2006 Mitsubishi Raider on 2040-cars

Auto blog

VW Finds CO2 'Irregularites', SEMA Recap, and More | Autoblog Minute

Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal gets a new wrinkle, US regulators hit Takata Corporation with a substantial fine, and we head to Vegas for a look at tuner paradise at the 2015 SEMA show. Autoblog Senior Editor Greg Migliore reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Acura Chevrolet Honda Mazda Mitsubishi Toyota Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video Acura Legend

2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV arrives in the US after a long wait

After years of delays, the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV will finally go on sale in the US this fall, and the plug-in hybrid crossover will make its debut to the US public at the New York Auto Show. The model was originally supposed to arrive here in 2014, but various problems kept pushing back the date. The Outlander PHEV uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor at each axle. A 12-kWh lithium-ion battery stores the energy. Depending on what the driver demands, the system can operate in three modes: full EV, series hybrid where the combustion engine acts as a generator for the battery, and parallel hybrid where the engine and motors work together. Mitsubishi isn't discussing US output or economy yet. Compared to the version in Europe and Japan, the company plans to tweak the Outlander PHEV for this market. The changes include things like removing support for CHAdeMO charging to due a lack of support here. When Mitsubishi showed the PHEV to journalists earlier this year, the styling was nearly identical to the standard Outlander. The only minor changes were the addition of the charging port and different badges. The Outlander PHEV will also be available with an array of safety and infotainment tech. For example, customers will be able to order a multi-camera system, Forward Collision Mitigation with pedestrian detection capability, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV MAKES U.S. DEBUT AT THE 2016 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW • 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to go on sale in United States in fall 2016 • Already the top-selling PHEV in Europe, Outlander PHEV is the world's first plug-in hybrid SUV • Outlander PHEV delivers SUV capabilities and EV fuel economy NEW YORK, NY March 24, 2016 – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today showed the much-anticipated production model of the all-new 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) at the 2016 New York International Auto Show. The Outlander PHEV is a perfect culmination of Mitsubishi's history of automotive excellence: 50 years of electromobility and decades of four-wheel drive technology honed on the international rally circuit. Featuring a highly efficient 2.0-liter gas engine and two high-performance electric motors, and Mitsubishi's superior Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) system, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a very capable PHEV.

2014 Mitsubishi Mirage

This could have been something great. Last fall, Mitsubishi slapped its triple-diamond badge on a dainty little hatchback called Mirage, offering plenty of functionality and 44 miles per gallon on the highway, all starting at a super-low $12,995. For budget shoppers, this seemed to be a good thing - not to mention a much-needed breath of fresh air for the company's waning US automotive arm.
I will fully admit to being a bit harsh on the Mirage following its debut at the 2013 New York Auto Show, often making it the butt of jokes with my colleagues. But at the end of the day, I love cheap, basic, honest little cars like this, and I wasn't prepared to write off the Mirage until I spent some time behind the wheel. After all, on paper, a Mazda2 looks pretty unremarkable, and yet it's one of my favorite small cars to drive.
Much as I wasn't looking forward to putting my foot in my mouth, I was sort of hoping to feel the same way about the new Mirage. It's a bland package, but it could have been filled with the same spunky spirit and well-meaning composure of vehicles like the aforementioned Mazda, or even stuff like the Honda Fit or Chevy Spark and Sonic.