Tag Archives: Mitsubishi

NEW CARS

Mitsubishi Plots a Two-Model Comeback for Summer: Outlander PHEV and L200 Lead the Charge

After three years in the wilderness, Mitsubishi is officially staging its return to the UK next summer — and it’s bringing back two familiar nameplates that once anchored its lineup: the Outlander plug-in hybrid and the L200 pick-up. If the brand hopes to regain relevance in a rapidly shifting market, these two will need to carry more weight than ever.

Outlander PHEV: Bigger, Brawnier, and Now with Seven Seats

The second-generation Outlander PHEV comes back as a supersized sequel. Mitsubishi has stretched the SUV in every direction, allowing it to offer three rows of seating for the first time — a major selling point in a class where practicality often trumps performance.

Specs are still under wraps for UK models, but the powertrain carries over the familiar formula: a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with two electric motors, one on each axle. In US-spec versions, that setup delivers 248 bhp, all-wheel drive, and 38 miles of electric-only range. Mitsubishi hasn’t given us a 0–62 mph figure, but based on global data, expect something around 7.0 seconds — quick enough for the school run, if not entirely thrilling.

2023 Outlander PHEV
2023 Outlander PHEV

But the Outlander won’t have a simple homecoming. The UK PHEV landscape has been flooded by aggressively priced Chinese contenders. BYD’s Seal U starts at £33,315 with 43 miles of electric range, while its extended-range version hits 78 miles for just £2000 more. Jaecoo’s 7 SHS, another budget-friendly upstart, offers 56 miles of EV driving for £35,165. Mitsubishi will need sharp pricing — and likely a strong warranty pitch — to claw back ground in a segment that moved on without it.

L200: The Workhorse Returns with More Bite

If the Outlander is Mitsubishi’s diplomatic envoy, the new Mk6 L200 is its enforcer. The brand’s once-popular pick-up returns with more muscle and a clear target painted on the segment leaders: the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and Isuzu D-Max.

Under the bonnet sits a 2.4-litre twin-turbo diesel producing 201 bhp and 347 lb-ft of torque in other markets — healthy figures, and historically right in the L200’s wheelhouse. Power is routed through a six-speed automatic and a heavy-duty 4WD system that includes a centre differential lock for true full-time four-wheel drive, plus a low-range rear diff lock for the messy stuff.

Pricing is still a mystery, but the competition sets the stage: the Ford Ranger double-cab opens at £30,800 before VAT, while the Hilux — in classic Toyota fashion — starts at a far steeper £49,750. Mitsubishi will presumably aim closer to Ford than Toyota if it wants to regain its long-time reputation as the value pick in the segment.

What Else Is Coming? And Will It Be Enough?

Two models won’t be enough to satisfy regulators. Thanks to the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, a full one-third of every brand’s sales next year must be electric. That’s a problem for Mitsubishi, whose global EV portfolio is essentially nonexistent at the moment.

European boss Frank Krol hinted back in 2022 that the returning lineup would need “more than one” electric model, suggesting that the Eclipse Cross — basically a rebadged Renault Scenic — may join the party. Beyond that, Mitsubishi has a gap where its EV strategy should be.

But for now, the brand is betting big on nostalgia: the UK loved the Outlander PHEV and adored the L200. The question is whether that goodwill survived the hiatus — and whether the new versions pack enough tech, value, and capability to steal attention in a tougher, more electric, more competitive market than the one Mitsubishi left behind.

Source: Mitsubishi

News

Mitsubishi Plots a Comeback in the UK—And It’s Aimed Straight at the Heart of the Family EV Market

Mitsubishi is officially staging a return to the UK, four years after quietly exiting a market where it once enjoyed a loyal—and vocal—fan base. The Japanese brand has confirmed that sales will resume in summer 2026, with International Motors handling imports. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because the group already oversees UK operations for GWM, Isuzu, Subaru, and Xpeng, meaning Mitsubishi will slot into a portfolio that already spans everything from plug-in crossovers to rugged pickups.

What Mitsubishi hasn’t confirmed, however, is which models will make the trans-Channel crossing. But the shortlist isn’t hard to guess.

The Eclipse Cross is the most likely headliner. Now effectively a rebadged—but distinctly restyled—Renault Scenic EV, it taps directly into the UK’s booming electric crossover segment. Sharing underpinnings with Renault might raise eyebrows among brand purists, but the formula worked well enough for Nissan and Renault over the years. And if Mitsubishi can add its historically competent AWD tuning to the mix, the result could be a surprisingly compelling family EV with real dealer-lot appeal.

Also expected: the new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid. Its predecessor was a powerhouse in the UK PHEV charts—at one point practically defining the segment. The latest generation promises sharper styling, more electric range, and updated four-wheel-drive tech. If Mitsubishi wants to regain market share fast, bringing back its former bestseller seems like the lowest-hanging fruit imaginable.

Mitsubishi Europe CEO Frank Krol struck an optimistic tone, saying the brand’s new wave of models “represent the very best of Mitsubishi Motors’ core technologies in performance, four-wheel drive and much more.” Krol added that the company sees the UK as a “market where our brand continues to have a deep emotional connection with loyal customers.”

That sentiment is echoed by Sharon Townsend, head of Mitsubishi UK, who said the brand has continued to see “enthusiasm” from former owners even after its departure in 2020—enthusiasm strong enough to pull Mitsubishi back into the game.

Of course, sales need a place to happen, and Mitsubishi plans to bolster its footprint with new dealerships. These will complement the roughly 100 existing Mitsubishi aftersales garages still operating across the country—one of the reasons the brand’s absence never felt quite absolute.

Mitsubishi isn’t just returning to the UK; it’s preparing a strategically timed reboot aimed squarely at two of the market’s hottest segments. Whether the badge still carries the weight it once did remains to be seen—but with an EV crossover and a PHEV icon likely leading the charge, the brand’s 2026 comeback could be more than a nostalgia play. It might just be Mitsubishi’s second wind.

Source: Mitsubishi

CONCEPT CARS

2025 Mitsubishi Delica D:5 Prototype: The Cult Minivan That Just Won’t Quit

Mitsubishi may have packed its bags and quietly slipped out of the UK back in 2021, but that doesn’t mean the brand’s story ended there. Over in Japan, the company has been busy nurturing one of its most enduring oddballs — the Delica D:5, the go-anywhere, do-anything minivan that’s equal parts family shuttle and mountain goat.

At this year’s Tokyo Mobility Show, Mitsubishi rolled out what it calls a prototype of the latest D:5. Don’t expect an all-new generation just yet — this is more of a deep facelift than a clean-sheet design. But considering the current D:5 has been around since 2007 (with a nip and tuck in 2019), the fact it’s still evolving at all is something of a minor miracle.

And yet, somehow, it works. The new D:5 has been “enhanced” with improved steering stability and road handling, while Mitsubishi’s design team has leaned into the van’s rugged cult appeal. The updated styling swaps out the old chrome-heavy mug for a bolder, upright front grille that looks ready to headbutt a trailhead. The rear end gets a cleaner treatment with simplified lighting and a stretched “Delica” badge across the tailgate. Chunkier wheel arches and fresh 18-inch alloys round out the makeover, giving it that slightly unhinged “dad just bought a roof tent” energy we can’t help but admire.

Mitsubishi says it aimed for an “impression of a higher center of gravity” — which sounds like PR-speak for we lifted it because it looks cool. And honestly, it does. Few vehicles wear their off-road cosplay as earnestly as the Delica.

Inside, things have been brought up to date with a new digital instrument cluster, richer leather/suede upholstery, and khaki contrast stitching that’s both tasteful and outdoorsy. The water-resistant seats return (because, of course, this van assumes you’re always damp from some heroic adventure), and there are even USB-C ports sprinkled around for modern gadgetry.

Details on powertrains remain under wraps, but given Mitsubishi’s recent focus on electrification, a hybrid or plug-in hybrid variant would surprise no one.

So while British buyers might never again see a new Mitsubishi badge on local dealer lots, Japan’s latest Delica D:5 proves that the brand’s spirit of functional eccentricity is alive and well — and probably halfway up a volcano somewhere.

Source: Mitsubishi