Mitsubishi Outlander Sets Sales Record for 2024

Mitsubishi is seeing a strong comeback, with 2024 shaping up to be its best year since 2019. The company hit a record sales number, moving 109,843 units, which is a 25.8% increase over the previous year, as per AutoBlog. The Outlander has been a major driver of this success, contributing nearly half of the total sales.

The Outlander is Mitsubishi’s most popular model, with 45,253 units sold, including 6,975 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions. The PHEV’s impressive sales reflect the growing interest in electric options. The upcoming 2025 Outlander is expected to feature styling tweaks and an updated interior with Yamaha sound, though changes under the hood are still unclear.

The 2024 Outlander continues to offer a 2.5-liter engine for the regular model and a 2.4-liter engine paired with a 20-kWh battery for the PHEV, which delivers 248 horsepower and 38 miles of electric-only range.

But it’s not just the Outlander that’s been performing well. Other models in the lineup also saw sales increases. The Outlander Sport sold 15,125 units, while the Eclipse Cross moved 12,724 units—a big jump from previous years, especially considering they haven’t had significant updates.

However, the biggest sales surprise of 2024 was the Mirage, which saw its sales double. The 13,219 units sold in 2023 grew to 29,766 units in 2024, a 100% increase. This is despite the fact that the Mirage’s biggest selling point is its affordable price.

The Mirage’s popularity might be linked to the growing demand for cheap cars in the U.S. market. More and more buyers are leaning towards affordable options, with subcompact and compact vehicles making up a large portion of overall sales.

This shift comes after the pandemic when many people began prioritizing lower-priced cars again. Mitsubishi had already announced plans to stop selling the Mirage in the U.S. and production has now ended. If the decision had been delayed, we might have seen a new generation of this budget-friendly vehicle.

The rise in sales for the Mirage and other affordable cars suggests that cheap cars are back in demand, a trend that could change the direction for many carmakers.

As EV sales slow down and hybrids gain popularity, we might see more automakers reconsider their commitment to fully electric vehicles. This shift could impact Mitsubishi, especially if the company revisits its decision on small, affordable cars.

With discussions of a potential Honda-Nissan merger gaining momentum, Mitsubishi could benefit from stronger relationships within the alliance. As the company shows confidence in its future, its growing sales might signal a positive outlook for the brand in the years to come.

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