06 Outlander Ls 4x2, 2.4l 4 Cylinder, Auto, Pwr Equip, Cruise, Alloys, 1 Owner! on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi turning Montero into crossover, Outlander Sport may get PHEV variant

Mitsubishi is getting more and more forthcoming about its plans for the US market. Among the tidbits revealed during a chat with Edmunds at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, MMNA Executive Vice President Don Swearingen said that "We are committed to huge investments in capital as well as huge investments in R&D." The marquee product of that investment could be a new Montero for the 2017 or 2018 model year, suggestions of which were raised with the Concept GC-PHEV at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show and again at the end of last year. Swearingen said the proposed SUV is a little smaller than a Ford Explorer and that dealers have seen a picture of it. A decision on whether to bring it to the US will be made later this year.
Below that, incremental improvements will come to every model over the next couple of years. The Outlander will get a facelift next year before a major restyle in 2016, when the Outlander PHEV is also expected to finally make it here. In 2015 the Outlander Sport will be fitted with larger engine and a new, quieter CVT returning better acceleration and fuel economy. In 2016 it will also be redesigned, and it will be equipped with the company's new telematics system that goes into the Outlander the following year.
At the other end of the line-up, the Mirage will get a big dose of love in two years. Detail changes like better fabric inside and outside-mirror indicators are slated for 2015, and in 2016 the bargain hatchback gets "a sleek, aerodynamic" reskin. The Mirage G4 sedan could join the US range if the Canadians turn out to be fans of it. The Lancer gets only meager attentions, while the i-MiEV gets the cold shoulder and won't change at all. We get the cold shoulder as far as a next-generation Evo - Swearingen didn't say a word about that, apparently.

Despite missteps, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV a hit in UK

Like a stiff breeze off the White Cliffs of Dover, UK sales of the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid may have the wind at its back. That's because the Japanese automaker isn't charging any extra, relative to the diesel-powered Outlander. And UK's Duxford Auto Group says it's already feeling the positive effects. The auto dealership is conducting about a dozen test drives a day for potential (and curious) customers, Cambridge News says. More tellingly, Duxford Auto is rebooking another dozen or so test drives per weekend day because of pent-up interest. The company hasn't released UK sales figures, Mitsubishi spokesman Dan Irvin told AutoblogGreen, but Duxford Auto says sales will be stronger than expected, especially since the Outlander PHEV is exempt from UK congestion charges. Mitsubishi introduced the Outlander PHEV to the UK this spring. The bonus there was that, inclusive of a UK government grant, the car was priced at the equivalent of about $47,000, or about the same price as the base diesel-powered version. The model, which pairs a 2.0-liter gas engine with an electric motor, has an all-electric range of 32 miles. Mitsubishi ran into problems with the Outlander PHEV in spring 2013 after a battery melted at a Japan dealership, causing the company to halt production on the model. The company later discovered that some of the batteries were short-circuiting due to a flaw in the screening process. Once those issues were solved, Mitsubishi doubled its production rate last year to make up for lost time. Meanwhile, Automotive News reported last month that California regulators will delay sales of the model in that state to late next year or early 2016 because of battery issues. The state, easily the largest US plug-in vehicle market, wants Mitsubishi to include battery-degradation monitors for the car's lithium-ion batteries. Mitsubishi spokesman Alex Fedorak refuted the report that the Outlander PHEV may not be available in the US until 2016. "Launch plans for the US version of the Outlander PHEV remain unchanged with an expected debut of Fall 2015," Fedorak told AutoblogGreen.

2014 Mitsubishi Mirage

This could have been something great. Last fall, Mitsubishi slapped its triple-diamond badge on a dainty little hatchback called Mirage, offering plenty of functionality and 44 miles per gallon on the highway, all starting at a super-low $12,995. For budget shoppers, this seemed to be a good thing - not to mention a much-needed breath of fresh air for the company's waning US automotive arm.
I will fully admit to being a bit harsh on the Mirage following its debut at the 2013 New York Auto Show, often making it the butt of jokes with my colleagues. But at the end of the day, I love cheap, basic, honest little cars like this, and I wasn't prepared to write off the Mirage until I spent some time behind the wheel. After all, on paper, a Mazda2 looks pretty unremarkable, and yet it's one of my favorite small cars to drive.
Much as I wasn't looking forward to putting my foot in my mouth, I was sort of hoping to feel the same way about the new Mirage. It's a bland package, but it could have been filled with the same spunky spirit and well-meaning composure of vehicles like the aforementioned Mazda, or even stuff like the Honda Fit or Chevy Spark and Sonic.