December 2018: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

[William Maley]

Mitsubishi Motors Reports Best Annual Sales Since 2007, Best December Since 2006

January 03, 2019; CYPRESS, Calif. – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) closed the 2018 calendar year with its best sales since 2007. With 118,074 vehicles sold, total 2018 sales represented an increase of 13.9 percent over calendar year 2017. This marks the sixth consecutive year-over-year sales increase for the brand, and the second-straight year of sales over 100,000 units.  The company surpassed the 100,000 sales milestone in early November, the soonest in 11 years.

For the month of December, MMNA recorded sales of 8,986, up 5.7 percent over December 2017.  This represented the best December in 12 years.

"Looking back, 2018 was a banner year for Mitsubishi Motors in the U.S.," said Fred Diaz, president and CEO, MMNA. "We have a strong line-up that is resonating with buyers. Looking forward, we're optimistic about the year ahead of us and continuing our sales momentum."

News and notes:

• Echoing customers' industry-wide preference for crossover utility vehicles (CUVs), MMNA's broad CUV lineup lead the way for the brand in 2018.
• Outlander Sport finished the year up 18.1 percent over 2017, leading the company's sales, and recorded its best sales year ever.
• The three-row Outlander also posted its best sales year ever with total sales up 6.6 percent over 2017.  New to the lineup in 2018, the Eclipse Cross and Outlander plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) both posted their best sales month ever in December.
• Eclipse Cross December sales were 1,597, while the Outlander PHEV posted sales of 431.
• Combined, MMNA's CUVs posted total calendar year sales of 90,456, up 31.9 percent over 2017.
• While Mitsubishi's SUV and CUV lineup lead the brand's sales increases, the fuel-efficient and affordable Mirage and Mirage G4 bucked the industry trend away from passenger cars.  For the calendar year, Mirage sales were up 8.6 percent.
• Together, Mirage and Mirage G4 posted December sales of 1,748, up 70.9 percent over 2017.
• The Mirage is the most fuel efficient, gas-powered, non-hybrid vehicle in America, offering an outstanding 36/43 mpg city/highway rating. 

 

		DEC	YTD
	2018	2017	2018	2017
Mirage	1748	1023	24316	22386
Lancer	0	683	3302	12725
Outlander Sport	2563	3678	39153	33160
Outlander	2647	3018	37652	35310
Outlander PHEV	431	99	4166	99
Eclipse Cross	1597	0	9485	0
Total	8986	8501	118074	103686

[Drew Dowdell]

Mitsubishi just might pull it out of the hat if they can get a couple more products out there.