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This Frankenstein of a vehicle was always going to happen. It all began with the i-MiEV Evolution that ran up Pikes Peak last year, and lessons gained from that car are now practised here. You're looking at the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, or to stretch out its name in full, the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. It is the world's first SUV that fuses EV technologies with 4WD capabilities.

The underlying concept is easy to understand. One could think that the Outlander PHEV is the love child of the i-MiEV and the Lancer Evolution - in that the SUV takes on the characteristics of an EV, with the four-wheel drive system of Mitsubishi's once-hottest car.

The Outlander PHEV looks like any other current-gen Outlander, save for a few adjustments. But, because we don't get to see the Outlander often, I'll run the list down for you. The front upper/middle grille and rear combination LED lamps with clear lenses are specially-designed, while the bumpers and lower body are sprayed in body colour. The machine-polished 18-inch wheels are aluminium, made exclusively for the PHEV, with the exception of the base E trim that seems to be the stripped-out spec.

Click here to read our full review.