Geneva motor show 2012: Mitsubishi Outlander

The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander has been revealed at the Geneva motor show. The new third-generation Outlander line-up will eventually include a plug-in hybrid model with CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km, whose hybrid system could see use in replacements for both the Shogun and the Lancer Evolution X.

The new Outlander was most recently previewed at the Tokyo motor show as the PX-MiEV II concept car. The production car sports very little changes over the concept, featuring a slightly softened front end with circular fog lights, a revised front grille and a different lower front bumper.

The interior sports a similar design to the current car but Mitsubishi claims it benefits from improved sound insulation and higher-quality materials. The seven-seat interior features plenty of padded surfaces and a soft-touch finish, a new dashboard for “better driver concentration”, a new multi-function steering wheel and a clearer instrument panel.

New features include a new steering column that adjusts for reach and rake, ‘wide vision’ xenon headlamps, dual-zone air-con, a third row of seats that splits 50/50 (revised from the current model's jump seats), a flat cargo area, and a powered tailgate. Added safety kit includes a ‘Forward Collision Mitigation System', a lane departure warning system and active cruise control.

Power comes from revised versions of the current engines, both available with front or four-wheel drive. The 2.0-litre MIVEC petrol option produces 148bhp, with CO2 emissions below 150g/km, and is offered with a five-speed manual 'box or optional CVT. The similarly powerful 2.2-litre MIVEC clean diesel engine generates nearly twice as much torque, emits less than 130g/km of CO2, and introduces a new six-speed auto 'box alongside the existing six-speed manual.

During the course of this year the all-wheel drive plug-in drivetrain will be introduced too, and will be available in Europe from 2013 following the standard car’s late summer launch. The system uses two electric motors, one to power each axle, and a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

It can travel up to 30 miles on electric power alone, while the petrol engine can act as a generator or supplement drive at the front wheels. Its range should approach 500 miles and Mitsubishi president Osamu Masuko confirmed to Autocar today that the drivetrain is both strong enough for use in models like the Shogun, as well as offering sufficiently quick response to be used in a car like the Evolution XI, whose development will follow the introduction of the next Lancer.

The new Outlander will not be built in Europe, however, following Mitsubishi's decision to end production at its Dutch factory due to falling production volumes.