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Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV gets major powertrain updates, Geneva reveal

Mitsubishi will put seven of its wares on display during press days at the Geneva Motor Show, the headliner being an updated 2019 Outlander PHEV. Engineers have upgraded the entire hybrid powertrain, starting with the switch from a 2.0-liter Otto cycle gas engine to a 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle gas engine. Mitsubishi hasn't revealed output numbers, but the carmaker promises "higher torque, smoother operation, and overall higher efficiency." Generator output, rear motor output, and lithium-ion drive battery output all go up by 10 percent, and battery capacity gets a 15 percent boost. Going off the specs on the Mitsubishi Cars site, that would take the rear motor up to 66 kWh and the battery capacity from 12 kWh to 13.8 kWh. Along with the extra battery output, the 2019 Outlander PHEV should be expected to switch into EV mode more often, and stay there longer. Two drive modes join the current programming, Sport and Snow sidling up with Normal and 4WD Lock. One must look closely to note the exterior revisions, almost all of which are up front: a new graphic on the front grille, new LED headlights, rectangular foglight bezels, and a more prominent front skid plate. A "more elaborate" two-tone, 18-inch wheel shakes things up along the flanks, a larger rear spoiler holds things down out back. We probably won't get a look at the interior until Geneva, but "new quilted fine leather upholstery, all-new hip-hugging front seats, revised switchgear, a new instrument panel, new trimming, rear A/C outlets, and more" await us. The new Outlander PHEV gets to Europe in late 2018, likely greeted with the same fever that's seen the SUV move 100,000 units there in three years. Related Video:

Mitsubishi XR-PHEV Concept is a chronicle of an Outlander Sport foretold [w/video]

Mitsubishi's current Outlander Sport has done a yeoman's job since it came on the market for the 2011 model year. The affordable crossover has been one of the few bright spots in the perennially troubled automaker's lineup - it's the brand's best seller in the US and sales are up nearly 40 percent this year. The subcompact CUV has become an increasingly important part of the Mitsubishi lineup, which is why you should pay attention to this XR-PHEV Concept - it's said to presage the next-generation model.
Stylistically, this is a pretty bold little CUV, with a striking face framed by bold zig-zags of chrome that underline the narrow headlamps and frame the massive lower fascia. The profile has a dramatically tapered greenhouse with bold sheetmetal contours and a funky blacked-out A-pillar that emphasizes the hood's height. The rear end is no less dramatic, with dual-pane rear tailgate with a particularly fast rake.
As shown here, the XR-PHEV (pronounced "Cross Runner") is a four-seat CUV that motivates its front wheels through a turbocharged 1.1-liter, three-cylinder engine with 134 horsepower paired with a 120-kW electric motor. In pure-electric mode, the 14-kWh battery is said to be good for 52 miles of cruising range and the combined fuel economy bogey is 66 miles per gallon on Japan's lenient testing cycle.

Mitsubishi Evolution reborn as electric crossover

Forget everything you ever knew about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The potent, raw sport sedan that was a semi-mythical enthusiast fantasy for years is dead. In its place now comes an electric crossover, called the e-Evolution, as the Japanese automaker moves forward in a new era where mobility matters more than performance. It's a tacit admission that a small company can't afford to compete in the narrowest of niches — sport sedans — and a shrinking one at that. The e-Evolution shows Mitsubishi's new strategic direction, and it will be capable of using artificial intelligence, connectivity and other mobility solutions. Enthusiasts will take heart that the e-Evolution has all-wheel drive, a sophisticated three-motor system that works with Mitsu's Super All-Wheel Control to aid traction and driving dynamics. The electric batteries feeding the powertrain are placed in the middle of the concept underneath, which provides a low center of gravity. The design is striking. It's sharp with indentures, a prominent grille and large wheels set at the corners. There's huge air intakes, the ride height is elevated, and the back end features a hexagon design that recalls the spare tire cover from the Mitsubishi Shogun off-roader. The back also has jet-styled mini tailfins that help pass air cleanly by the sides to aid aerodynamics. Inside is a large flat screen bookended by two smaller screens. The e-Evolution also has sensors that help the vehicle read road conditions and try to coordinate the driver's intent. In short, this isn't your father's Evo. That's not Mitsubishi's intent. Rather, it's putting all of its best technologies under the umbrella of its most famous name on a vehicle that will compete in the largest part of the market. It's no longer the Evo as you knew it, but it's definitely an Evolution. Related Video: