Honest answers for a new buyer?

[SUPDEF]

Hi all,

I'm looking at a couple of used Outlander PHEV's. I'd love to know some thoughts by honest owners!

1 - How much does the battery degrade, and how noticable is it? I'm looking at a 2015 model with 87,000kms and a 2017 with 57,000kms. Would the batteries be in around the same condition? Is there an easy way to tell during my test drive?

2 - The 2015 model is now out of warranty. What is the servicing like on these? Does anyone know when I'd likely need the batteries replaced and how much this costs approximately? I can't seem to find anything clear online. I'd like this car to last me 10 years... Is this likely?

3- We only have street parking at home which is not ideal for charging, however there is an EV fast charger near my house. I'm hoping that one charge a week would suffice for our normal daily drives of around 6km /day - but if we don't get around to charging it very often, does the car function well in 'normal hybrid' mode?

Forgive my terminology, I hope my questions make sense!

Thanks in advance for any help. This looks like a good forum!

 

[jaapv]

If that street charger is a paid one, it won't save you much over petrol.
Cars of the vintage you mention will easily cover your 6 km and much more. My 2013 one with 140.000 km on the clock manages well over 30 km in summer. I plan to drive the car for 15 years. Mitsubushi aims to build to last 300.000 km.
Battery replacements are few and far between. I know of only a few over tens of thousands of cars. They are expensive - but battery guaranty should be eight years.

 

[rgilyead]

If you are really worried about the battery then why not go for a 2016 model? They often have a 8 year battery warranty. Here is a quote from a UK outlet: "The traction battery on the Outlander PHEV comes with a warranty of 8 Years / 100,000 miles.
This includes a guarantee that if the traction battery capacity falls below 70% in the first 8 years/100,000 miles a free repair or replacement will be provided."

 

[SUPDEF]

Thanks so much to both of you for your help. The charger near me is free and is a fast charger, so hopefully one visit a week should suffice. Thanks also for the info on battery replacements. You've put my mind at rest.

One last question is if I don't charge the car for a few weeks, will the battery keep itself charged through regenerative braking? And will the car work well in the same way a hybrid car does?

Many thanks

 

[Regulo]

Mitsubishi don't recommend the over use of fast chargers. Apparently it's not so good for battery health. Occasional use won't do much damage, but I'd be wary of using them on a permanent basis.

Regen will not actually charge the battery on it's own, it will put a bit in, but not enough to replace the energy used to drive the car in the first place. For that you'll have to hit the Charge button to run the engine.

I find the "hybrid" state perfectly acceptable for all intents and purposes, once under way it's seamless between battery and engine/battery modes.

 

[greendwarf]

At the end of the day, "battery health" can only measured effectively by seeing how far the car will travel on a full charge. So, if you can get a dealer to let you have a test drive of 20+ miles (not over 30mph and no hard acceleration) starting with a full battery, until the engine cuts in, you have a good idea of how much benefit you will get.