THE Mitsubishi Outlander has become something of a dominant force not least for its makers but also for the thousands of drivers it has put at the vanguard of low emission motoring.

It was the world's first plug-in hybrid SUV, capable of achieving most everyday journeys running only on electricity and offering huge tax advantages to business buyers.

Moreover, it costs no more than its diesel counterpart which helped make it Britain's top selling alternative fuel vehicle.

Of the 12,000 EVs sold in the UK in the past year more than 80 per cent of them have been Outlander PHEVs and it has become Mitsubishi's most popular model in the UK.

Now it is update time and although the car has been around for less than two years Mitsubishi is making changes, refining its looks to make it smarter at the front, improving the ride and handling, sprucing up the interior and adding more to the Outlander's already incredible fuel economy.

Officially the Outlander PHEV is now rated at 156mpg - an increase of eight miles per gallon - and its emissions have fallen from 44 to 42g/km.

That has been achieved by tweaking the 2.0-litre petrol engine which drives the front wheels in conjunction with two electric motors, one helping out at the front and the other driving the rear axle.

Together they give the Outlander the same sort of performance you would expect from an SUV weighing in at around 1.8 tonnes with a 0 to 60 acceleration of 11 seconds and a maximum of 106mph.

However, such yardsticks are largely irrelevant since as a plug-in hybrid the Outlander is many vehicles in one and the outcome in the real world is down to how it is used.

Its range as an electric vehicle is rated at 32 miles which should be sufficient for most daily commutes.

Exceed that and the petrol engine cuts in and it drives like a hybrid with the electric motors helping out as required to boost performance and help economy.

Various drive modes can be selected to lock out the electric motors storing the battery power for zero emission driving in town, to use the engine as a generator to replenish battery power on the go and to switch into four-wheel-drive where the Outlander is as good as any soft-roader.

There's also an Eco button for optimum efficiency in any mode and all about how the car is performing can be displayed graphically on the touchscreen.

Embrace the technology and there are some spectacular benefits to be had.

Around town and in traffic it can handle conditions running purely on electricity and producing no CO2.

Heavy acceleration or high speed work will soak up battery power and impact on EV range although some of that can be offset by engaging brake regeneration through the CVT gearbox.

Five degrees of regeneration are available by flicking the steering wheel paddle shifters and on a steep descent in the maximum setting we managed to add a mile to the EV range in only a few hundred yards.

On a 21 mile run which included fast driving on open roads and then prolonged city centre traffic we achieved 14 miles on battery power then completed the journey running as a hybrid recording an overall average of 249.3mpg - astonishing figures in anyone's book.

The new Outlander PHEV now has a fast charge facility which can boost the battery pack to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. Full recharging from a domestic supply takes five hours or three-and-a-half hours from a home charging point at a cost of around £3.

With a 10 gallon fuel tank the car has a theoretical range using both electricity and petrol of around 540 miles, a towing limit of 1.5 tonnes and typical SUV cargo space ranging from 460 to more than 1,600 litres.

It's a five seater only unlike the seven seat configuration available on the diesel model and comfort levels inside have been improved considerably with new seat materials as well as upgraded trim.

On the road the ride is much improved and it has lost its soft feel when cornering. The steering is more positive and noise levels inside have been reduced making it much more refined to drive.

It's also quicker to move off the mark with the motors being given more bite to make it noticeably nippier in traffic.

Other additions include LED running lights and a 12-volt accessory socket in the boot while higher grade models get a 360 degree camera system, LED headlamps and a steering wheel heater.

Top of the range Outlanders are now also fitted with what Mitsubishi calls an Unintended Acceleration Mitigation System which basically is a device that stops the car moving away if it detects an object in front.

Prices for the new models rise by £1,000 but there is still no premium for the PHEV over the diesel so with the government grant for electric vehicles the range runs from £29,249 to £35,999.

For a plug-in hybrid those are exceptionally competitive figures - most of the 12 plug-ins on the market at the moment costs considerably more - and with the benefit of a five per cent company car tax banding the Outlander represents a saving of more than £3,500 a year compared to the likes of an Audi Q5 or a BMW X3.

There are also commercial derivatives of the Outlander PHEV and those are priced from £22,498 excluding VAT.

From a purely financial perspective plug-in driving presents a compelling case for low mileage users and the Outlander capitalises on that with the added advantages of being a full-sized SUV that is very family friendly.