Mitsubishi Pulling out of UK and Europe

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They're a shell of the company they used to be. While other car manufacturers have moved on, these guys are still building 90's cars.

I expect that Renault try to pick up the segment.
Mitsubishi barely sell any “cars” in the U.K. it’s pretty much all SUV’s and pickups.

As a pickup they’re pretty much the pound for pound “go-to” one.
 
Well (some) people want berserk over the Micra-based Nissan Figaro... go figure (pun not intended).
Figaro cars for sale – Bookham Autos

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Mitsubishi barely sell any “cars” in the U.K. it’s pretty much all SUV’s and pickups.

As a pickup they’re pretty much the pound for pound “go-to” one.

Mitsubishi don't sell any pickup trucks here and this is Pickup country. Some of this is related to taxes but the main reason is that they can't compete with US and other Japanese trucks. Like I said, as far as development goes, they've been making the same vehicles since the mid 90's. In the US, they're marketed as a low budget car where buyers can get easy financing (basically for people with no money) and tend to look like sh*tboxes after 4-5 years.

Nissan has kind gone the same way. They made brilliant cars up until the early 2000's. Not so much anymore. As both have a relationship with Renault. I expect that their influence has a hand in this.
 
Mitsubishi don't sell any pickup trucks here and this is Pickup country. Some of this is related to taxes but the main reason is that they can't compete with US and other Japanese trucks. Like I said, as far as development goes, they've been making the same vehicles since the mid 90's. In the US, they're marketed as a low budget car where buyers can get easy financing (basically for people with no money) and tend to look like sh*tboxes after 4-5 years.

Nissan has kind gone the same way. They made brilliant cars up until the early 2000's. Not so much anymore. As both have a relationship with Renault. I expect that their influence has a hand in this.
The title of the thread is U.K. and Europe,

The behemoths that pass as pickups in the USA sell in single figures here.

Horses for courses.
 
The title of the thread is U.K. and Europe,

The behemoths that pass as pickups in the USA sell in single figures here.

Horses for courses.

Plenty of light trucks in the US, I don't think quality is a regional thing. Unless you lack options and don't know any better.
 
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Plenty is light trucks in the US, I don't think quality is a regional thing. Unless you lack options and don't know any better.
I can't make any sense of that? I assume English is not your first language & something has been lost in the translation?
 
Plenty of light trucks in the US, I don't think quality is a regional thing. Unless you lack options and don't know any better.

What would classify as a light truck in the US?
 
Plenty of light trucks in the US, I don't think quality is a regional thing. Unless you lack options and don't know any better.
I’m not too sure what you mean?

The L200 sells well in the U.K. because - amongst other reasons - it’s the best value of the pickups yet there’s very little difference between them and say the Navara for general quality and drive; in fact the L200 is owned by farmers up and down the country and if you see my earlier link their sales actually rose by nearly 10% last year.

I’d imagine “light trucks” like the L200 and the Navara et al sell in minute numbers because of how ginormous the average truck is expected to be over there.
 
I’m not too sure what you mean?

The L200 sells well in the U.K. because - amongst other reasons - it’s the best value of the pickups yet there’s very little difference between them and say the Navara for general quality and drive; in fact the L200 is owned by farmers up and down the country and if you see my earlier link their sales actually rose by nearly 10% last year.

I’d imagine “light trucks” like the L200 and the Navara et al sell in minute numbers because of how ginormous the average truck is expected to be over there.

Value is subjective. As I mentioned, Mitsubishi appear to be way behind in terms of R&D. They're building vehicles that would not look out of place 25 years ago. They are cheap and you can buy an Outlander Sport for under $20,000 with 0 down and 0% over 5 years with very little credit. People who tend to buy them tend to be either young people or people that don't have great credit and tend to live paycheck to paycheck. They know their market and that's the market segment that they've carved out in the US. It does not focus on quality but instead on value (to somebody).

I'm not sure what market segment they carved out in the UK or Europe (which could be attractive finance options to farmers) but it seems like whatever they tried, they've determined is not working for them. Manufacturing is manufacturing and not marketing. They're competing on price because they can't compete on quality or technology. Unfortunately, Nissan is the same way. They've not updated the Frontier in around 15 years. As I mentioned, I suspect that the reason is tied to the Renault connection which owns a significant stake in both Nissan and Mitsubishi.

The L200 isn’t what I’d class as small but this gives a great example of the differences: Dodge Ram 2010-2019 vs. Mitsubishi L200 2015-2019

The L200 is a compact truck. It looks big on UK roads. The Ram is a 1/2 ton pickup truck (or 3/4 and 1 ton). It's a much heavier truck with a much stronger chassis. Light Mitsubishi trucks were sold in the US as Dodge in the 80's and 90's. But again, that was when Mitsubishi was a different company.
 
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Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger. The Toyota pretty much owns it IMO.

The old man has a crewcab Hilux and that is bad enough to park etc. It's dwarfed by the Tacoma, that is simply too big to be practical on UK roads.

We have the Ranger and the Colorado/Canyon here (in Isuzu D-max form), but these are all regarded as being large pickups - anything bigger on the UK market would classify as an LGV and needs a separate licence category if you're my age.
 
As I mentioned, Mitsubishi appear to be way behind in terms of R&D. They're building vehicles that would not look out of place 25 years ago.

One of their most popular cars in the UK is the hybrid version of the Outlander SUV, which would have been science fiction 25 years ago! ;)
 
The old man has a crewcab Hilux and that is bad enough to park etc. It's dwarfed by the Tacoma, that is simply too big to be practical on UK roads.

We have the Ranger and the Colorado/Canyon here (in Isuzu D-max form), but these are all regarded as being large pickups - anything bigger on the UK market would classify as an LGV and needs a separate licence category if you're my age.

Tacoma is about the same size as a ranger/colorado. They all come in different cab / bed sizes so length can vary. I think that a crew cab with a 5ft bed is about the size of an E class, maybe a tad bigger. Certainly if you're used to driving a Ford Transit, a small pickup should be fine.

The Tacoma is a really stout little truck. The GF of the kid that does side work for me just got one. It's a 2005 with 300k miles and still runs like a swiss watch. Mitsubishi engines (the petrol ones) tend to like to burn oil after 100k miles.

I was a big fan of Mitsubishi in the 80's and 90's. My father had a Galant and it was a great little car. They're not the same.
 
A TIMELINE.
 
They're competing on price because they can't compete on quality or technology. Unfortunately, Nissan is the same way.
We seem to be speaking at cross purposes here so think it’s better to end it; the thread is about the U.K. and Europe not the USA.
 

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