Mitsubishi Australia may have a brand new chief in 2026 because it looks to capitalise on a raft of latest models in local showrooms, led by the brand new ASX small SUV and a more capable Outlander PHEV.
Shunichi Kihara has been confirmed as the brand new Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL), effective January 5, 2026.
Mr Kihara will come into the role after serving because the Assistant Division General Manager of the Japanese automaker’s North Asia Division, and replaces interim MMAL CEO Yoshinori Yamazaki.
The incoming CEO has also held global sales roles at Mitsubishi.
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“I’m delighted to simply accept the position of CEO at MMAL and stay up for meeting you after I arrive in Australia,” Mr Kihara said in a press release.
“Mitsubishi Motors has been a robust and trusted brand in Australia for 45 years, and together we’ll construct on that legacy to drive it into the long run.”
The change at the highest comes after Shaun Westcott, who led MMAL for five years including as chairman until 2024, resigned in September.
Quite a lot of fresh models will see Mr Kihara look to grow Mitsubishi’s market share here, including the recently launched ASX – based on the Renault Captur – and the updated Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) due on sale here early next yr.
Sales are down 16.3 per cent year-to-date, yet Mitsubishi continues to be outperforming rivals including sister Alliance brands Renault (-16.5 per cent) and Nissan (-17.7 per cent), and Volkswagen (-19 per cent).
Mitsubishi stays a top 10 brand in Australia, placing sixth in October 2025 sales with help from the Triton ute, which forms the idea of the brand new Nissan Navara and was its best-seller for the month.
It sits sixth overall year-to-date on 52,364 sales, behind Hyundai (64,861) and ahead of GWM (43,774) – after placing fifth for the total yr in 2024.
Yr-to-date, the Outlander stays its hottest model, and there’s a bigger battery pack coming as a part of the facelifted electrified mid-size SUV in early 2026.
In North America, Mitsubishi launched a more rugged version of the Outlander as a rival to the Subaru Outback, which could also develop into a part of the Australian lineup, although this has not been confirmed.
Model sharing with Nissan might also see the next-generation Nissan Patrol off-road SUV sold as a Pajero to offer Mitsubishi a legitimate Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series rival.
A possible substitute for the Pajero Sport was shown on the 2025 Japanese Mobility Show in Tokyo last month, too, while the corporate can be seeking to add hybrid tech to models including the ASX and Triton, and to launch its first new-generation EV, a small electric SUV, within the second half of next yr.
MORE: Explore the Mitsubishi showroom
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
