If you haven't been paying attention, you may be surprised to hear that Mitsubishi has been doing fairly well in the United States over the last several years. Once a mid-major program here in the States, the automaker's stagnating lineup and lack of vehicles with clear desirability — once you got past the hardcore Lancer Evolution series, at least — led to declining sales figures through the 2000s.
"New powertrains and new vehicles" are always keywords that pique the ears of automotive enthusiasts, and Mitsubishi seemingly has some solid stepping stones in the works to continue gaining momentum in the crucial American market, with trucks, crossovers and multi-purpose vehicles that could offer some truly interesting entries into segments the automaker hasn't dipped its toes in decades.
The van would reportedly maintain its rugged credentials — perfect for the growing number of Americans who embrace off-road lifestyles like camping and overlanding — and feature a plug-in hybrid powertrain. We can't imagine some of the concept's far-out features like a front glass panel to see the ground ahead or a dashboard and steering wheel setup that moves with the driver's door making it into production.
Another vehicle that's said to be under development would mimic the highly successful Subaru Outback philosophy of taking a passenger car platform, adding a small lift, off-road-suitable wheels, tires, roof racks and styling, and selling it as a standalone model. The outdoorsy model would be based on the Outlander crossover that we think is highly competitive in its segment. This one seems like a slam dunk, and we'd hope it would get the PHEV powertrain as well.
And finally, Mitsubishi sells some popular pickup truck models in other markets around the world, but hasn't sold a proper truck in the States since its partnered with Dodge for the ill-fated Dakota-based Raider. But, according to reports from Automotive News, Mitsubishi may instead be looking into the future at electrified pickups.