MITSUBISHI MOTORS ACHIEVES FIVE MILLION VEHICLE SALES IN THE UNITED STATES

Mitsubishi Motors North America announced today it achieved five million vehicle sales in the United States on Saturday, Dec. 26. Mitsubishi was introduced in America in 1982 and began selling three models: the Tredia, Cordia and Starion sedans. Since then, the brand has gone on to manufacture and sell popular vehicles such as the 3000GT, Eclipse, Montero, Galant and the recently retired Lancer Evolution.

“This is a great milestone for Mitsubishi Motors because it means that five million customers have entrusted the brand over the past 30-plus years, and we hope many more will give us that same opportunity in the future,” said Don Swearingen, executive vice president, MMNA. “Our current sales momentum combined with a technologically innovative product pipeline primes Mitsubishi for great success in the U.S. for many years to come.”

Mitsubishi recently reported its 21^stconsecutive month of year-over-year sales increases, and is up 23 percent over the same period in 2014. The Mitsubishi Outlander, which launched in August with over 100 improvements, is up 43 percent for the year. Combined with the Outlander Sport, Mitsubishi’s family of stylish, safe and fuel-efficient CUVs is up 26 percent for the year.

Review of the 2015 Outlander and Lancer Evolution

OUTLANDER SPORT REVIEW

Communities Digital News (11/17/2015)
"The 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is helping a stoke a brand revival."
"The front end of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport GT reminds one of Audi and lends a sophisticated air to a design that otherwise blends in with the rest of traffic. In our GT model, the Mercury Gray metallic paint and the LED running and tail lights. Octane Blue (pictured) is an attention getting color that calls out for attention, while not risking scorn from the valet at Morton’s Steakhouse."
"The relatively small size of the Outlander Sport GT makes for parking without worry, but is not indicative of the interior space."
"Inside, one finds a roomy cockpit and cabin that almost seems like a magic trick. The panoramic sunroof with LED illumination adds to that airy feeling and was loved by passengers and driver alike."
"Heated leather seats that are more comfortable than an expensive ergonomic chair result in little driver fatigue during long drives. The side bolstering and sporty contrast stitching hold the driver in well during vigorous driving. It was easy to get comfortable in the Outlander, with a power driver seat adjustable for height, and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel."
"The leather wrapped steering wheel, with convenient infotainment and phone controls was a pleasure to grip."
"The infotainment system in our tester included a seven-inch touch screen, navigation with real time traffic and 3D mapping was easy to use."
"The highlight of the navigation was a visual 3D representation of the next turn. That was very helpful in case the audio directions were missed. One final bonus of the navigation is it shows the speed limit of the street on which one is driving. That could help one keep on the friendly side of local law enforcement."
"This is one of the few vehicles in its class to come with locking all-wheel drive that even works at higher speeds. That is definitely something those in northern climates will appreciate, along with hill start assist, rear heater floor ducts, and the heated front seats/side mirrors."
"Our review vehicle also did not leave out safety from the equation. The bevy of air bags is expected, but the HID headlights is a nice touch."
"The Outlander Sport earns a quite respectable Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, with an acceptable rating in the small front overlap test, and good scores across the other tests. Feeling safe in the Outlander Sport GT will not be a worry for the owner."
"The roominess, thoughtful touches on the interior, crash safety, and tech make this vehicle one to check out. We enjoyed our time with the vehicle and recommend giving one a spin if in the market for a compact crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV)."

LANCER EVOLUTION REVIEWS Portland Tribune and syndicated widely (11/13/2015) "2015 is the last year of the Lancer Evolution, the barely civilized rally car disguised as an economy sedan from Mitsubishi." "The Evo, as it is commonly called, is still the same blast to drive." "The Evo has always been considered a separate model because of significant upgrades that include a powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four cylinder engine, bigger brakes, full-time all-wheel-drive, a much stiffer suspension, and an optional six-speed twin-clutch automated manual transmission that shifts faster than humanly possible." "Our test 2015 MR version had every option except the navigation/rear parking sensor package and was still a refreshing throwback to the early days of boy street racers." "Everything was immediate and direct, from the brisk acceleration to the responsive steering to the stiff transmission that conveyed all surface imperfections instead of covering them up." "Especially fun was the automated manual transmission, which Mitsubishi calls a Twin Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission or SST for short. It is far more responsive than a normal automatic transmission, and includes a Sport mode that holds the gears longer and shifts them more abruptly." "The Evo also features a version of the company's excellent all-wheel-drive system, called Super-All Wheel Control or S-AWC. As the name says, it is super adhesive, providing tremendous grip through tight corners." "The result of all that power and technology is a constantly entertaining ride. With larger and more powerful cars, you have to wait for open stretches of road to find out what they're made of. With the Evo, just switching lanes was a gas." "In the racing world, the Evo is best known as the strongest direct competitor against the high performance versions of the Subaru Impeza, the WRX and STi. They have been going head-to-head since 1992. The fact that Mitsubishi is still challenging Subaru for bragging rights is remarkable, considering how underfunded the company is. The current Evo is based on a Lancer sedan that is nine year old, an eternity in the automotive world. Subaru debuted a new Impreza in 2012 and redesigned it for 2015." "The competition ends in 2016, when a new version of the Lancer debuts without an available Evo package. Mitsubishi says it will continue the spirit with a high performance crossover, but the automotive world will have lost one of its true stars. Get yours while you can."
Car Buzz (11/14/2015) "The Evo has had a good run. The last Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution that will be built is finally here and Mitsubishi is letting the vehicle go out with a bang" "As the Evo’s last model, the Final Edition comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that’s good for 303 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque." "The sedan gets a host of performance upgrades and exterior modifications that differentiate the special edition from the rest of retired lineup."
"10 Cars That Make Crazy Horsepower from Tiny Engines" in Popular Mechanics (11/14/2015) "The Lancer Evo is leaving us soon, but for now, it's still a car with one of the most power-dense engines on the market. Its 2.0-liter four-cylinder is turbocharged up to 291 horsepower, giving it a specific output of 145.5 horsepower per liter."
"15 FUN-TO-DRIVE FOUR-CYLINDER SEDANS UNDER $55,000" in Motor Trend (11/16/2015) "With the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution no longer in production, the rivalry between it and the Subaru WRX has come to a close. However, the Evo left its mark on the automotive landscape through its legendary performance and rally legacy. The Final Edition models commemorate the end of the Evo’s life by giving the last cars off the line more power—at 303 hp and 305 lb-ft—and more go-fast hardware, such as 13.8-inch Brembo brake rotors up front and 13-inch units out back, Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs all around, and Enkei alloy wheels wrapped in Yokohama performance tires. So long and see you again soon (we hope), Evo."

Reviews of the New Mitsubishi Outlander

OUTLANDER REVIEWS
Cars.com (11/11/2015)
"At highway speeds, the six-speed automatic transmission provided better response than others in the class because it didn’t have to kick down two or three gears, as do many eight- and nine-speed transmissions. That typically causes more hesitation."
"While not class-leading or exceptional, steering and braking are certainly not bad. There’s enough boost from the updated power steering to be able to easily cruise a parking lot at slow speeds, but assist is dialed back a bit at highway speeds so the Outlander doesn’t feel twitchy."
"The Outlander felt composed and predictable when pushed in turns. It didn’t wallow or feel too rigid. And while it didn’t isolate me from bigger bumps, the rest of the time the ride was pretty smooth."
"There are a lot of “old-fashioned” buttons for the controls, which is a welcome alternative to models in which everything is controlled by a central touch-screen."
"When it comes to space, the Outlander offers good room up front. Unlike in a lot of current SUVs, the center console between the seats is slim and sits low in the cabin, so I never felt like I was being pinched or penned in, as I do when I drive others in this class."
"Second-row room was very good. My legs had plenty of room without having my knees lifted too high in the air, and my head had plenty of space, too."
"This is a midsize SUV, and the Edge doesn’t even offer a third row of seats. The Sorento has seven seats, but not standard. So thinking of a third row as an emergencies-only feature for a vehicle in this class isn’t unreasonable. I certainly wouldn’t ding the Outlander for having a third-row seat that I don’t like when others don’t offer one at all."
"Visibility is good, with mirrors that offer a good view of the road around you. Visibility is also helped by the Outlander’s thin windshield pillars, which stand fairly vertically. That helps limit blind spots."
"Mitsubishi deserves some praise for keeping buttons in the cabin to control not only the climate controls, but also functions such as switching between the radio, media and navigation menus. After a quick drive or two, it was easy for me to remember which button controlled what function, and I found myself not having to take my eyes off the road to make the changes I wanted. This is superior to the more “modern” designs that use touch-screens, notably the MyFordTouch system."
"Mitsubishi’s system was one of the easier ones for me to pair my phone with."
"Comparing the least-expensive all-wheel-drive versions of the Outlander, Edge, Sorento and Highlander, the Outlander is the least expensive by a few thousand dollars, as you can see here. When you step up to the highest trim level, like the one we tested, the price advantage is much bigger."
"It’s also worth noting that when we compare the field of three-row SUVs, looking at which is the most affordable but still offers features buyers want — such as an automatic transmission, power driver’s seat, backup camera and Bluetooth connectivity — the 2016 Outlander still wins."

auto123 [CANADA] (11/16/2015)
"This is the best way I can introduce the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander. It’s good, will satisfy your every CUV need (even some you weren’t aware existed),"
"The revised-for-2016 is one thing, if any: it’s extremely photogenic. The “Dynamic Shield” front fascia has a lot to do with it. I also enjoy the beltline that hovers below the front shoulder-line and above the door handles -- kind of reminds me of how kids these days wear their jeans below their asses… Damn, I’m getting old."
"The optional ES packages include handsome 18” alloys, fog lights and silver painted roof rails, all nice touches."
"The Outlander’s cabin is airy and crafted to modern tastes. Fit and finish are nice and nothing’s wrong with the proposed ergonomics. In fact, it’s all very straightforward. The front seats are comfortable enough while those in the rear benefit from plenty of room and a reclining seatback. The trunk is large with loads of storage."
"The CVT is good. It won’t nail engine speed to the redline until red fluid oozes out of your ears. It maintains the motor’s revs in the powerband as best as possible and plays along when pushed. Acceleration is uneventful but sustained. Powertrain noises are reasonably low to boot."
"The 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander’s greatest attribute is that it gives off a great first impression and delivers the goods,"