What is it?
It's a crossover that gets power from Mitsubishi's new plug-in hybrid system, imbuing the 4x4 with claimed fuel economy of over 140mpg, which sounds frankly ridiculous for a big fat gas-guzzler.
That figure is achievable because there's a 1.6-litre petrol engine mated to a pair of electric motors. The petrol burner can power the front wheels at higher speeds, but also acts as a generator to keep feeding the battery with juice. Of course, because it's a plug-in, the idea is that shouldn't happen very often, hence its excellent mpg rating. Like a few systems entering the show floors now, this hybrid has a motor on each axle so that the rear one can be powered up for a sort of green four-wheel drive system in low traction situations.
Why's it here?
A four-wheel drive, tidy looking SUV that does 140mpg - are you kidding? That's called having your cake and eating it. Mitsubishi makes 'styling direction' claims for it too, of course, and it has a 'cocochi' interior, which is a pun on the Japanese word for 'cosy', apparently.
As an aside, we're told it has a clever 'wireless charging programme' so that the owner can start charging the battery while away from the car. Presumably you'll have to be near the car to actually plug it in though, so we're looking forward to finding out the point of that innovation...
Show stopper or floor filler?
Plug-in hybrids are so vogue now that it's difficult to be bowled over by them, no matter what their claims. However, this is a very smart looking 4x4 from a maker well versed in making electric cars - we've driven the
i-MiEV city car and it's actually pretty impressive - and it bodes well for the future of massive urban school runabouts.
Mark Nichol - 22 Oct 2009