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2006 New Car Model Guide, Model Guide, New Car Reviews, Mitsubishi Cars, Trucks, & SUVs

2006 MITSUBISHI NEW CAR MODEL GUIDE
MITSUBISHI

2006 Mitsubishi New Car Model GuideThe marque of Mitsubishi mounts on four different cars in 2006 for the North American market plus three sport-utility vehicles and a new mid-size truck. Eclipse, the sporty 2+2 coupe, pops out of Mitsubishi's Illinois assembly plant in a bold new design this year, while the truck -- called Raider -- rolls out of a Chrysler factory in Michigan with V8 power plus Extended Cab and Double Cab versions.

Mitsubishi Galant
2006 Mitsubishi Galant

Mitsubishi's glitzy mid-size sedan for 2006 trims as Galant DX the price leader and popular equipment ES, luxury-laced LS and top-end GTS. Cabin decor varies, beginning with a black treatment for DX, metallic silver highlights on ES and fine leather for GTS. Muscle to power Galant stems from four-cylinder and V6 engines. The base four displaces 2.4 liters and nets 160 hp, while the 3.8-liter V6 engine makes 230 hp.

Galant DE stocks the four-cylinder plant and a four-speed automatic transaxle with disc brakes, while Galant ES upgrades with anti-lock brake system (ABS) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD). Galant LS V6 gets the automatic transmission with Sportronic manual mode and a traction control system (TCS), and GTS V6 shows sporty suspension tweaking plus projector headlamps up front. A new package for ES and LS adds leather upholstery, heated seats and power controls for the driver's bucket.

Mitsubishi Lancer
2006 Mitsubishi Lancer

Upgrades in safety equipment and a revamped front fascia characterize the 2006 Lancer, a compact sedan. Mitsubishi casts Lancer in three editions. Two trims pull from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that nets 120 hp and connects to a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic. Lancer ES is the base issue, with Lancer O-Z Rally wearing sporty body additions inspired by rally racers. Lancer Ralliart draws on Lancer Evolution for styling and brings more hardware, such as a taut-tuned suspension, sport bucket seats and larger disc brakes, and more power from a 2.4-liter four with 162 hp.

A Sun & Sound package for OZ and Ralliart installs a power glass sunroof, 315-watt Infinity audio system and seat-mounted side air bags, while the Convenience Package for Lancer ES adds a remote keyless entry device, cruise control, variable wipers and rear seatback split 60/40 with armrest.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

This is the street-legal version of Mitsubishi's trophy-grabbing World Rally Championship (WRC) racer. Consider it a high-performance version of the Lancer compact sedan but motivated by a souped-up turbo engine and equipped with all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction, a bulging air scoop on the hood, pontoon-style fenders, high-strength alloy wheels, a carbon-fiber spoiler on the tail and the cockpit fitted with bolstered Recaro sport bucket seats. Big Brembo ventilated disc brakes at all wheels tie to a four-channel anti-lock brake system (ABS).

The heart of Evo is its power-pumping engine. For 2006 the 2.0 -liter four-in-line - turbo-charged and inter-cooled - gets the Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing and lift Electronic Control system to deliver 286 hp. Trims are notched as Evo RS, IX and MR. MR carries a six-speed close-ratio manual transmission, BBS forged alloy wheels, fast-response Bilstein shocks and aluminum roof that lowers the center of gravity.

Mitsubishi Eclipse
2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse

Mitsubishi's California designers deliver a sleek and fresh expression for Eclipse in 2006. It's new from rails to roof with a wider track and longer wheelbase, a stiffer unibody structure, more room for riders and more spark on tap from four-pack and six-pack powertrains. There's only one body style - a two-door hatchback coupe - but two trim variations that each carry a different engine.

Eclipse GS is the bottom-price model with a four-cylinder engine tied to a five-speed manual gearbox or optional four-speed automatic with Sportronic sequential shift control. The 2.4-liter in-line-four makes 162 hp. Eclipse GT brings a 3.8-liter MIVEC V6 and soars to 263 hp through a six-speed manual or five-speed Sportronic automatic. GT's Premium Sport Package adds leather upholstery, automatic air conditioning, a sunroof, 18-inch wheels and premium Rockford Fosgate audio equipment with steering wheel controls. (CONTINUED...)

Mitsubishi Montero
2006 Mitsubishi Montero

Mitsubishi's original SUV stretches to full-size proportions on a unibody structure and carries a plush four-door cabin containing three rows of seats for seven plus strong mechanical systems capable of aggressive action, whether on pavement or dirt. This year Montero comes only one way -- first-class and fully equipped.

For power, a single-cam 3.8-liter V6 engine worth 215 hp drops below the shapely hood. Also, Mitsubishi adds the Active Trac four-wheel-drive (4WD) mechanism with push-button switching between rear two-wheel-drive (2WD), AWD, and high or low range of 4WD. All tie together to a five-speed automatic transmission with Sportronic sequential manual mode. Also working is a Dynamic Skid Control (DSC) system with computer-managed braking called Active Brake Traction Control (ABTC). Optional gear on the 2006 Montero, however, is limited to a power glass sunroof and ceiling-mounted DVD video entertainment system.

Mitsubishi Outlander
2006 Mitsubishi Outlander

New standard safety systems like seat-mounted side air bags and ABS show up on 2006 issues of Outlander, Mitsubishi's five-door crossover wagon. Cast on Lancer's platform, the compact-class Outlander has a rigid unibody structure and independent suspension components that deliver a car-like ride quality. The cabin provides room for five riders but offers a flexible seat plan with folding seatbacks on the rear bench creates an expandable bay for gear and a hatchback tailgate swings high for access to the aft compartment.

For 2006 Outlander segments into three trims with base LS and deluxe LTD or new SE (Special Edition) with monotone fender flares and side sills. Each trim offers front-wheel-drive (FWD) or AWD traction. And each pulls from the same engine -- a 2.4-liter four-cylinder plant rated at 160 hp. A four-speed Sportronic automatic-manual transmission is also standard, with a manual five-speed available for Outlander LS.

Mitsubishi Endeavor
2006 Mitsubishi Endeavor

Mitsubishi's mid-size crossover wagon blends the manners of a luxury sedan with the elevated stance and cargo capacity of a SUV, plus the cabin flexibility of a minivan. It's easy to drive like a sedan because the rigid unibody structure and handling hardware match mechanical equipment on a FWD car. Yet Endeavor resembles a sizeable SUV while carrying a wagon's load of cargo. The spacious cabin has comfortable seats in two rows for up to five riders and there are fancy amenities aboard.

Powertrain is a 3.8-liter V6 that achieves 215 hp through a four-speed automatic Sportronic. There are two trims this year -- entry-level LS and lavish LTD -- with FWD or optional AWD traction. Endeavor's face changes in 2006 due to restyling of the grille, bumper and chin spoiler, and a new Road Trip Package brings DVD video entertainment gear.

Mitsubishi Raider
2006 Mitsubishi Raider

The new mid-size truck from Mitsubishi shows V6 or V8 engines for two-wheel-drive (2WD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction in three trims -- LS, DuroCross and XLS. Raider also offers two different cab formats. The Extended Cab contains two rows of seats for four and two rear-hinged access doors, while the Double Cab has four full-size doors and seats for five. A truck box behind the cab varies in length. Raider Extended Cab has a long-bed design, while the Double Cab uses an abbreviated bed.

Raider's V6 engine displaces 3.7 liters and runs to 210 hp, but the 4.7-liter V8 reaches 230 hp. Raider LS employs the V6 exclusively and XLS gets the V8 only, while DuroCross offers either plant. And Raider has two 4WD choices -- either an on-demand 4WD system for LS and DuroCross or the full-time AWD system on XLS with 4WD high and low settings. (...BACK)

[MORE INFORMATION FROM MITSUBISHI]