Mitsubishi doesn’t pack a lot of cars into its line the way Ford, Hyundai or Toyota does. But, amidst that smaller selection, the automaker’s Outlander stands out as one its most popular offerings.
At this year’s LA Auto Show, the concept vehicle Mitsubishi was showing off looks to be a future version of that Outlander. The XR-PHEV needs a much more user friendly name, but clunky serial numbers aside, it’s a futuristic, aggressive crossover design that doesn’t look too far away from a road-ready model. Obviously, automakers never build exact versions of the concept cars they bring to auto shows. The fancier floor models shed some of the flashiness and flourishes before settling into official versions of the cars they represent (in this case, presumably, the Outlander).
Related; LA Auto Show 2014: 2016 Fiat 500X
A smaller, sportier version of the current Outlander externally, this concept would power itself with a teensy, turbocharged 1.1-liter, three cylinder engine putting out 134 horsepower. That’s the brave new, fuel efficient world of lighter cars and boosted engines. If a version of the XR-PHEV comes to market, that kind of power will make sure it’s purely an urban transport crossover SUV, leaving the rugged outdoors to other players in the class.
