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Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV gets more power, range and capabilities

We've driven the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV a couple of times now, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Even though it's the same version that's been kicking around other markets in its current form for a while now, it was efficient, pleasant to drive, and offers something that is pretty rare right now: a relatively affordable plug-in hybrid midsize crossover. Now, in its home market of Japan, the 2019 Outlander PHEV is getting some significant updates, including more electric power and a bigger gas engine, a bigger battery, improved suspension, two new drive modes and some design tweaks. To start, the PHEV's battery capacity increases from 12 kWh to 13.8 kWh. That boosts its all-electric driving range from 37.8 miles to 40.4 (under Japan's testing cycle). The rear electric motor/generator also gets a slight boost in power. The gas engine increases its displacement from 2.0 to 2.4 liters. The vehicle now offers Sport and Snow modes, and its 4WD Lock mode has been adjusted to better handle poor road surfaces. To improve its ride and handling, Mitsubishi added larger front and rear dampers with a new type of damper valve to the Outlander PHEV. A faster steering ratio and retuned electric power steering control promise better steering feel and response. Mitsubishi has also increased the structural rigidity in parts of the body. Design-wise, the updated Outlander PHEV gets full LED headlights and an updated grille up front. In the rear, there's a new spoiler that improves aerodynamics and gives it a sportier look. Inside, the leather seating gets a new diamond-quilt pattern, along with the door trim. The front seats are also reshaped for more support. The new updates seem like they'll make the Outlander PHEV even more attractive both in terms of performance and design. We doubt that Mitsubishi would choose not offer these improvements in other markets, including the U.S. We've reached out to Mitsubishi to see if and when we can hope to see the improved versions stateside, and we'll update if we hear back. Related Video:

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander has fresh design and a bump in refinement

Mitsubishi hopes to have the delivered the big finish to this year's New York Auto Show, with its new midsize, three-row Outlander. The company seems oddly emphatic in pointing out that the SUV is "not just a cosmetic 'refreshing'" at the top of its press release; we thinks you doth protest too much, Mitsu. The real freshness starts with the exterior styling, which is said to break ground on a new design language for the brand. The half-chrome, half-blacked out front fascia is certainly the most eye-catching part of the SUV, though taut, conservative details make up the rest. We don't expect a lot of love-it / hate-it comments based on this Mitsubishi (though you guys do surprise us sometimes). But however the company may draw attention to the "over 100 engineering and design improvements" made to the SUV, what's under the hood feels familiar. No mention is made of the 2016 engine lineup, so we expect the 2.4-liter four and 3.0-liter V6 to carryover unchanged from last year. There is a new CVT, however, said to come with improvements to acceleration and "shift feel." Other updates include a more composed chassis, rigid body structure and improved levels of NVH thanks to sound insolation and noise-deadening glass. Pricing and new technical specs (such as they might be) are soon to be out in the near future. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the new Outlander's style in our gallery from the show floor. Mitsubishi Motors New 2016 Outlander Makes World Debut at the 2015 New York International Auto Show The 2016 Outlander showcases Mitsubishi's new design language for the first time on a production vehicle The new Outlander features over 100 engineering and design improvements The 2016 Outlander marks a new era for the Mitsubishi brand relating to style, refinement and overall driving experience Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today unveiled the new 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander seven-passenger crossover at the 2015 New York International Auto Show. The 2016 Outlander is the first Mitsubishi production vehicle to showcase the brand's new design language. The 2016 Outlander is not just a cosmetic "refreshing," however, and features an unprecedented number of important engineering and design improvements that increase the level of refinement and overall driving experience. The 2016 Outlander is a segment-leading vehicle that will appeal to buyers wanting value, quality and safety.

Brand new cars are being sold with defective Takata airbags

If you just bought a 2016 Audi TT, 2017 Audi R8, 2016–17 Mitsubishi i-MiEV, or 2016 Volkswagen CC, we have some unsettling news for you. A report provided to a US Senate committee that oversees the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and reported on by Automotive News claims these vehicles were sold with defective Takata airbags. And it gets worse. Toyota and FCA are called out in the report for continuing to build vehicles that will need to be recalled down the line for the same issue. That's not all. The report also states that of the airbags that have been replaced already in the Takata recall campaign, 2.1 million will need to eventually be replaced again. They don't have the drying agent that prevents the degradation of the ammonium nitrate, which can lead to explosions that can destroy the airbag housing and propel metal fragments at occupants. So these airbags are out there already. We're not done yet. There's also a stockpile of about 580,000 airbags waiting to be installed in cars coming in to have their defective airbags replaced. These 580k airbags also don't have the drying agent. They'll need to be replaced down the road, too. A new vehicle with a defective Takata airbag should be safe to drive, but that margin of safety decreases with time. If all this has you spinning around in a frustrated, agitated mess, there's a silver lining that is better than it sounds. So take a breath, run your fingers through your hair, and read on. Our best evidence right now demonstrates that defective Takata airbags – those without the drying agent that prevents humidity from degrading the ammonium nitrate propellant – aren't dangerous yet. It takes a long period of time combined with high humidity for them to reach the point where they can rupture their housing and cause serious injury. It's a matter of years, not days. So a new vehicle with a defective Takata airbag should be safe to drive, but that margin of safety decreases with time – and six years seems to be about as early as the degradation happens in the worst possible scenario. All this is small comfort for the millions of people who just realized their brand-new car has a time bomb installed in the wheel or dashboard, or the owners who waited patiently to have their airbags replaced only to discover that the new airbag is probably defective in the same way (although newer and safer!) as the old one.