Back at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, Mitsubishi showed a Lancer-based crossover SUV that was smaller than the production Outlander. It was called the cX. This is the production version of Mitsu's compact crossover.
It still doesn't have a real name but sources close to the project say it will go on sale in Japan soon. It's also a go for the European market later in 2010, and the production version will be at the Geneva Auto Show next spring. And the U.S.? We hear we're still a maybe.
The more extravagant show-car aspects of the original cX have been relaxed in favor of a more conventional package with strong Lancer overtones -- the corporate grille is impossible to miss. The size of this prototype appears to place the cX in the crosshairs of the Nissan Rogue.
The concept cX had a 1.8-liter turbodiesel four, rated at 134 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm, which we imagine the European production version will get. For Japan (and maybe the U.S.), though, either the global 2.0-liter or 2.4-liter gasoline inline-4 is more likely. The optional all-wheel-drive system should be similar to the Outlander's.
It still needs a proper name, though.
Another photo after the jump.
robs249 says:
11:05 AM, 10/ 1/09
umm didn't they just slap a Lancer face on the front of the 2010 Outlander?..and now this? This is going to be a pretty redundant lineup in Mitsubishi.
altimadude00 says:
11:14 AM, 10/ 1/09
^Not to mention the hatchback Lancer Rallyart.
eriches says:
11:19 AM, 10/ 1/09
@robs249: If you look closely, you can see it's too short to be an Outlander (no room any kind of 3rd row) and its stance is lower.
@ both: Keep in mind this vehicle targets the European and Japanese markets, where the Outlander is going to be too large for a lot of buyers. As for the Lancer Sportback (the hatch) overlap, it appears the cX would have more cargo capacity at the expense of some style. And overlapping with hatchbacks probably wouldn't be an issue in Europe where they are universally loved. Still, the issues you bring up would be in play in the U.S., and that's likely why it hasn't been greenlighted (that we know of) for North America. -- E. Riches
eriches says:
11:22 AM, 10/ 1/09
^edit: (no room *for* any kind of 3rd row)^
4g63 says:
10:41 PM, 10/ 1/09
"This is still a maybe". Mitsu's good cars never make it to the US. All (or most) we got from Mitsu in the US are crappy cars (Galant, Endeavor, Eclipse, Raider -- glad that its no more). Their best selling cars in the US are all from Japan (Lancer, Outlander). They should import more models to the US.
kuttinam says:
07:41 PM, 02/11/10
The reason mitsubishi cars are crappy in the US is because they are built by "chrysler" which builds nothing but piece of S*** , out side of US they are Japanese and they do make good cars.
kuttinam says:
07:48 PM, 02/11/10
The reason mitsubishi cars are crappy in the US is because they are built by "chrysler" which builds nothing but piece of S*** , out side of US they are Japanese and they do make good cars.If not for the mitsubishi engines and transmission Dodge and Chrysler would have been long dead , instead Mercedez bought them in the 90"s and instead of improving chryslers quality , tried to use chrylslers parts in their entry level Mercedez and lost their "Brand" status.