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2014 Mitsubishi Outlander earns Top Safety Pick+ award [w/video]

The Mitsubishi Outlander officially is a safe vehicle, earning a good rating in all of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash test categories - good enough for the agency to give it the Top Safety Pick+ award. The small sport utility vehicle's little sibling, the Outlander Sport, received the Top Safety Pick award earlier this year.
According to the IIHS, to earn the Top Safety Pick+ rating vehicles must be rated good in at least four out of the five crash tests (including the difficult small overlap front test) and earn no less than acceptable in the rear crash test. The Top Safety Pick rating requires that vehicles be rated good in the moderate overlap front, side, rollover and rear tests, but there's no minimum rating on the small overlap front crash test.
Mitsubishi designed the Outlander to have greater roof strength (the roof now can support up to five times the SUV's weight) and to withstand the moderate overlap front crash test and the recently introduced small overlap front crash test, both of which evaluate the ability of vehicles to protect their occupants in crashes that bypass the traditional front crumple zone. Crumple zones are designed into vehicles to allow them to deform in a way that protects passengers in the event of a crash. The Outlander was one of two small SUVs to earn a good rating in the small overlap test, the other being the 2014 Subaru Forester. The Subaru earned a Top Safety Pick rating.

i-MiEV doesn't survive Mitsubishi's updated EV plan

Mitsubishi will increase the number of electrified models in its lineup through the end of the decade, but the company's focus on crossovers will mean the axe for the aging i-MiEV. The flurry of new or updated models will begin arriving as soon as next year, and the automaker will offer nearly all of them in plug-in hybrid or electric versions, according to Automotive News. Rather than dedicated EVs like the i-MiEV, Mitsubishi will instead offer gasoline and electrified variants of a future lineup with three sizes of crossovers. The company will follow the current trend of coupe-like CUVs with its own version, including a plug-in hybrid option, between the Outlander Sport and Outlander sometime after the autumn of 2017, Automotive News reports. A new Outlander with a PHEV model will come after 2017, and a next-gen Outlander Sport with an EV trim will arrive around 2019. There won't be a Lancer replacement. "We are strong in SUVs and four-wheel drives. And that is what we would like to focus on as core models in the US market," Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko said to Automotive News. Mitsubishi already offered a preview of its next-gen CUV design language with the eX Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. The compact crossover evolved the styling of the refreshed Outlander's X-shape grille, and it featured a floating roof that created the appearance of a wraparound greenhouse. Power came from an electric motor at the front and rear axle and a 45-kWh lithium-ion battery. In the nearer term, the wait for the Outlander PHEV will finally end because the long-delayed plug-in crossover will launch in the US around the middle of next year. Earlier rumors suggested a possible arrival around April 2016, but the vehicle was previously reported to come here as early as the fall of 2014.

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander priced from $23,845

Mitsubishi is on a slight upswing in the US recently after its first, though small, profit in the country in seven years. The company is now reportedly looking to boost its product lineup, and one of the first big changes in a while comes with the launch of the refreshed, 2016 Outlander. Even with significant upgrades for the three-row crossover, the price is actually $200 lower than last year to start at $23,845 (including $850 destination on all models). The most obvious tweak for the 2016 refresh is the Outlander's attractive, all-new front fascia. The crossover now wears a grille that mixes gloss black and chrome slats, and the whole design is outlined in curving chrome that leads down to accentuate the foglights. At the rear, the upgrades aren't quite as drastic, but the addition of LED taillights lends a more modern look. However, the changes are more than skin deep, and Mitsubishi also claims over 100 engineering and design modifications for the vehicle. The engines carry over from last year, and most models get a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 166 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. It's hooked up to a revised CVT that Mitsubishi claims offers better acceleration and torque delivery. Buyers can choose between either front- or all-wheel drive. The other option is the top-spec GT trim that comes with a 3.0-liter V6 making 224 hp and 215 lb-ft, a six-speed automatic, and all-wheel drive. MITSUBISHI MOTORS ANNOUNCES REDUCED PRICING FOR NEW 2016 OUTLANDER June 02, 2015 — CYPRESS, Calif. Starting MSRP of only $22,995; a $200 reduction in price from the previous model year The 2016 Outlander features Mitsubishi's new dynamic design language and over 100 engineering and design improvements Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today announced pricing for the U.S. version of the new 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander seven-passenger crossover. With a starting MSRP of only $22,995, the 2016 Outlander has a $200 lower starting MSRP than the previous model year, which is notable when considering the amount of design and engineering improvements incorporated into the vehicle. "The 2016 Outlander has a dynamic new design and a long list of engineering upgrades—it literally looks, drives and feels like an entirely new vehicle," said MMNA Executive Vice President, Don Swearingen.