Paul Walker screeching to a halt in a bright-green Eclipse. Short-wheelbase Pajeros thundering across the dunes on their way to Dakar domination. Rally-driving champion Tommi Makinen laying another EVO-powered beatdown on chief rival Subaru. For years, Mitsubishi was all about performance and enthusiasm.

Then, all of a sudden, it wasn’t. The Lancer EVO shuffled off into the ether with barely a whimper. The Eclipse nameplate, once a favourite of the Fast & Furiouscrowd, is now reborn as an economical crossover. And as for Mitsubishi’s halo model, you’re looking at it: a plug-in hybrid crossover. That’s a bit sad, isn’t it?

However, if you are looking for an economical, practical machine with an extremely long warranty, then here you are. The Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) may be based on the face-lifted version of an aging platform, but it’s almost relentlessly sensible.

Goodbye Nomex racing suits, hello everyday khaki trousers.

Aside from the badges, some painted exterior trim pieces, and a unique shifter, the PHEV is essentially the same as the standard Outlander. On the plus side, that means relatively inoffensive styling and a practical layout. Only a two-row layout is available, and the PHEV actually has a little more cargo space than its pure-combustion siblings.

Up front, the Outlander PHEV is perfectly acceptable. It doesn’t reach for upscale, but anyone considering this vehicle from a practical standpoint will note the conventional switchgear, clear graphics on the modestly-sized central touchscreen and dated but easy-to-use heating and air-conditioning controls. The PHEV isn’t trying to be cutting-edge, instead aiming for low-effort.

Under the skin, however, this electrified Outlander is quite clever. There are three propulsion units: one 80-horsepower electric motor out back, another up front and a 2.0-litre internal combustion engine capable of charging the battery or feeding power to the front wheels.

Because it has electric power for both front and rear axles, the Outlander PHEV can operate as a fully electric all-wheel-drive vehicle. There is no connection between the front and rear axles, but Mitsubishi has adapted its proprietary all-wheel-drive system to work as in more conventional applications. S-AWC (super all-wheel control) can trace its roots to those rally championship days, and provides the PHEV with torque-vectoring and surprisingly agile grip.

Electric motors have much better torque response than a combustion engine, and around town, the Outlander PHEV scoots off the line with aplomb. The driver can choose to control how the PHEV apportions the power, or simply leave it to its own devices. In flat-road conditions, at less than 120 kilometres an hour, Mitsubishi says that the plug-in Outlander’s 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack will give it 35 kilometres of pure-EV range.

As tested, the Outlander wanted to run its engine for the first few minutes, even with the electric-only EV Priority mode selected and the battery indicating a full charge. Chalk this up to the temperature and that our test vehicle had been sitting as a display vehicle with an espresso maker hooked up to it.