Mitsubishi Plays On Its Strength In Crossovers and Electrics To Rise Back Up In U.S.

Mitsubishi is playing to its strengths to help it rebound in the U.S. That includes the introduction of three crossovers with electric powertrains.

Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko tells Automotive News the company will channel their limited resources into creating a more compact lineup mostly made up of crossovers and SUVs.

"We are strong in SUVs and four-wheel drives. And that is what we would like to focus on as core models in the U.S. market. We have changed direction. We are going to allocate more resources to the areas where we are strong in the U.S," said Masuko.

This move means we will likely not see a replacement for aging Lancer compact and i-MiEV. Instead, Mitsubishi will introduce a new coupe-styled crossover that will slot in between the Outlander Sport and Outlander in 2017. A redesigned Outlander will arrive in 2018 and a new Outlander Sport will come a year after. Each crossover will come with a gas powertrain and some sort of electrification, whether that be through a plug-in hybrid system or an electric powertrain.

In the meantime, Mitsubishi will introduce "big minor changes" to keep their nameplates fresh. This was first shown at the LA Auto Show with the introduction of the 2016 Outlander Sport and 2017 Mirage.
Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)