The Lancer Evo Is 'Extremely Important To Mitsubishi,' But Not Important Enough To Build

By comparison, Toyota sells nearly four times that number with just one model, the RAV4. The situation hasn't improved in Q1 2026, with deliveries down about 18% over Q1 2025. Making matters worse, the automaker has lost 56 dealers in the US since 2019 – a 16% drop.

No Evo For You, Not Today Or Anytime Soon

The situation is slightly better internationally, where Mitsubishi has some fresh products in the pipeline. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation President and Chief Operating Officer Keisuke Kishiura now admits that the automaker is abandoning legacy nameplates, but not forgetting them. Unfortunately, he's indicating the models aren't coming back anytime soon. Speaking during the brand's recent shareholders' meeting, he had nostalgic if depressing words regarding any sort of revival.

"Models such as the Lancer Evolution, Diamante, and Galant are extremely important to Mitsubishi, and we consider them treasures. While we do not have any concrete plans to launch these models at this time, we aim to build a company capable of bringing these wonderful cars back to the market in the future so that we can meet your expectations. I will lead the way in this effort, and I would be grateful for the continued support of our shareholders." - Keisuke Kishiura

The Future Of Mitsubishi In The US

Currently, Mitsubishi's lineup in the US is fairly limited and includes the Outlanderand its PHEV variant, the Outlander Sport, and the Eclipse Cross. The Eclipse Sportback EV is also on the way.

However, the automaker used to have a full range of products available in the country. Looking at its 1993 lineup, the range included the 3000GT performance model, Eclipse sports coupe, Galant and Diamante sedans, Expo minivan, Mighty Max pickup, the Montero SUV, and the subcompact Mirage.

Recently, Mitsubishi showed US dealer representatives the revived Montero (known as the Pajero in some markets), an unnamed pickup truck, the next-gen Outlander and Outlander Sport, and a rugged variant of the current Outlander, which is coming in 2027. Unfortunately, the info says that the Montero/Pajero reportedly isn't coming to this country until 2030. It's a long wait for a product that the automaker desperately needs to broaden its limited US lineup. All offerings coming after 2027 would be available as hybrids.

The new Mitsubishis would take advantage of the automaker sharing development with Nissan. For example, the Montero/Pajero and upcoming pickup would reportedly have the same body-on-frame platform as the next-gen Xterra, Armada, and Frontier. The future Outlander and Outlander Sport would likely get the chassis from the next Nissan Rogue.