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Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV now for real due in 'late summer, early fall'

Any day now, American plug-in vehicle shoppers will be able to actually buy a plug-in hybrid SUV. Europeans and Japanese buyers have had this option for many years, since the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV went on sale in those markets in 2013. There have been plenty of diversions in the route that is bringing the big PHEV to our shores, but it's looking like, "late summer, early fall," is when thing will for real happen. 10-20 percent of total Outlander sales would be "a very good number." That's the message from Don Swearingen, executive vice president of Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA), who we spoke to at the New York Auto Show where the PHEV made its debut appearance. Swearingen said that the dealers are as ready as the customers. "As we talked to our dealer council, they are all very interested in this product," he said. "[Range anxiety was] eliminated with this vehicle, and because of that, I think we are going to have some pretty good response." Swearingen didn't put a specific number to that claim, but said that 10-20 percent of total Outlander sales (which currently sit at around 2,000 a month) would be "a very good number." Previously, Mitsubishi representatives said they expected to sell 4,000 PHEV units in the first year. As we've documented over the years, there were a number of reasons for why the US didn't get the first batch of Outlander PHEVs. One of the big ones was that the PHEV was selling like gangbusters elsewhere. It's the best-selling PHEV in all of Europe, for example, and was the fourth-best-selling plug-in vehicle anywhere in February 2016. And Mitsubishi just couldn't make enough of them. Swearingen said the main bottleneck for this was the battery pack supplier Lithium Energy Japan, which didn't have the capacity to make more than it did. So, instead of leaving three markets without enough supply, Mitsubishi decided to leave one in the lurch and focus on the other two. Plus, since the Outlander PHEV will be based on the 2017 gas-powered Outlander, it will come with numerous safety enhancements as well as the 100+ improvements that the 2016 Outlander got compared to the 2015. In other words, all the pieces are all coming together. The Outlander PHEV is "the best of both worlds." - Francine Harsini At least, that's what Francine Harsini, MMNA's senior director of marketing, said. The final important part are the customers, and Harsini said that Mitsubishi will be a big national marketing push. The general theme?

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport puts on a fresh face

Mitsubishi is using this year's LA Auto Show to debut its refreshed Outlander Sport. It's got some brand-new style, some interior updates, and, well, that's about it. Still, the tweaks will hopefully help the Outlander Sport find better success in the red-hot compact crossover market. The updated Outlander Sport features power folding side mirrors with integrated LED turn indicators, a fresh set of 18-inch wheels, and new wheel arch moldings. The interior further benefits from a new steering wheel, 6.1-inch display, and auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink buttons built in. Buyers will also be able to specify three new color choices and new interior upholstery options as well. Apart from those few upgrades, we're looking at essentially the same vehicle. That means either a 2.0-liter inline-four good for 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque, or a 2.4 rated at 168 hp and 167 lb-ft. A five-speed manual comes standard with the base engine and trim, or a CVT in all other combinations. Despite the updated equipment, the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport still carries the same MSRP of $19,595. It also boasts some of the most competitive warranty coverage in the business. DYNAMIC DESIGN ENHANCES MITSUBISHI MOTORS SALES LEADER: MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER SPORT UPDATED FOR 2016 - 2016 Outlander Sport adds bold, sleek exterior design elements with Mitsubishi's "Dynamic Shield" front design concept - Interior enhancements add stylish accents to further Outlander Sport's value CYPRESS, Calif. Nov. 18, 2015 – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today unveiled the updated 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport featuring a newly redesigned, bold exterior front fascia/grille. The brand's best-selling CUV is now equipped with Mitsubishi's "Dynamic Shield" front design concept adding a sleek, audacious element to a vehicle that already makes a statement of its own. "The Outlander Sport is a brand leader for Mitsubishi Motors, and we are excited to unveil this eye-catching 2016 model-year," said MMNA executive vice president, Don Swearingen.

Mitsubishi Motors halts some SUV sales in Japan as MPG scandal grows

Mitsubishi's fuel-economy scandal is going from bad to worse. First, the Japanese automaker claimed it lied about the fuel economy for a few kei cars, then it claimed fuel economy tests for as far back as 1991 could reveal mile-per-gallon figures that were tampered with. In May the automaker, admitted that every single vehicle it's sold in Japan could be affected by the fuel-economy scandal. Now, the Japanese automaker revealed that more of its vehicles were involved in the fuel-economy cheating scandal – and one of them is sold in the US. After completing its investigation into the automaker's fuel-economy scandal, Japan's Transport Ministry found that Mitsubishi overstated the fuel economy for eight more vehicles in marketing brochures, one of which is sold as the Outlander Sport in the US, reports Automotive News. The Transport Ministry ordered Mitsubishi to stop domestic sales of the models, which include the Pajero, Outlander, and RVR SUV (known as the Outlander Sport in the US). The latest finding adds to four kei cars that were previously noted for having overstated fuel economy figures earlier this year. Japan's sixth-largest automaker is having a hard time recuperating since the scandal broke earlier this April. The initial scandal led to the automaker suspending its sales, which caused a large dip in the automaker's market value. The scandal required Mitsubishi to seek financial assistance from Nissan, which agreed to buy a controlling 34-percent stake for $2.2 billion. Investigators hired by Mitsubishi to look into the automaker's overstated fuel economy figures revealed the company's "corporate culture" as the issue. More specifically, the investigators founds the company's pressure to improve fuel-efficiency figures, a lack of unity between divisions, and an unwillingness to accept fuel economy shortfalls as the reason for falsifying its vehicles' mpg figures. Mitsubishi is expected to compensate Japanese owners for the overstated fuel economy figures, which would result in a massive loss for the automaker. The company is expected to post a net loss of roughly $1.4 billion this year, pushing Mitsubishi into the red for the first time in approximately eight years. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News-sub.req.Image Credit: Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg via Getty Images Government/Legal Green Mitsubishi Nissan Fuel Efficiency kei car scandal