Is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV worth it if I rarely plug in?

Typical prices (approximate): Outlander PHEV: $40,000–$50,000 · RAV4 Hybrid: $32,000–$41,000 · Outlander Gas-Only: $28,500–$37,000

Probably not—if you rarely plug in, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is usually a poor value.

A plug-in hybrid makes the most sense when you can charge it regularly. If you don’t, you miss out on much of the electric-only driving that justifies the extra cost, and you end up carrying the added battery and plug-in hardware without getting the full benefit. In that situation, a regular hybrid SUV is often the better choice.

So unless you can plug it in often enough to use its electric range most of the time, the Outlander PHEV generally doesn’t make the strongest financial sense compared with a conventional hybrid or a non-plug-in SUV. If you want, I can compare it with the regular Outlander and a few non-plug-in hybrids based on your driving pattern.