Adventure Sells
Crossovers and SUVs with off-road packages have become one of the hottest segments in the industry, so it is easy to see why more automakers want in. Mitsubishi hopped on the trend last year with the Outlander Trail Edition, but since it was limited mostly to styling changes, it has not received the same attention as rivals like the Toyota RAV4 Woodland and Hyundai Santa Fe XRT.
But according to Australia’s CarSales, Mitsubishi may be considering a more serious contender with the Raider package. The name may be familiar to American buyers, as Mitsubishi previously sold a Raider pickup in the U.S. Currently, though, the Raider treatment is used on the Triton, a midsize pickup not sold in America, and adds off-road upgrades such as reinforced suspension and a higher ride height. That could make an Outlander Raider more appealing to off-road enthusiasts than the Trail Edition.
The question is whether Mitsubishi would actually develop one, especially since hardware upgrades would cost money and could be risky if demand is not sufficient.
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The Next Raider?
Mitsubishi product strategy GM Bruce Hampel suggested the Raider name could expand beyond the Triton. “Based on that success, that Raider nameplate could be utilized on other vehicle lines,” Hampel said.
There is an important distinction here, since the Triton and Outlander do not share a platform, and the latter is still a crossover, so applying the same Raider treatment likely would not be as simple as a direct carryover. That does not rule it out, though, especially since rivals with off-road packages, such as the Subaru Outback Wilderness, also do without a body-on-frame platform.
Hampel also noted that if Raider is not offered as a dedicated Outlander trim, Mitsubishi could instead use the name for a range of factory-backed upgrade options, a move that would likely be more cost-effective.
A Matter Of Priorities
It is worth noting, however, that the battle between the Outlander and Toyota RAV4 is closer in Australia, so allocating some resources to make it even more competitive could make sense. In the U.S., the situation is very different, with the RAV4 selling nearly 480,000 units last year, or about 11 times more than the Outlander, including the PHEV version. Still, it is interesting to think that a more dedicated off-road model could be in the pipeline.
What is certain is that Mitsubishi will introduce a new EV in North America, based on the Nissan Leaf. Another Nissan-collaborated project is in the works, this time a pickup truck.
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Rex Sanchez
News Editor