New Mitsubishi Models 2027

Mitsubishi’s downfall in North America can’t be overlooked. It went from selling a record 345,111 vehicles in 2002 to just 94,754 last year. But the troubled Japanese automaker has a plan to bounce back.

Aided by its partnership with Nissan, Mitsubishi’s latest version of the Momentum 2030 plan calls for renewing existing products and expanding the lineup with new models. The first order of business is to increase its US portfolio from four to six vehicles by late 2027, giving dealers what they’ve been asking for: additional models.

Between now and the end of next year, Mitsubishi will expand its range to include the following nameplates: Outlander Sport, Eclipse Cross, Eclipse Sportback EV, Outlander, Outlander Plug-in Hybrid, and a rugged Outlander with a separate name to be announced in the coming months.

However, the more interesting models are coming after 2027, so let’s take a closer look at what Mitsubishi has planned for the rest of the decade.

2027 Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback EV

Although it tries to hide in the shadows, the Eclipse Sportback EV has already been revealed. It’s essentially Mitsubishi’s equivalent of the latest Nissan Leaf. It goes on sale this fall with a slightly different look, a standard 75.0-kilowatt-hour battery, and a NACS charging port. It’ll support 150-kW charging, taking the battery from 10 to 80 percent in around 35 minutes.

Updated Mitsubishi Outlander (?)

Mitsubishi Outlander teaser

Photo by: Mitsubishi

This generation of the Outlander is getting long in the tooth, but Mitsubishi may be working on a nip-and-tuck, judging by the updated daytime running lights. The teaser appears to show the same basic shape as the current model, suggesting it’s likely a facelift rather than a full redesign. Those quirky split headlights are still there, as is the crease running along the profile at door-handle level, giving us even more reason to believe it’ll be more of the same.

Off-Road Outlander (Or Something Else?)

Possible new Mitsubishi Outlander-based model

Photo by: Mitsubishi

This one has us puzzled. It appears to be roughly the same size as the Outlander, but the headlights and body lines are clearly different. It could be the off-road version Mitsubishi announced this week, since it wouldn’t make much sense to show the current and next-generation Outlander together. It also looks much bigger than the Outlander Sport and Eclipse Cross, making it an unlikely successor for either.

2027 Nissan Kicks-Based Mitsubishi

Possible new Mitsubishi small crossover based on the 2027 Nissan Kicks

Photo by: Mitsubishi

The collaboration with Nissan could yield another badge-engineered model. The vehicle on the far right of the top teaser image, which we’ve aggressively brightened and cropped, has a rear pillar suspiciously similar to the 2027 Kicks. It’s unclear whether it’ll replace the Eclipse Cross or Outlander Sport, but that would make the most sense.

Either way, it could become the smallest model in the company’s lineup, which is sadly devoid of any regular cars. The plan is to focus on “adventure-oriented and off-road-capable vehicles,” so the Mirage ain’t coming back. Mitsubishi President Keisuke Kishiura recently said he’d like the Lancer Evo to return, but there are sadly no such plans at the moment.

New Mitsubishi Pickup Truck

New Mitsubishi truck teaser based on a Nissan platform

Photo by: Mitsubishi

Its tie-up with Nissan is expanding beyond the Leaf-based Eclipse Sportback and that possible Kicks-based small crossover. Mitsubishi aims to re-enter the pickup truck segment in North America by taking the Nissan shortcut. With no further details released, all we can do is speculate that it’ll be based on the Frontier.

While Nissan is an alliance partner, the decision to potentially use Frontier underpinnings may still come as a surprise. After all, Mitsubishi has been selling the Triton since the late 1970s. Ironically, the latest Nissan Navara, which America also doesn’t get, is based on the sixth generation of Mitsubishi’s mid-size pickup truck.

Of course, the Triton isn’t built in the U.S., whereas the Frontier is. If Nissan builds Mitsubishi’s truck at its Mississippi plant, it would likewise avoid both tariffs and the Chicken Tax. When the wraps do come off, we’re wondering whether the truck will dust off the “Raider” nameplate.

New Body-On-Frame SUV (?)

Photo by: Mitsubishi

With the Montero’s return up in the air, the vehicle in the top-right corner is something else, possibly based on a Nissan as well. Considering it sits next to the truck, it suggests a body-on-frame architecture, unless we’re reading too much into it.

If it does have a ladder frame, we may be looking at a Frontier-based SUV with a Mitsubishi badge. Whether it has ties to the Xterra’s revival is unknown, but we do like the sound of that. If not, a badge-engineered Pathfinder is another plausible scenario.

No Montero (Yet)

New Mitsubishi Pajero teaser

Photo by: Mitsubishi

Although the new Pajero breaks cover next week, Mitsubishi still isn’t committing to bringing the body-on-frame SUV to North America as the Montero. It’s a strange decision considering US dealers have already seen it behind closed doors during a private meeting earlier this year. They were told it could arrive by the end of the decade with three-row seating and serious off-road chops.

As to why it would take Mitsubishi so long to bring it over, given that the Pajero goes on sale soon, the issue may stem from tariffs. The company may want to wait for a hopefully less-taxed future in the US after a new administration takes office in 2028.

Will This Plan Work?

Mitsubishi Momentum 2030 lineup teaser (modified)

Photo by: Mitsubishi

The Momentum 2030 plan calls for more than just new products. Mitsubishi also wants to expand its dealer network in the U.S. and implement a “modernized retail sales model,” whatever that actually means. It does appear the company is finally putting some serious effort into repairing its battered image after spending far too many years on a slippery slope.

And frankly, it’s about time. Mitsubishi has been hanging on with a relatively small and aging lineup while rivals have been busy launching new models left and right. The good news is that the company now appears determined to turn things around rather than simply soldiering on with the bare minimum. And with Nissan lending a helping hand with its revival, maybe there’s still a light at the end of the tunnel.