2011 Mitsubishi Galant Se Sedan 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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California adapts ZEV mandate with PHEVs for smaller automakers

California is the nation's largest market for zero-emissions vehicles with over 100,000 of them estimated to be on the roads there. The state's goal is to keep that number growing every year. To that end, the California Air Resources Board is now tweaking its rules in a way that might not boost ZEVs but could mean more plug-in hybrids for the Golden State. Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Volvo asked for an exemption to the state's zero-emissions vehicle mandate last year due to their relatively small development budgets compared to larger automakers. CARB denied their request but did craft a compromise, according to Automotive News. Rather than being required to offer a ZEV in the state, companies with an annual global revenue of less than $40 billion, like those in this group, may instead sell plug-in hybrids to earn ZEV credits. The companies aren't completely off the hook, though. If these plug-in hybrids don't earn enough credits, the corporations must buy them on the market to make up the difference. Automakers with popular electric models like Nissan and Tesla have made a big business through this trading system by selling their surplus to rivals. Tesla alone pocketed $51 million in the first quarter from this part of its business, according to Automotive News. The changes to the regulations also aren't set in stone, yet. CARB is meeting in 2016 and could adjust things further at that time. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. via Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Government/Legal Green Jaguar Land Rover Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Volvo Emissions Electric Hybrid California zev credits zero emissions vehicle

2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport gets another refresh at Geneva

A mysterious electric SUV isn't the only vehicle Mitsubishi is bringing to the Geneva Motor Show. The company is also showing a refreshed 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (or ASX as it's known in some markets). And yes, despite the fact the Outlander Sport hasn't been completely redesigned since its introduction in the 2011 model year, Mitsubishi is only giving it a mild update. Up front, the entire fascia is changed with all-new headlights, grille and front bumper. It's all more angular, and appears to be a blend of the Eclipse Cross and that electric SUV concept teased recently. It's easily the most successful part of the refresh. The sides are unchanged save for some chrome fake fender vents. The back features new LED taillights and a rear bumper with a faux skid plate rather than a faux diffuser. The inside is almost unchanged except for the new infotainment screen. At 8 inches, it's an inch larger than the old model. It also has the ability to play videos from a USB flash memory stick when the car is parked. Powertrain options for the U.S. haven't been announced, but we expect it will use the same 148-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder currently available, plus its associated drivetrains. The current model can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive, with just a CVT on all-wheel drive models, and an available manual on front-driver versions. One final interesting aspect about the Outlander Sport just getting a refresh again is that it's the best-selling Mitsubishi in America, and the third-best worldwide. It seems strange to give so little love to a relatively successful model. Then again, the crossover has probably mostly paid for itself by now and it keeps selling, so perhaps Mitsubishi is just trying to maximize returns while it works on the smaller next-generation version. Related Video:

Small 3-row crossover SUVs specifications compared on paper

There's no shortage of three-row vehicles on the market for carrying seven or more people and their stuff wherever they all need to go. Just about every car company has at least one large crossover or traditional SUV with three rows of seats, and there are still plenty of minivans to pick from. But most of these vehicles are large, pricey, and frequently thirsty. Fortunately, there are still a handful of smaller crossovers that deliver 7-passenger capability in a smaller, cheaper package. We've gathered four of the small three-row set here to compare them based on space, power, fuel economy, pricing, and more. They include the very old Dodge Journey, the slightly less old Mitsubishi Outlander and Kia Sorento, and the relatively new Volkswagen Tiguan. You can see the raw numbers in the chart below, followed by a more detailed breakdown and some notes on how we like each of these vehicles. For in-depth opinions on the vehicles, be sure to check out our full reviews, and if you want to compare these with other vehicles, try out our comparison tools. Engines, transmissions and performance Interestingly, three of the four crossovers here utilize similar engines for their four-cylinder offerings. The Dodge, Kia and Mitsubishi all feature naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines. Only the Volkswagen Tiguan chooses turbocharging and a smaller 2.0-liter displacement. But because of its turbocharger, the Tiguan's four-cylinder is easily the most potent, making a healthy 221 pound-feet of torque, which is more than 40 more than the Sorento, the crossover with the next most torque. The VW is also second-most powerful, just one horse behind the Sorento. The Outlander is the least powerful in the four-cylinder class. The Journey is only barely better, but it will probably feel as slow or worse thanks to its ancient 4-speed automatic. The four-cylinder Sorento and Outlander each have 6-speed automatic transmissions, and the VW has an 8-speed. The Sorento with a V6 has an 8-speed, too. View 17 Photos Moving up to the V6 class, the Outlander is once again at the bottom. It actually makes less torque than the turbo VW Tiguan. The Journey and Sorento are almost perfectly matched. The Journey makes a bit more torque; the Sorento makes a bit more power. The Journey also gets upgraded to a 6-speed automatic. Another powertrain consideration to bare in mind is whether all-wheel-drive is necessary.