Mitsubishi has largely opted out of the last 10 years of its product development cycle. Over that period, once-familiar nameplates found themselves affixed to vehicles withering from neglect, only to be quietly sunsetted with no direct replacement in the offing, leaving once-loyal buyers no option but to move on to alternative options. Flash forward to 2018, and the automaker is facing an uncertain future in North America, despite having been co-opted into the global Nissan-Renault alliance when the latter company bought a majority stake in Mitsubishi just last year.

Not quite a midsize crossover SUV, the 5-passenger Outlander PHEV offers two rows of seating. The prestige piece in Mitsubishi's sport-utility strategy is the new 2018 Outlander Plug-in HybridVehicle (PHEV), the largest and best-equipped model in the Japanese company's entire line-up. Unfortunately, after having spent the day behind the wheel of this near-midsize hauler, it's become clear that failing to invest in its own future has put Mitsubishi on a path that's far from parallel with the competition.

It's like compound interest: sometimes, no matter how fast you run or how much you invest, once you've fallen behind there's no easy way to pull even with the rest of the pack. The Outlander PHEV is rare in offering 4-wheel-drive while driven in electric vehicle mode. Mitsubishi has actually had a lot of success outside of the U.S.

Outlander PHEV, but bringing it to America puts the 5-passenger people mover into a market segment that is both brimming with SUV choices and whose customer base has only a cursory interest in the benefits of a plug-in electric offering. 35,590 price tag (including destination charges). This makes it the least-expensive electric SUV you can buy, and that's before you've shaken down both the governor's mansion and the IRS for all the tax rebates you can snag. It's a smart plan of attack, and on paper it would at first appear to be destined for success.

What’s the crux of the issue, Lackluster performance and yesteryear switchgear. The twin 60 Kw electric motors and 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gas engine outfitted to the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV are good for a combined output of 197 horsepower, and that simply can't motivate the SUV's 4,100-pound bulk with anything resembling authority. Although content enough to crawl across an urban landscape without reminding you of its power-to-weight deficit, highway passing and uphill slogs easily overtasked the drivetrain - and that's with only a pair of people aboard.

As for charging, you'll be tethered to the wall for four hours using a DC Fast Charger, eight hours if using household current, and a much quicker 30 minutes for an 80-percent top-up using Level 3 circuitry. You can also access six levels of brake regeneration by way of paddles found on the Outlander's steering column, which works well when the juice gets low. Empty the PHEV's power pack completely and you're looking at 25-mpg in combined driving.

The SUV's ride is comfortable, but handling is tepid, with its Super All-Wheel Control torque management system unable to erase the hefty hauler's understeer and body roll. As a result, drivers who have low expectations for dynamics are likely to be happiest behind the Outlander PHEV’s steering wheel. Aside from the seats, the Outlander PHEV's cabin looks and feels dated. There really aren't many plug-in hybrids available to family shoppers of modest means, and were its slow and steady performance the Outlander PHEV's only major flaw it would be easier to recommend the Mitsubishi.

The 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV's flaws aren't egregious, but rather an indication of where the company finds itself after allowing its SUV program to lie fallow for so many years. Every other hybrid-powered sport-utility, crossover, or hatchback currently available - plug-in or not - provides a more appealing presentation and a more modern driving experience, instantly relegating this new version of the Outlander to the also-ran category. If you absolutely must have a plug-in hybrid SUV and you don't want to pay much for it, then the Outlander PHEV is for you. For everyone else - and I do mean everyone else - there's no compelling reason to make yours a Mitsubishi. Did you find this article helpful, If so, please share it using the "Join the Conversation" buttons below, and thank you for visiting Daily News Autos.

Not many, we’d wager. The name sounds — intentionally, one suspects — rather like one of those clean-living morning remedies to be mixed with a glass of water. But we think British drivers will swallow it, especially at the price. The Lexus CT looks great, like a cross between a Mercedes A-Class and Volkswagen Golf.

But underneath is a package that doesn’t always live up to the car’s promise — as Jeremy Clarkson found. If you want a saloon car that makes you feel good each time you slide into the driver’s seat, the Mercedes C-class is one of the best places to start. A new generation of Toyota Auris was revealed at this month’s Geneva motor show, and will go on sale at the end of the year. So if you want the latest model, it may be best to wait.