After a very tough 2020 for Mitsubishi sellers, hope is simply across the nook.

An early December teaser picture of the redesigned Outlander midsize crossover — together with a number of spy pictures displaying off its fashionable look — is producing huge expectations after a virtually decadelong wait.

Mitsubishi retailers have been seeking to the Outlander as one thing of a model savior for years. The present crop of merchandise isn’t just getting older on the skin, however falling behind on inside facilities and know-how as their value benefit fades in contrast with Asian rivals.

However this isn’t nearly seems.

The up to date Outlander flagship, anticipated within the first quarter of subsequent 12 months, is seen by some sellers as a no-excuse automobile that may each garner larger transaction costs than the present mannequin and function a blueprint for a Mitsubishi revival in North America — if the automaker will get behind it.

“That is going to be essentially the most dynamic change they’ve had in a decade, they usually’ll have the supplier physique fairly pumped up,” mentioned Ryan Gremore, president of O’Brien Auto Staff in central Illinois. Gremore, who sits on the Mitsubishi Nationwide Advisory Board, has seen the brand new Outlander in individual.

On the similar time, Gremore mentioned, Mitsubishi headquarters in Japan wants to advertise the Outlander by way of strong advertising and marketing earlier than model consciousness additional fades within the minds of American customers.

“Mitsubishi’s received to spend some cash advertising and marketing this automotive, take some dangers. Should you lose, you lose, however you have to take a shot at it,” Gremore instructed Automotive Information. He mentioned the supplier advisory board has arrange a advertising and marketing council to push for brand new methods to drive dealership site visitors.

The redesigned Outlander shares a platform with the freshly restyled Nissan Rogue as a part of the manufacturers’ international alliance with Renault. And the Rogue, already on sale as a 2021 mannequin, has been very nicely acquired.

Platform-sharing is a strategic transfer for Mitsubishi since it may well faucet into Nissan’s and Renault’s deeper pockets for the engineering of future merchandise.

Whereas all automakers have struggled with a gross sales downturn this 12 months, Mitsubishi has suffered greater than most. U.S. gross sales for the primary 9 months had been down 24 p.c, in contrast with an 18 p.c drop for the business as a complete. Mazda, one other small model, was down simply 2.3 p.c.

Regardless of its present droop, Mitsubishi has been a gradual gainer in recent times. Because the financial crash of 2009, the model has skilled just one different 12 months of unfavourable U.S. gross sales outcomes, a 27 p.c drop in 2012.

Now the corporate has plans to maneuver ahead.

Along with the Outlander, it’s closely freshening the Eclipse Cross compact crossover with new exterior styling and giving a light freshen to the Mirage subcompact hatchback and sedan. These merchandise can even arrive in showrooms within the first quarter as a part of an effort to rekindle gross sales development.

“Will Japan put the cash available in the market to present Mitsubishi a shot within the arm?” Gremore requested. “If Mitsubishi decides to point out up with some product, with some good advertising and marketing and begin driving some want and get again into this sport to a stage that is respectable, you will have sellers that can be throughout it. They’re going to react instantaneously.”

Gremore mentioned he’s sympathetic to the financial place the model is in as a small participant.

“It is robust. And it is easy to play armchair quarterback,” he mentioned. “They can not compete with Toyota or Honda within the advertising and marketing realm as a result of they do not have the funds. However we have to do a greater job telling our story.”

Mitsubishi hasn’t revealed particulars for the Outlander comparable to gear or pricing, nor has it proven the inside. However spy pictures of what’s believed to be the manufacturing automobile have circulated extensively on the Web.

Ayman Moussa, proprietor of three Mitsubishi shops within the San Francisco Bay Space, has been intently studying articles in regards to the coming Outlander, which can go on sale as a 2022 mannequin. He is additionally been scanning the feedback of on-line readers.

“Lots of people are saying it seems like a Hyundai Palisade or a Nissan Rogue and that the sharp edges are very nice,” mentioned Moussa, who sits on the Mitsubishi supplier council. “Individuals are saying that lastly, Mitsubishi did one thing good once more. This may appeal to a brand new sort of buyer for us.”

The design of the Outlander, primarily based on the Engelbert Tourer idea from 2019, is essential to competing with rising manufacturers comparable to Hyundai and Kia that made styling a precedence, mentioned Moussa. His dealership group, Carnamic, additionally sells these Korean manufacturers, together with Nissan and Infiniti.

“Most clients use feelings fairly than widespread sense, or they’d purchase extra Mitsubishis as a result of they’re so dependable,” mentioned Moussa. “However individuals go by how the automotive seems.”

Moussa can be desirous to get the freshened Eclipse Cross, which has struggled within the U.S. regardless of, with its 2018 launch, being Mitsubishi’s latest automobile. By the primary three quarters of 2020, the Eclipse Cross had 8,775 gross sales and was the model’s poorest-performing nameplate.

The most important downside has been its polarizing styling, with a crossbar that bisects the rear glass window. Auto writers have likened it to the ungainly Pontiac Aztek from the early 2000s. The Eclipse Cross additionally makes use of a touchpad for the infotainment show that many consumers discover inferior to a contact display screen.

The restyled crossover, which fits on sale as a 2022 mannequin, eliminates the rear crossbar and presents a restyled entrance and rear. It additionally now has a contact display screen show.

Moussa mentioned clients have commented that the freshened Eclipse Cross seems prefer it might be an Acura or Lexus product.

Mitsubishi Motors North America spokesman Jeremy Barnes mentioned the first-quarter product blitz will bolster sellers within the new 12 months.

“They’re going to have one of many latest and most up to date showroom lineups,” he mentioned. The Outlander plug-in hybrid, which is carrying over the present design for now, has a much bigger engine and battery for the 2021 mannequin 12 months.

The product updates bode nicely for the model popping out of the coronavirus disaster, Barnes mentioned. On the similar time, Mitsubishi is freshening its group, with a brand new U.S. headquarters in Franklin, Tenn., close to its deep-pocketed accomplice Nissan North America, and a brand new North American CEO, with Yoichi Yokozawa named in March.

Hopefully, he added, the Mitsubishi investments will cool yearslong hypothesis that the automaker may go away the U.S. completely.

None of those product investments, he mentioned, “are the form of factor an organization planning an exit does, and I might hope that maybe this permits everybody to lastly put the ‘Mitsubishi is leaving’ story apart,” Barnes mentioned in an electronic mail to Automotive Information.

Moussa mentioned he is assured that Mitsubishi has a long-term dedication to the U.S. and is supportive of the model’s present advertising and marketing marketing campaign.

“I feel they’re right here to remain, and with them launching the [next-gen] Outlander as a U.S. automobile, that is a giant indication that they’re staying.”

Gremore mentioned he plans to fill up on the redesigned Outlander and that it will likely be launching at time, in late March, throughout peak spring promoting season.

“It has been a protracted look ahead to this new Outlander,” he mentioned. “It is coming. We’re rounding third, and it is going to be right here within the subsequent quarter. And from there, we’ll see what occurs.”