Next Mitsubishi Outlander tipped for 2028 with four-motor PHEV tech

Mitsubishi’s next Outlander could arrive in 2028 with a new design and possibly a four-motor plug-in hybrid powertrain, according to a report from Japan.

Japanese outlet Response, as reported by Carscoops, says the replacement could take its cues from the Elevance Concept. Mitsubishi has not confirmed either the timing or the production powertrain.

The current Outlander launched in 2021, so a 2028 replacement would give it a seven-year run. The new model would build on Mitsubishi’s existing plug-in hybrid technology, potentially with finer control over how power is sent to each wheel.

The Elevance Concept was unveiled at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. Its plug-in hybrid system pairs a petrol engine that can run on carbon-neutral fuels with a large traction battery, and it uses four electric motors: in-wheel motors at the front and a dual-motor set-up at the rear.

Those motors work with Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC), including rear Active Yaw Control to help manage cornering. Mitsubishi says the system is designed to improve stability and control both around town and off-road.

Whether the full four-motor layout makes it into the next Outlander is not yet known. The report puts it forward as a possibility rather than a confirmed production specification, and battery capacity, electric range and power outputs have not been announced.