The introduction of the new Mitsubishi Outlander proved to be an immense success for the Japanese manufacturer in the North American market. Thanks in part to its arrival, the brand confirms that it has closed its 2021 sales books with a 16.8% increase, year-on-year. The fourth quarter of the period translated to 24,861 units sold which reflects a 68.3% increase over 2020's figures.

For the entire year, Mitsubishi states that it was able to sell 102,037 vehicles. This is the fourth time that the brand has scored above the 100,000 mark since 2007. The brand specifically accredits this success to the Outlander's February launch last year. This model started the fourth quarter strong with October alone being the best October for the brand ever.

In December, the Outlander secured its best-ever retail monthly sales performance in the moniker's 20-year history which resulted in 12,606 examples being shifted in the fourth quarter. Throughout 2021, the model was able to find 33,883 new homes which is an increase of 24.9% over last year. This also takes up 33.2% of the company's total volume.

Mitsubishi says that each month of the fourth quarter was significant for its business. 2021 provided its second-best November and third-best December since 2006. The company further praises a recently refreshed lineup that includes the Mirage at 22,741 units sold, representing an 18.8% increase, despite the ongoing supply chain challenges.

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport sales were registered at 34,216 units, which reflects an increase of 18.7%, while the Outlander PHEV sales came in at 2,250 units, an increase of 14.5%. The company goes on to state that demand outbalanced supply throughout 2021, particularly with the Outlander, due to the crisis.

As a result, the Japanese brand's inventory going into 2022 is going to be well below the ideal levels and likely won't meet current customer demand. A surprise to a lot of die-hard Mitsubishi cultists is that even the constantly debated Eclipse Cross was able to see a successful quarter with 2,006 units sold. This reflects a 462-unit increase over the same period last year. Year-to-date, however, it was the only model in the stable to see a decrease in sales with 8,947 units sold. This equates to a 1,372-unit reduction in demand, and we doubt the situation will improve in 2022. Still, the brand has had a 2021 to be proud of, and other models can take up the slack.