEV for the 2026 model year. The company says to expect “a redesigned interior with significant attention paid to sound-deadening, as well as new materials, new colors, heated and cooled front seats, a redesigned center console with larger-capacity armrest storage, new cupholders and a redesigned phone charger.”
The 2026 Outlander PHEV also gets the new Yamaha audio system that arrived in the 2025 Outlander.
Mechanically, the PHEV gets a larger battery. “This will increase all-electric range, decrease the amount of time the internal combustion engine runs, and lead to improved on-road acceleration performance,” the company says.
“Under the skin, steering and ride quality are revised through extensive tuning of dampers, springs, stabilizer bars, and bushings, all of which combine to produce a more confident and assured driving feel.”
Mitsubishi has not yet provided pricing on either model. The 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander is set to go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year. The 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid will come to dealer lots in the first quarter of 2026.
