The last glimmer of hope for Mitsubishi’s UK return has faded, but we’d still like it back

Back in Autumn 2021 we saw what looked like the end of Mitsubishi here in the UK - as a car-maker at least because who could forget the Mitsubishi Jet Towel hand dryer? Then a ‘strategic partnership’ announced last week between Mitsubishi, Nissan and Honda over the three working together on “electrification technologies and software development” fanned the flames of speculation. Could Mitsubishi make a sensational return to the UK new car market? 

Speaking on the Nissan, Honda partnership, Mitsubishi’s CEO Takao Kato said, “collaboration with partners is essential in today's automotive industry”. It was certainly perceived as good news in the stock market as shares in Mitsubishi Motors climbed 6.3 per cent while Nissan's rose 2.8 per cent and Honda gained 2.6 per cent in the announcement’s immediate aftermath. This move in addition to its continued alliance with Renault, should put Nissan in a much better position to tackle Toyota - the global giant that recently-acquired stakes in Subaru, Suzuki and Mazda to form a separate coalition of Japanese car makers.

Despite the added security of its new agreement with Honda, Mitsubishi confirmed to Auto Express that no plans are in place for it to come back to the UK. For some of us that can remember the heady days of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions going toe-to-toe with their Subaru Impreza counterparts, the macho lines of the Starion and hugely popular L200 pick-up truck, that news is depressing. But it wasn’t overly surprising. 

So where did Mitsubishi go wrong? Well, it certainly dug itself into a hole in its final decade here. Below par products like the Eclipse Cross, Colt and ASX crossover sullied the brand’s reputation. This was compounded by a tough exchange rate for Sterling against the Yen and the growth in competition at the budget end of the market from Korean and more recently, Chinese brands. 

There were competitive Mitsubishi offerings, too. The Outlander was one of the first affordable plug-in hybrid SUVs and was truly ahead of the game when it was first introduced in 2013. Another Mitsubishi cash cow, the L200 was once a leader in the segment but went the same way as other Mitsubishi models, slipping behind rivals as updates failed to be fast or far-reaching enough to keep pace. 

Mitsubishi still has some cache with UK car buyers though and if there’s one thing the automotive industry is prioritising above all else at the minute it’s making the most of brands customers know and trust. Let’s hope Mitsubishi proves to be merely lying dormant until we forget its more recent shoddy efforts and the clamour for modern interpretations of those iconic past models begins to grow. 

Do you think Mitsubishi will ever come back to the UK market? Let us know in the comments below...