Mitsubishi Outlander (2012) first official pictures

Mitsubishi today showed off its new third-generation Outlander. It follows after a string of concept cars showing what direction Mitsu is pursuing for its 2012 Outlander.

The company says it's 11 years since it coined the phrase 'crossover' - that's some claim - and it'll show off the new Outlander at the 2012 Geneva motor show.

This is based on Mitsubishi's global platform, meaning what you see here will be sold in Europe, the United States and Asia. It's a similar size to the current Outlander and keeps that car's clever third row of foldaway seats, which means there's still space for seven onboard. Useful features on the newcomer include a powered tailgate

Not many technical details have been issued yet, but the company claims the CO2 emissions will fall below 130g/km on the cleanest Outlanders. That's not bad, but Nissan's upgraded Qashqai 1.6 dCi now develops 119g/km.

The new Outlander will bristle with the latest road safety gizmos, including a lane departure warning system, radar-based active cruise control and a 'forward collision mitigation system' which sounds like it'll apply the brakes for you to lessen the impact of a crash.

European buyers can pick between a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 2.2 diesel, in a mix of two- or four-wheel drive. A tall six-speed auto transmission will be offered and, on some versions, a stop-start function to trim consumption in town driving.

Mitsubishi also promises a driver assistance system to reward eco driving and scald those who drive lead-footed everywhere.

The new Mitsubishi Outlander is due in UK showrooms over summer 2012. You'll have to wait until 2013 for a new plug-in petrol electric hybrid version.

This is where it gets interesting; Mitsu has built up some experience in electric cars with its MiEV models and claims it is targeting an 800km (500-mile) range on the hybrid Outlander plus CO2 emissions averaging below 50g/km.

By Tim Pollard