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There are times in one’s life when you just need to treat yourself. For Perth small business owner and grandmother Karen Keeffe, her reward came on a grand scale in the shape of a spacious and spectacular Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV. And for her it wasn’t just another new car, it was the first time in her life she had ever bought a brand-new vehicle straight from the showroom floor.
“I saw it at the dealership and was in the fortunate enough position to be able to afford it, so I drove it home,” Karen, 57, says, before adding with a chuckle that she had an extra reason to indulge in a bit of luxury that particular day: “It wasn’t planned to end up this way - but it also actually happened to be my birthday!”
To plug in, or not plug in?
Before making the purchase, Karen did her research and identified that she wanted to embrace new technologies.
“My old car was diesel, but I wanted something more environmentally friendly,” she explains.
“I’d done my research on fully electric cars, petrol options and hybrids - and I felt being a plug-in hybrid, the Outlander offered the best of both worlds.”
It’s a choice which has fitted her needs effortlessly, with the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV able to handle her 60km daily commute on mostly electric power, while still having a petrol engine as back up for when life requires longer journeys.
“I’ve had the car for just over two months, and I’ve done 2200km on a quarter of a tank of fuel,” she says, sounds hugely impressed.
Easy living
Karen says what has stood out to her is how easy and convenient plug-in hybrid EV ownership has proven.
“I love that I almost never have to go to the petrol station,” she says.
“I just come home, plug it in at night into our normal wall socket, and then take off the next morning with a fully charged battery.”
As well as her work commitments, the Outlander also fits in with Karen’s personal life.
She chose an SUV because she loves the high seating position, and the Outlander has proven more than capable of handling the needs of a family spanning four generations.
“My husband and I have three grandchildren who we regularly babysit, and I also have two elderly parents that I drive around,” she explains.
“So, it’s great to have the option of seven seats, but in a car that’s not too big.
“I think it’s a really versatile size: it provides a lot of options for families as well as singles or couples.
The head AND the heart
With such valuable cargo regularly onboard, safety was of utmost to Karen – and she has quickly discovered car safety technology has come a long way in recent years.
“I really appreciate the safety features, especially a lot of the things the car does by itself,” she said.
“The lane-departure warning is really important when you’re driving long distances, so is being able to set the cruise control and have it adjust my speed based on how fast the car ahead is travelling.
“I also really like the head-up display, particularly at night as it helps you navigate around safely without having to take your eyes off the road.”
But as with any treat to oneself, there also needs to be something a bit special, something which appeals to more than just common sense.
The heart wants what it wants, after all.
For Karen, this means enjoying the Mitsubishi Outlander’s modern dashes of luxury and convenience, such as the panoramic electric sunroof, electric tailgate, electrically adjustable seats, tri-zone air-conditioning and 10-speaker BOSE sound system.
“I think it’s very nicely finished inside, and also stylish on the outside,” she adds.
“I had a friend say it looks like a small Range Rover, and I tend to agree.
“It’s super comfortable and I think it’s just a beautiful car to drive.”
A very happy birthday indeed.
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