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2022 Mitsubishi Outlander pricing, fuel economy announced

Mitsubishi has announced pricing on what is probably the most compelling — and important to the company's future — product in a decade, the 2022 Outlander. As we learned at the reveal, the base ES trim will start at $25,795, or $26,990 when the destination charge is factored in. Fuel economy figures are also in, giving the Outlander a rating of 24 miles per gallon in the city, 31 on the highway and 27 combined for the front-wheel-drive model. Mitsubishi's S-AWC all-wheel-drive system, which is available on any trim for $1,800, drops one mpg highway and combined. By way of comparison, the base 2021 Nissan Roque, which uses a similar engine and platform, gets 27 city, 35 highway and 30 combined in front-wheel drive guise. That combined figure matches that of the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. It's worth noting that the Mitsubishi Outlander comes standard with a third row for seven-passenger seating, so a direct comparison with the Rogue isn't exactly fair. The ES comes with what is now an obligatory suite of tech, like automatic braking forward and rear, blind spot warnings, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. 18-inch alloy wheels are standard, but a $1,000 convenience package adds 20-inchers and the Mitsubishi Connect remote services smartphone link (which comes with 24 months free). That places the three-row ES below the Toyota RAV4 but above the Honda CR-V. Next up is the SE trim, ringing in at $28,845 with everything the ES offers and adding 20-inch wheels, heated front seats and side mirrors, proximity unlocking, and a leather steering wheel. Here, the tech content is boosted quite a bit, with the bird's-eye multi-view camera system, parking sensors, and wireless phone charging. You no longer need an upgrade package to get Mitsubishi Connect, and it also has MiPilot Assist which adds adaptive cruise with stop and go in traffic, lane keeping assist, and traffic sign recognition. The touchscreen gets bumped from 8 to 9 inches, and USB charging ports become available for rear passengers as well. A $2,300 SE Tech Package adds a 12.3-inch LCD instrument panel, premium sound system by Bose, and panoramic sunroof.  The top-spec SEL stickers at $31,945, building upon the other trims while adding the aforementioned 12.3-inch multi-function display, leather seats, 4-way power seats key-linked to memory, three-zone climate control, roof rails, and heated rear seats.

2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV gets more power and more range

There's a brand new Mitsubishi Outlander for the 2022 model year, and we've been told that a plug-in hybrid version is on the way. But before that happens, Mitsubishi has given the current Outlander PHEV an under-the-skin refresh for 2021 that brings more power, more range and a new trim level. Despite the upgrades, the starting price hasn't budged. The Outlander PHEV gets a new 2.4-liter engine rated at 126 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque that replaces the previous 2.0-liter engine. A rear-axle-mounted electric motor adds 70kW of electric power, up 10kW over the old version. Add it all up and the powertrain spins out a total of 221 hp, up 31 ponies from the previous model. Updated software is said to improve "synchronization between battery and engine," which Mitsubishi says yields reductions in noise, vibration and harshness. All Outlander PHEVs are equipped with Mitsubishi's Super All-Wheel Control all-wheel drive system, and the 2021 edition gains Sport and Snow driving modes. Along with the power boost, the Outlander PHEV's battery capacity increases from 12.0 kW/h to 13.8 kW/h. That adds two additional miles of all-electric range for a total of up to 24 miles. Mitsubishi also says the top speed under electric power with no assistance from the gasoline engine rises from 79 mph to 83 mph. According to the EPA, the 2021 Outlander PHEV scores a combined 74 MPGe while running in hybrid electric mode and 26 MPG combined once the battery is depleted. That's an improvement of one mile per gallon. In addition to last year's SEL and GT trim levels, the 2021 Outlander PHEV gains an LE edition. The new trim adds a blacked-out grille, dark chrome dual spoke 18-inch alloy wheels and a blackout design for the front and rear bumpers. Also standard on the LE are a sunroof and upgraded audio system. Despite the significant upgrades for 2021, the Outlander PHEV SEL starts at the same $37,490 asking price as before. The LE costs $39,190 and the top-spec GT lists at $43,190. Buyers are eligible for $6,587 in federal tax credits, which is up $751 compared to the 2020 model year due to the increase in battery capacity. The 2021 Outlander PHEV is available at Mitsubishi dealerships now.

Lawyer for Ghosn slams bail condition as human rights violation

TOKYO (AP) — The lawyer for Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn on Saturday criticized a bail condition that prevents his client from seeing his wife, as Ghosn awaits trial on financial misconduct charges. A judge has forbidden Ghosn from seeing his wife, Carole, including in the presence of lawyers, or talking to her on the phone. Prosecutors say the restriction is needed to prevent evidence tampering. "This is unfair," Takashi Takano, the lawyer, said in a phone interview, calling it a human rights violation. "It's cruel and unusual." His earlier appeal of the ban, rejected by district and appeals courts, went to the Supreme Court, which turned it down last month. The Supreme Court decision cannot be appealed, but Takano vowed to keep filing new petitions, stressing that the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the constitutionality or the human rights aspects. The next one will be filed within two or three weeks, he said. Ghosn's lawyers recently filed a second petition with the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, arguing that the restrictions on seeing his wife amount to a deprivation of fundamental human rights. Takano acknowledged that the situation looks dismal, as Japan's Supreme Court is not easily influenced by other governments' views or by public opinion. "Even the strongest man in the world can be stressed, psychologically damaged. That's very natural as a human being," said Takano, noting that Ghosn was holding up well compared to other clients he has had. Ghosn has been aggressively taking part in meetings with his defense team, according to Takano. The case has entered the stage known as "pre-trial sessions," during which both sides hand in evidence. A trial date has not been set. In Japan, preparations for trials routinely take months. Ghosn, who led Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. for two decades, was arrested in November and charged with falsifying financial documents in reporting retirement compensation, and with breach of trust in diverting Nissan money toward personal investment losses and a company effectively run by him. Ghosn, 65, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, has repeatedly said he is innocent, accusing some at Nissan of plotting against him and opposing a plan to merge Nissan with French alliance partner Renault. Renault is set to vote Tuesday on a possible merger with Fiat Chrysler.