Mitsubishi Plans to Return to the UK Market with New Models
Mitsubishi is eyeing a comeback in the UK as part of its broader strategy to rebuild its business in Europe, according to the brand’s European boss, Frank Krol. The Japanese automaker exited the UK market in 2020 due to the Covid-induced sales decline that prompted a reevaluation of its global operations, including Europe.
Despite the setback, Mitsubishi has successfully re-entered most of its former European markets with the help of new models sourced from Alliance partner Renault. Now, the company is looking to include the UK in its revival plan. Krol stated, “If you look at the potential and size of the market, it’s our preferred route to go back, basically. But we need to have the right product line-up for that.”
In the past year, Mitsubishi introduced rebadged versions of the Renault Clio and Renault Captur in Europe, named Colt and ASX respectively. Additionally, the brand launched the self-developed Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV earlier this year, replacing the model that was a top seller in the UK PHEV segment.
Looking ahead, Mitsubishi is set to expand its range with the Grandis compact SUV, a variant of the Renault Symbioz, as well as a new electric SUV built on the CMF-EV platform shared with Renault and Nissan. The company is also winding down sales of the current Eclipse Cross and budget Space Star models in the UK due to non-compliance with EU safety regulations.
For its UK market comeback, Mitsubishi is considering introducing the Scenic sibling and a new Outlander PHEV, which align better with the brand’s values compared to the existing Colt and ASX models. While Krol did not provide a specific timeline for the new Outlander, the current model was launched globally in 2021, hinting at a potential refresh around 2027.
Despite the hiatus, Mitsubishi remains a well-known brand in the UK, presenting an opportunity for a swift return. Krol emphasized the importance of maintaining a sales presence in the market, stating, “It is not preferred to have an extremely long period without any sales presence. That’s something we would need to consider.”
