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Mitsubishi's crossover plan: New model coming to Geneva, Outlander PHEV finally on the way

Mitsubishi announced last night that it will be concentrating on crossovers for the foreseeable future (which includes leaving the Lancer behind). That future starts at this year's Geneva show, where the company will reveal a completely new small crossover. This new vehicle, the name of which Mitsubishi didn't reveal, is planned to reach dealers in early spring of 2018. It will feature a new version of Mitsubishi's All Wheel Control (AWC) all-wheel drive and a new turbocharged engine that we're told was designed completely in-house. We expect the new crossover to share cues with recent Mitsubishi concepts, including the eX Concept and Ground Tourer, since Mitsubishi's general manager of design strategy Kazuo Yano said they will set the tone for future Mitsubishis. Don Swearingen, executive vice president and COO of Mitsubishi in North America, said this new vehicle is the "best vehicle Mitsubishi has ever produced." That may not be the tallest order given the automaker's recent models, but it's definitely a good goal. As for the size of this new crossover, it will probably be comparable to the current Outlander Sport. The plan is that the Outlander Sport and Outlander will be changing sizes in the coming years. The former will shrink and the latter will grow, leaving space in the middle for the new small crossover. There will be an awkward overlapping period, though, since we're told both Outlander flavors are scheduled for a mild refresh sometime next year that won't include size changes. The resized Outlander models will come sometime after that refresh. (If we're lucky, one will get a new name to reduce confusion, especially with a new model sitting between them.) Speaking of Outlanders, we now know when we will finally get the Outlander PHEV, a variant that has been promised and re-promised for years now. A Mitsubishi PR representative said that the plug-in hybrid crossover will be on sale in the US sometime in the next fiscal year. (For reference, Mitsubishi's current fiscal year ends this March.) Swearingen said it will also make its official debut later this year. So after many, many delays, the US will finally see Mitsubishi's plug-in crossover. We'll see if it's as big a sales success here as it is in Europe. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mitsubishi eX Concept: Tokyo 2015 View 9 Photos Green Geneva Motor Show Mitsubishi Crossover Economy Cars Hybrid 2017 Detroit Auto Show

Investigators say Mitsubishi mpg scandal was 'collective failure'

Investigators hired by Mitsubishi Motors to probe why the Japanese automaker engaged in falsifying fuel-economy figures for the past quarter-century faulted the company's "corporate culture." Specifically, there was a lack of unity between divisions, company-wide pressure to boost fuel-efficiency numbers, and an unwillingness to accept fuel-economy shortfalls, Automotive News says, citing comments made by consultants who hired by the company to investigate the problems. Challenging management authority even if it was proper to do so was also frowned upon. One of the investigators called the scandal "a collective failure." Among other suggestions, the consultants recommended that Mitsubishi's vehicle-mileage certification be independent from research and development, that there's greater transparency overall, and that there's a more thorough understanding of laws. New shareholder Nissan may also invest in retooling Mitsubishi's R&D operations, and is sending one of its former executives, Mitsuhiko Yamashita, to Mitsubishi to try to prevent any sort of repeat problems. Mitsubishi joined a list of automakers including Volkswagen, Hyundai/Kia, and Ford that have been found in recent years to either mislead with its published fuel-efficiency figures or emissions-testing procedures. A Nissan spokesman declined to comment on the Mitsubishi report, according to Automotive News. The recommendation comes less than three months after the announcement that Nissan would help rescue Mitsubishi from its fuel-economy scandal by acquiring part of the company. Nissan agreed in May to pay $2.2 billion for a 34-percent stake in Mitsubishi, and said at the time that Mitsubishi would join the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Nissan also owns 15 percent of France-based Renault. That announcement came right after Mitsubishi's admission that it may have falsified fuel-economy data for every one of its vehicles made in Japan dating back to 1991. Related Video: News Source: Automotive NewsImage Credit: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images Green Mitsubishi Nissan Fuel Efficiency scandal diesel scandal

This month's deals on wheels: 3 cars with incentives, rebates

On television, they come at you rapid-fire: truck deals, car deals, SUV deals. You don't have time to read the fine print, and many sound too good to be true. What follows are three deals that are both good and true. And check out our entire list of incentives and rebates. VOLKSWAGEN JETTA: With Dieselgate winding down and VW's all-new three-row SUV – the Atlas – winding up, Volkswagen is selling sedans with incentives. The Jetta remains VW's bestseller in the US. If you're looking for an immodest deal on modest transportation, you can do worse than a lease on the 2017 Jetta S. THE DETAILS: Purchase at 0.9% APR (no down payment required, available on new 2017 Jetta models financed by Volkswagen Credit, participating dealers only). At that rate, you could save $1,600 over the life of a loan. Offer ends May 1, but given the tepid market interest in sedans, incentives will probably continue through the balance of the model year. NISSAN TITAN CREW CAB: While some buyers will wait for Nissan's recently announced Titan King Cab, and commercial users will grab the regular cab and 8-foot bed, we'll recommend a lightly optioned 4X4 crew cab with standard V8 power, California-penned sheetmetal and a made-in-America footprint. Nissan's full-size pickup is finally a credible competitor in the pickup segment. THE DETAILS: With $3,500 cash back, on top of whatever deal you negotiate, Nissan is effectively reducing the window sticker of a Titan S crew cab by almost 10 percent. MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER: Some cars show up on buyers' radar, some don't. Some aren't anywhere near the radar room. Mitsubishi's Outlander is one of those. But that doesn't diminish its basic attractiveness, especially for young families looking for an affordable three-row SUV with responsive power and competitive features. Add one of the industry's longest warranties and a compelling deal, and you suddenly have reason to track down a Mitsubishi dealer. THE DETAILS: It couldn't be simpler – negotiate your best deal on a 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander, and then receive a $2,000 rebate; on a remaining 2016, it's $3,000. We'd select a fully-equipped GT 3.0S – AWC, which hooks Mitsubishi's V6 to a conventional automatic (vs. a CVT on lower-priced models) and all-wheel drive. That's a window sticker of about $34,000, and you can count on an aggressive posture by the dealer to get your business. Mitsubishi Nissan Volkswagen Car Buying Buying Guide Truck SUV Sedan