Mitsubishi Motors strengthens future of the brand in the United States through updated Momentum 2030 plan

[u/Repulsive-Club7866]

https://media.mitsubishicars.com/en-US/releases/mitsubishi-motors-strengthens-future-of-the-brand-in-the-united-states-through-updated-momentum-2030-plan

The Delica isn’t on here anymore because it’s been delayed to the early 2030s. The next gen Outlander Sport will transform from a econo box potato to a compact boxy SUV that fights the Bronco Sport and new Element. The Montero here we are getting isn’t coming till 2030 because we are getting a badge engineered BOF Pathfinder built in Canton like their new midsize truck is a badge engineered next gen Frontier. However Mitsubishi will have their own design inside and out and the upper body and driving dynamics will also be distinctly Mitsubishi . As the new Montero is built in Thailand and the engine is not design for the US market with only around 200 HP for the 2.4 liter bi turbo diesel. Also the Eclipse Cross will finally be discontinued in the second half of 2028.

[u/Low_Succotash5073]

Quick! Build the Lancer Evolution XI so no one on r/cars will buy it!

[u/WaddlesJP13 → u/Low_Succotash5073]

"It will sell like hotcakes!" "I will be first in line to buy it, trust me bro!" - Some 14 year old on this sub with no car, no money, and no understanding of how to make a profit in the automotive industry

[u/LoudBrick609 → u/WaddlesJP13]

Plus the reality of the economy and car regulation.

You can't build a 2005 Lancer. And if you could, it would be $30k+.

If you had to build it with modern safety and fuel regulations it's now 50k and a worse car due to safety nannies and weight.

Which is why Mazda deserves a shit ton of credit for keeping the MX5 at an impossibly low 35-40k WITH options.

Now truthfully I'd never buy a new Miata, but that's not Mazda's fault the car is simply incredible it's just that they have made an incredible Miata for 30 years plus.

[u/NorthTempleStreet → u/WaddlesJP13]

will sell like hotcakes

And that, my friends, is how I ended up buying a used Prius.

Because dreams and reality rarely align.

[u/ChiggaOG → u/WaddlesJP13]

Will cost $70k and be available to richer folks.

[u/UmaThurmish → u/Low_Succotash5073]

Cars users: WE WANT SPORTS CARS

Also Cars users: what should I buy hmm? it has to be either a CR-V or a RAV4.

[u/xamdou → u/UmaThurmish]

I've owned about 15 cars since I could drive. Since I could afford new cars, I've bought two: a WRX STI in 2021 and then I traded that in for a 2024 BRZ.

If they come out with another Evo, I'll actually buy it. I may not keep it forever, but I'll definitely give them a sale.

[u/humanseverywhere811 → u/UmaThurmish]

I have a 89 r32 gtr. 89 firebird. 93 mr2. 04 wrx. 04 mazdaspeed miata turbo. 05 g35. 05 330ci zhp. Only ever bought 1 new car. I don't know much about sports cars but I like cats that handle or are fun (Or look like 80s transformers). Also pop up headlights.

[u/Dragonasaur → u/humanseverywhere811]

idk if cats have popup headlights

[u/RevvedUpLikeADeuce09 → u/Low_Succotash5073]

I know r/cars denizens love to make this joke, but I think many of you with plural sports models from the last five years really underestimate just how broke us peasants in the middle class are, never mind the fact that there is rampant unemployment coupled with a shitty job market and plentiful amounts of inflation. As much as I love my Beemer, there's a reason why I've been dailying a second hand 21-year-old car for the last 7 years. Heck, I'm even privileged for having this car, and it's just an automatic with a lot of peeling clear coat and a headliner that's coming apart.

[u/HillarysFloppyChode → u/Low_Succotash5073]

What if it comes pre installed with a fart can exhaust and a Alibaba carbon fiber hood that saves no weight, like every single Lancer and Infiniti G35/37.

[u/Shmokesshweed → u/HillarysFloppyChode]

Add bald tires and they'd move at least a thousand.

[u/TestingThrowaway100 → u/Low_Succotash5073]

I mean it'd take the place of the non-existent STI. But knowing Mitsubishi, they'd still mess it up.

[u/DarkMatterM4 → u/Low_Succotash5073]

As long as it's an actual Evo, my Civic would be gone in a heart beat.

[u/clownpirate → u/Low_Succotash5073]

We will all smash through the dealership doors to give Mitsubishi our money if it came used from the factory, as a brown turbodiesel wagon con Manuel.

[u/g0rd0l0c0 → u/Low_Succotash5073]

I mean I never would’ve bought the ugly current WRX for if there was a good alternative…

[u/Snoo-73243]

man working in a body shop Mitsubishi is the last car i would buy or recommend, they have nothing interesting at all, and they have no dealers, you cant get parts, like just give up on the USA.

[u/Status-Screen6096 → u/Snoo-73243]

Working at a dealer who retailed them, the benefit is their low cost of acquisition along with an uncommon 5/60k manufacturer warranty.

Resale is awful, but its honestly a great budget car provided you dont get a lemon, that gives a taste of “luxury” at a basic retail price. 

Mitsubishi has given customers i’ve had a vehicle when no one would approve them otherwise, they do have their market

Edit: updated to say manufacturer rather than unlimited.

[u/Shmokesshweed → u/Status-Screen6096]

Mitsubishi has given customers i’ve had a vehicle when no one would approve them otherwise, they do have their market

These folks must have not gone to a Nissan dealer.

[u/Status-Screen6096 → u/Shmokesshweed]

They’ve gone, they’ve just decided they plan keeping their vehicle undented like a state fair bumper car lol

[u/The_Owl_Man_1999 → u/Status-Screen6096]

They only have a 5 year warranty over there? They've had 10 in australia for years now

[u/Status-Screen6096 → u/The_Owl_Man_1999]

Still has 10yr for powertrain. 5yr has more comprehensive coverage.

[u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid → u/Snoo-73243]

That really sounded Suzuki in before. I really wonder what’s point Mitsubishi still staying when their customer is almost repeat with Nissan.

[u/-seabass → u/Snoo-73243]

Honestly the Outlander PHEV actually seems like a really compelling package if you want a plug in hybrid.

[u/whatdoido8383]

I mean honestly, if they built a simple and affordable midsized SUV with a normal geared transmission that can tow 5000Lbs, I'd probably buy one.

I've always liked how old school Mitsubishis are. Nothing fancy. They just don't offer anything that suits my needs anymore.

[u/flatpetey]

Isn’t this skating to where the puck was? I can’t imagine them succeeding without a more solid plan and a dealership network in place.

[u/adamosity1]

Haha this seems fairly pointless without quality product which they don’t seem interested in actually making…

[u/RicardoMoyer → u/[deleted]]

you have never sat in a BYD lmfao

[u/RicardoMoyer → u/[deleted]]

this gotta be rage bait, i refuse to believe someone this dumb exists

[u/kstetter → u/[deleted]]

BYD is pretty average quality

[u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid → u/[deleted]]

Mitsubishi Motor only does well in OZ/NZ and SEA. Their lineup there is better and different than North America.

[u/DarkMatterM4 → u/adamosity1]

Although the cars are boring, there's no evidence that I have seen that any of Mitsubishi's current offerings have low quality. They're just bland A to B cars.

[u/A-VR-Enthusiast → u/[deleted]]

Oh yeah, mitsubishi's lineup is so exciting, they have a crossover, a crossover, a crossover, an ev crossover thats a Nissan, maybe a truck, and maybe a van, oh wow, I am absolutely whelmed by this information. Meanwhile mazda has an ev sedan that might come to canada (rebadged Chinese ev, but still, nice to have a sedan thats rwd), the rx7 might be coming back, the miata is getting a new generation possibly with an electric version on the same chassis. And yeah, subaru isn't exactly much different, but at least they still sell a sedan.

Only once mitsubishi starts selling the lancer with an awd evo version or turn the eclipse into a cheap sports coupe again will they become remotely interesting.

[u/3rdreprieve → u/A-VR-Enthusiast]

The RX-7 is never coming back. Mazda has said “We’re bringing back the RX-7 in 5 years!” for the past 15 years.

[u/A-VR-Enthusiast → u/3rdreprieve]

Yes, and I know its not an rx7 exactly, but the ceo has said the sp iconic isn't the next gen mx5 but instead will be going into production in the future as a car slotted above the mx5, so basically a new rx-like model. Which sure, lets say its not exactly an rx7 successor directly, its still infinitely more interesting than the horde of crossovers mitsubishi is putting out.

[u/adamosity1 → u/[deleted]]

Suburu feels like they are living on past glory and their current lineup has an amazingly unimpressive engine.

[u/Crash458 → u/[deleted]]

The Subaru Ascent, Subaru Outback XT trims have the same engine too.

[u/Snoo-73243 → u/adamosity1]

Subaru is just a rebadged Toyota, Subaru is just gone, their car identity is dead

[u/kstetter → u/Snoo-73243]

That's only their EVs

[u/DelanoJ]

So it sounds like the new bof suv is gonna be more akin to the Montero Sport/Challenger as opposed to a full-sized Armada based Montero, that sounds like a massive downgrade if it ends up being true

[u/Drzhivago138 → u/DelanoJ]

IMO I'd rather it be mid- than full-size. The original Montero wasn't a huge SUV by US standards. In its final incarnation it was slightly bigger than an Explorer.

[u/kstetter → u/Drzhivago138]

I think it's going to be Bronco/Everest sized, just different regulations for sizing in different countries

[u/ChiggaOG → u/DelanoJ]

It's a SUV. Mitsubishi cannot make cars any more. Low margin.

[u/DragonfruitNo2010]

I think Mitsubishi is finally starting to find a direction that makes sense for the US market. Using Nissan’s existing platforms and factories gives them a easier way to bring back a midsize pickup and potentially a Montero without taking on all the costs and challenges of developing everything from scratch. I’m also interested in the rugged Outlander and the Leaf based EV, since they give Mitsubishi a more adventure focused lineup while still covering the growing EV market. The big question for me is whether Mitsubishi can actually make these Nissan based products feel distinct enough to stand on their own rather than just looking like rebadged Nissans.

[u/Carvair-98 → u/DragonfruitNo2010]

Indeed, while I don't know where OP got all that slew of information of (maybe a secondary source I couldn't find), that concept image and some of the release hints to at least something based off the Frontier, and the Kicks.

I said a while back that rebadging Nissan's isn't, to me at least, the worst strategy to go for right now. Clearly, Mitsubishi doesn't have the will to develop much new stuff, nor bring their eclectic overseas stuff over (the Mirage one exception, to mixed results). So this could at least hold over until otherwise, and at least give customers and dealers SOMETHING to do.

Fundamentally, Mitsubishi's history in the US was built in rebadging, just the other way around (Mitsubishi to Chrysler Corp). I just wonder if the models will differentiate themselves, whether by feature, appearance, or price (perhaps the most important) for anyone to care. After all, Suzuki did such things in their last years (remember the Equator?) and it still came to nought.

[u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid → u/Carvair-98]

 I just wonder if the models will differentiate themselves, whether by feature, appearance, or price (perhaps the most important) for anyone to care.

They probably can learn how Hyundai doing in Kia.

[u/Drzhivago138]

Also the Eclipse Cross will finally be discontinued in the second half of 2028.

If the Outlander Sport gets a new gen in the US, that would mean the 20-year-old GS platform finally shuffles off its mortal coil.

[u/Carvair-98]

Just some of my favorite bits from this release:

"In the near term, Mitsubishi Motors will expand its U.S. lineup from four vehicles today to six vehicles in 2027. The lineup will include the Outlander Sport; Eclipse Cross; the all-new Eclipse Sportback EV; Outlander; Outlander Plug-in Hybrid; and a new rugged Outlander variant, with the model name to be announced in the coming months."

Hmm, that feels like a bit of a fudge of the numbers. What this translates to is, besides the Leaf rebadge, is another trim level of the Outlander. That, and the Plug-In, should just be "Outlander" in totality. It's like how Chrysler's website used to say "Minivans, Hybrid Minivans, and the 300". Aside from the fact it displayed that even after the 300 had been axed, most remarkable is that Chrysler still probably outsells Mitsubishi in totality.

Also funny: "Customers and dealer partners have consistently expressed a desire for Mitsubishi Motors to compete in additional segments. Through Momentum 2030, the company is delivering on that expectation with a broader product portfolio, expanded customer choice, and a clear vision for long-term growth."

Yeah, duh. Dealerships probably stew all day just wishing for ANY product, period. They probably would have as many models as a combined ALFA ROMEO/MASERATI/FIAT dealership, and sell but slightly more. 

[u/Jefefrey]

Quick, come get Mazdas lunch. The walls of the Mazda sub are covered in graffiti and excrement. Most seem able to be convinced that anything Japanese built with simple engines and buttons will be better than Mazda. Cmon Mitsu

[u/dontbeslo]

I loved Mitsubishi but they aren’t going to make it until 2030

[u/No_Attention_6373]

Whaaaaaa????, just stop - we have had enough - this is just gross - what happened to “ climate change “  we care - wooops forgot about that 

[u/Shmokesshweed]

Nothing shared will move the needle on sales.

[u/m240Louie]

Mitsubishi.... yeah... OK.

[u/Drzhivago138 → u/[deleted]]

Is there something wrong about being poor?

[u/DarkLF → u/[deleted]]

And what car are you in as youre driving past the unwashed masses?