This is what I think Mitsubishi needs to do to survive

"No, I don't thank you for the fish at all" (notindetroit) 01/05/2016 at 12:29 • Filed to: mitsubishi, outlander, lancer, evo

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Some say Mitsubishi is doing pretty well right now. It’s got a great subcompact car that provides an alternative to people who don’t like the idea of a used Hyundai or where a very small car is practical. It’s got a three-row SUV that’s a better value than an Acura RDX, provided people know it exists. It’s got...uhhhhhh....

Granted Mitsubishi is in a better place than Suzuki was in its death throes. Suzuki more or less bet the farm on its Kizashi midsizer, assuming Americans would buy into ads that said, yes, this is a budget Audi - while ignoring their own SX4, the most affordable AWD vehicle in the US market at the time. If Suzuki managed to wrap a decent subcompact crossover around the SX4’s running gear, maybe they could’ve been around for a few more years.

Mitsubishi isn’t prepared to make the same mistake, offering the Outlander Sport, the regular Outlander, and the tiny Mirage for people who think tall lifted wagons are disgusting. I still think there’s more to do, especially with the Evo leaving us.

One Vehicle to Replace the Lancer and Outlander Sport

The Lancer was a decent compact car that had aggressive looks (and looked better than some of its competition), legitimate street cred and great economy. Despite a dated design it was able to hold its own until meeting its scheduled demise (or not, but the car will continue to age regardless). The Outlander Sport is another decent sub/compact SUV sharing the Lancer’s aggressive if not somewhat dated looks - and a bit more than that, too; riding on the same !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! as the Lancer (and even the larger Outlander) it’s in some ways the better-looking Lancer hatchback we never got. Mitsubishi is hoping a revised MY 2016/17 Outlander Sport will help carry the brand.

Still, it’s a bet that relies on a warmed-over redo of a car that’s been around for what amounts to an eon. Mitsubishi just did a more extensive revamp of the adult-sized Outlander that helps it break out of its staid anonymity, and the brand really needs something more than just another update of its smaller brother. Perhaps they should take the opportunity to address two needs at once by using a page from Subaru’s book - have one vehicle that can be two. An attractive, fun-to-drive four-door hatchback that can take on the mantle of the old Lancer in FWD and “performance” AWD-versions, and with a simple Outback-like lift kit can become the new Outlander Sport. The new car would probably have to be a bit larger than the current Outlander Sport in order to allow it to compete at once with the Civic (which has grown significantly) and larger, two-row compact SUVs like the CR-V and Escape.

A Miarge-based CUV with actual features

Meanwhile, the Outlander Sport’s old subcompact CUV slot can be taken up by a new CUV riding on the Mirage’s mechanicals. As it stands the Mirage sells because it represents a very cheap means to obtain four-wheeled transportation - but a CUV based on the same architecture needs more in a very crowded market and a consumer base that doesn’t mind putting up extra dollars. Mitsubishi should take the opportunity to provide a vehicle with a very small footprint and very high mileage for its class in order to appeal to urban drivers - but also offers a decent list of standard features. That expected phrase that people now expect from even basic CUVs for example - “power everything.” An interior that feels as nice as a typical Millennial’s apartment, so that Millennial buyers can explain to their friends “this thing is as nice as my first apartment.” Even if leather isn’t offered as an option, at least the cloth should feel pretty nice (even many alledgedly higher-end car brands seem to mess this up a lot lately). The bigger Outlander is actually pretty nifty-looking on the inside, so we know they can do it.

Better Advertising

Yeah, I don’t know who this guy is. But that’s not the point. The point is that the advertising campaign for the Outback actually kind of works. At the very least it’s better than the advertising campaigns for the rest of the lineup, which is basically nothing. Right now, the best advertising Mitsubishi has in its pocket right now is from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 00:31

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*waits for a real eclipse and evo successor*

TheHondaBro > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 00:44

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Mitsubishi is pretty much hanging on to the edge of a cliff right now. What they need more than ever are volume sellers. They need to give their existing models- the Mirage, Lancer, and Outlander- a real presence in the market, which can be achieved by making them better. The Mirage is set up perfectly for that, since the people who shop in that segment really just want a cheap car more than anything.

Once that’s all said and done, they need to introduce a new midsize sedan to compete with the Accord and Camry and friends. NOT the Galant. That ship has sailed. They need to start anew, especially if they want to refresh their brand image.

Once the cash cows have done their dirty work, the Ralliarts and Evos can come out to play.

TheHondaBro > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 01/05/2016 at 00:44

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They need money first.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > TheHondaBro 01/05/2016 at 00:55

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*stuffs $3 and a gift card into Mitsu’s pocket*

HammerheadFistpunch > TheHondaBro 01/05/2016 at 12:35

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yeah, the mirage is actually doing wonders for Mitsubishi. too bad its such a low margin vehicle otherwise their troubles would be over.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 12:37

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Spec Mirage? No mention of Spec Mirage?

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 12:46

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The Mitsu dealer in the city I live has pretty much converted itself to a used car lot, maybe 20-30 new Mitsu’s on the lot at any time which really makes you wonder what the dealers are thinking. Not only are they not dealing so much in the brand on the sign they have the worst radio commercial I have heard in a long time.

If it doesn’t say Lethbridge Mitsubhishi on the back, You. Paid. To. Much.

Like... the arrogance of that statement.

jariten1781 > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 12:50

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Mitsubishi is a giant ass conglomerate...I have no clue why Mitsubishi Motors still exists as a separate entity. I don’t see them phoenixing and becoming a full line automobile manufacturer again.

What could save them would be folding back into Mitsubishi Fuso-Bus and marketing cheap tradesman small vehicles to their existing large vehicle customers as well as having a private sales line of the same (which could use their existing retail channels) for contractors and homeowners. Think sub 20k city vans and trucks. They could make their margin on their large transport vehicles and use low margin volume to undercut things like the Transit Connect.

mazda616 > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 12:57

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Mazda, another small Japanese automaker, has its U.S. sales surviving because of a relatively popular CUV (CX-5) and an extremely popular small car (Mazda3). I agree with you and suggest Mitsubishi update the Outlander(s) and the Lancer ASAP.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 13:17

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It seems like just a few years ago(2011 to be exact) Mitsubishi made a bunch of truly good cars that people actually wanted to buy.

Now mitsubishi makes nothing but 4 vehicles(not counting the I-miev) and they are the worst in class as they are so far removed from what people actually want.

When your volume mover is a Lancer that came out in 2007!!! In 2007 the Lancer was an awesome car today not so much. The Lancer needs a serious all new remake and pronto. Also how can a car company be profitable when you don’t sell a midsized sedan? The mid sized sedan is only the most important car segment in North America.

I am truly a fan of Mitsubishi and I would honestly love it if they made a proper comeback but at this point it’s dying a very slow and painful death.

5 years ago I would’ve bought a Mitsubishi with no reservations but today why would you? I mean you can buy the nicest vehicle they make but when they inevitably shut down you’ll be stuck with the paperweight no one wants.

With so many great choices from companies you know will survive I would find it VERY hard to put my money on a Mitsubishi.

Mercedes Streeter > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 13:18

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To be honest, they would be in better shape if they just stopped messing around with the i-MiEV. They were in no position to start that project, and it’s only made them worse off. They’re fighting for the scraps of the EV market.

What they need? Dump their entire line save for the Mirage. Build some new and exciting cars from the ground up. Cars that will sell hilariously fast. Then market the hell out of them. Be sure to keep popular nameplates, but also introduce brand new models. That’s what Mazda is doing, and they’re hitting home run after home run.

thebigbossyboss > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 01/05/2016 at 14:34

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I dont disagree with your point, but I’d argue pickup trucks are the most important segment in north america. That being said, Mitsu’s lineup is pretty terrible. The Lancer is totally outdated. Either giant ass mitsubishi congolomerate should give the brand the money it needs (don’t they have like eleventy trillion in the bank?) or they should exit da car making biz.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 15:21

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I know lots of times we say that the needs of an enthusiast don’t matter to a car companies success but this may be a situation where completely ignoring the enthusiasts hurts a company because then car magazines and websites don’t give much attention to any of the companies’ products. Having one good exciting car, tends to rub off on other models. Even non enthusiasts want to read C&D road tests, of which there are none for recent Mitsubishi cars.

Nymphicus Hollandicus > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/05/2016 at 23:33

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What do they need?

Marketing, and lots of it. That’s how Mazda is simply winning with lots of customers right now. If Mitsubishi steps up its game, they’ll sell more of their cars which for the most part are actually decent. Mitsubishi seems to be more of a low-cost brand so maybe they can advertise that their cars are good values.

Replacements: New Outlander Sport, new Lancer, and maybe a midsize sedan (can’t be called the Galant, that name is dead). Those with the updated Mirage and Outlander will help a lot. They should focus more on their crossovers because lets face it, they have huge profit margins and people for some reason like to sit high up, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t focus on their other cars though. Drop the i-MiEV or whatever it’s called, that car is a flop and make an EV based on the Mirage as well as bringing the plug-in Outlander here.

A good dealer network

After that, we can have the Eclipse and Lancer Evo back.