Change is coming for Mitsubishi’s core sports utilities.

CONFIRMATION that an all-new Outlander will be out in 2021 and that the smaller Eclipse Cross will under significant change in the last part of this year has come from Mitsubishi.

However the brand still has no news about another generation of its smallest crossover, the ASX, which has been in production since 2010 and has just undergone four facelifts in a bid to keep it fresh.

The news was not imparted by the national distributor but its equivalent in Australia.

Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand head of marketing and corporate affairs, Reece Congdon, has been approached for comment.

According to Mitsubishi Australia, the Eclipse Cross will achieve major front and rear design enhancements, “taking cues from Mitsubishi’s next-generation design language”. It will also have a revised interior including a new infotainment system.

As for Outlander? The design is still under wraps, but the brand has confirmed the next car will be larger than the current offer, though not significantly so. It is also confirmed that it will be the first Mitsubishi to fully benefit from the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance in that it will place on the same platform as the next generation Nissan X-Trail.

Conceivably, then, new drivetrain options will also feature. Mitsubishi is expected to contribute a revised petrol electric powertrain for the plug-in hybrid that is now a mainstay in New Zealand, but the car will also like achieve a 2.0-litre variable compression petrol turbo engine developed by Nissan.

Timing for the model looks set to be around mid-2021 or soon after, following the timeline set out for the model launch in North America.

According to Mitsubishi Australia chief executive Shaun Westcott: “The all-new next generation Outlander will be bigger, bolder and better than ever before, and will be the quietest and best-equipped Mitsubishi ever sold.

“Completely redesigned and reimagined in every way, the new Outlander will incorporate the latest Mitsubishi design language, with a bold, aggressive, and distinctive appearance. Loaded with technology and significant interior refinements, this game-changing vehicle will surprise many.”