Mitsubishi i-MiEV goes on sale in Japan in July

One of the first electric vehicles produced by a major automaker will start rolling off the assembly line in July -- but it won’t be sold in the U.S. just yet.

Mitsubishi will start selling its electric vehicle, dubbed the i-MiEV, to Japanese corporations and the Japanese government in July. After that, it will sell the vehicle in the Japanese market by April 2010. The suggested retail price for the i-MiEV is $45,000.

The i-MiEV will have an electric range of 100 miles using lithium-ion batteries, and it will take seven to 14 hours to charge.

In April, Mitsubishi confirmed its intention to sell the i-MiEV in the U.S. sometime before 2012.

Subaru has also announced plans to build an EV for around the same price as the i-MiEV, and the American firm Coda Automotive launched an electric vehicle with a similar price and range earlier this week.

With an average price of $45,000, would you be willing to buy an electric vehicle that only has a 100-mile range?

Mitsubishi i-MiEV to Electrify Japan in July (Reuters)
Mitsubishi i MiEV Electric Car Coming to U.S. (KickingTires)

Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

Navigating the tricky — and occasionally downright inscrutable — world of vehicle trim levels can be a headache for any car buyer. Even the experts. But Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder finds that when it comes to the Ralliart version of the Mitsubishi Lancer, the automaker has a real winner. Wiesenfelder explains how the Ralliart splits the difference between the regular Lancer and the top-shelf Lancer Evolution so well.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Review

2009|Mitsubishi|Lancer

Mitsubishi i MiEV Electric Car Coming to U.S.

Mitsubishi confirmed yesterday its intention to sell a relatively inexpensive electric vehicle in the U.S. in the near future.

The small EV, named i MiEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) would be one of the first mass-produced EVs on the global scene, the automaker said. The i MiEV should start showing up in Japan and Europe over the next few years.

The vehicle is based on a small city car called the i that’s sold in Japan. The gas engine, transmission and fuel tank are replaced by a battery pack and electric motor.

The lithium-ion battery pack will give the vehicle an 80-mile range on a single charge. It will take 12-14 hours to charge the vehicle using a normal outlet. Mitsubishi says there’s also a fast charger available that allows an 80% charge in just 30 minutes.

According to Automobile Magazine, Mitsubishi has made some engineering changes in the i MiEV for U.S. tastes: The vehicle’s track has been widened for better ride comfort, and the front and rear overhangs have been increased for better crash protection.

While an exact date for the i MiEV’s release wasn’t announced, the automaker did unveil a new partnership with Oregon utility firm Portland General Electric, which will develop electric charging stations in preparation for the EV’s arrival.

According to Autoblog, company representatives said the car should arrive in the U.S. sometime "before 2012."

Mitsubishi's i MiEV May Come to America (Automobile Magazine)
Mitsubishi confirms i-MiEV will come to U.S. (Autoblog)

Mitsubishi Outlander Prototype GT at 2009 New York Auto Show

• Looks like: Somebody slapped a Lancer grille on the Outlander
• Defining characteristics: That huge Lancer-styled grille
• Ridiculous features: Mitsubishi calling this a prototype when it’s just mild changes to the regular version
• Chance of being mass-produced: It’s very likely this will be a refreshed Outlander next year

We’re a little peeved at Mitsubishi for making a big deal out of the Outlander GT Prototype. You see, this isn’t really a concept car. That’s why they used the word “prototype.” Yet they’re not saying it’ll go on sale for sure, either. They didn’t even add an interesting new power plant like we predicted they would.

Instead, the GT Prototype just gets a revised version of the V-6 featured in the current top trim level, boosting power by 10 hp, to 230 hp, while getting better fuel economy. We were hoping for the turbo four-cylinder featured in the company’s Lancer Ralliart instead.

The new grille looks surprisingly natural affixed to the Outlander SUV. When the company tried the same thing with the Eclipse sports car, it didn’t look quite so seamless. We’d expect to see this look on all the trims of the 2010 Outlander. More photos below.

Mitsubishi Outlander Prototype GT Bound For New York

Next week is the New York auto show, and it’s gearing up to be a busier event than we had imagined. The auto industry is certainly retracting, but this is the last chance of the car-show season to display new wares. That’s why Mitsubishi will show off a version of its Outlander SUV. There are no specifics, but the company says it’ll be more powerful and fuel efficient than the current Outlander’s available 3.0-liter V-6.

We’re going to go out on a limb and guess that besides getting the Lancer’s grille treatment, the SUV will also sport the Ralliart version of that sedan’s 237-horsepower, turbo four-cylinder engine. The 3.0 V-6 in the Outlander puts out 220 hp. Surprisingly, the mileage isn’t that different. The turbo in the Lancer gets 17/25 mpg city/hwy; the V-6 in the Outlander gets 17/23 mpg.

We’ll learn more next week in New York. A few more teaser images are below.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Video

There’s a big step up in terms of price and performance from the Mitsubishi Lancer to the Lancer Evolution. Enter the Lancer Ralliart, which fills the space between the two. Is the Ralliart a toned-down Evolution or a stepped-up Lancer? Are the differences substantive or simply cosmetic? Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder examines these questions in his video review.

2009|Mitsubishi|Lancer

Recall Alert: 39,711 Mitsubishi Lancers and Outlanders

Mitsubishi has issued a recall of 39,711 Lancers and Outlanders from the 2008-09 model years due to a faulty brake-booster check valve, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The brake-booster check valve was built with poor material composition, leaving it vulnerable to sticking when the engine is shut off, NHTSA said. This, in turn, may lead to loss of responsiveness in the brakes and increased stopping distance during slower vehicle maneuvers.

Dealers will replace the valve free of charge. Owners can contact Mitsubishi at 800-222-0037 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.

Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander

Cars.com’s Kelsey Mays was so conflicted about the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander that he had to stop writing his review midway through and, as he puts it, “reverse course.” The problem? According to Mays, it’s not what’s wrong with the Outlander, which is a strong utilitarian vehicle with plenty to recommend it. The problem is all the little things that other affordable crossovers do better. Read Mays’ full review for a thoughtful explanation.

2009 Mitsubishi Outlander Review

Discount-Club Challenge: Compact SUVs

Every few weeks, I get to shop at the local discount club and load up on 20-packs of paper towels, a few dozen chicken breasts and all those other essentials that cost less when you buy them in bulk. Chances are many of you also share in this routine, shopping regularly at Costco or Sam’s Club, but then have issues getting all your purchases — along with family members — into your car. Besides testing the fit of child-safety seats, this is one of those “you have to do it yourself” requirements in new-car shopping. Unfortunately, while dealers will usually let you install a seat into a prospective new car, they won’t let you run errands.

So we’ve done that for you in four compact SUVs: the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander, 2009 Ford Escape, 2009 Nissan Rogue and 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. We didn’t fold the second-row seats down, as any compact SUV would be able to handle the load doing that. We also wanted to show how capable these vehicles are as family cars. When you have to tow children with you to the store, you can’t fold down seats filled with booster, convertible or infant-safety seats buckled in. Even a family of four with teenagers still needs somewhere to sit.

Check out the video below and see how the four contenders managed.

Mitsubishi Raider Dead

According to the Detroit News, Mitsubishi has decided not to renew its manufacturing contract with Chrysler for the Raider pickup truck.

The Raider is a rebadged version of the midsize Dodge Dakota pickup. Both vehicles are long in the tooth and neither sells particularly well.

Last year, Mitsubishi could only muster 2,935 sales for the truck, which was down 64% from 2007’s already-paltry numbers, according to Autodata. In comparison, Toyota sold about that many Tacomas in the first two weeks of 2009, and 144,655 in 2008.

Chrysler and Mitsubishi have had a long relationship, going all the way back to 1970, when Japanese compacts were imported badged as Chryslers. Despite the Raider's death, the business relationship will continue with the joint production of four-cylinder engines in Michigan.

There's currently a $5,000 cash back incentive on 2008 model year Raiders running through March 2.

Mitsubishi-Chrysler deal to end for Raider pickup (Detroit News)