Mitsubishi Plans 2016 Refresh, New Midsize Sedan
The Lancer EVO is scheduled to go by the wayside by the end of 2015
Mitsubishi is looking for ways to increase its stake in the American auto market, and if a report from Automotive News holds water, then it appears that a brand-wide refresh for the 2016 model year is a part of that plan. Other moves likely intended to entice new buyers include the arrival of the Mirage sedan and a new compact car to bump out the lame duck Lancer.
According to Auto News (subscription required), there isn’t much in the way of new on the horizon for Mitsubishi in the next three years. The most prevalent new model is, of course, the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid. As far as Mitsu’s PHEV goes, it is still being projected for a late-2015 U.S. arrival while the automaker attempts to catch up to soaring demand in Europe and Japan while it honors California’s request for a battery-life monitor.
Apart from the Outlander PHEV, a sedan version of the Mirage is expected around the first half of 2016 and will be sold as a 2017 model. According to sources, Mitsubishi is exploring the possibility of equipping it with a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine option.
Also being discussed is a midsize sedan supplied by Renault to take the place of the Galant. Renault might also wind up providing Mitsubishi with the inevitable successor to the Lancer.
As for the Lancer EVO, it’s still lined up to be discontinued by the end of 2015. Before the plug is pulled, expect a “Special Action Model,” which is anticipated to offer enhanced power and performance in a limited production run.
Apart from that, the rest of Mitsubishi’s lineup is expected to undergo a number of aesthetic changes for the 2016 model year, including everything from new grilles and fascias to new sheet metal.
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