It was back in 2016 when the Renault-Nissan alliance bought out Mitsubishi to form the world's then third-largest automaker. At the time, Mitsubishi was to continue operating independently for the most part, relying on its own platforms and engines rather than sharing tech with the other two brands. We learned that the brand would share common platforms with Renault-Nissan products, but it seemed like it would continue to use in-house-developed engines. However, a new report from Automotive News has confirmed that the next-generation Mitsubishi Outlander will be built on the bones of a Nissan and will share its underpinnings with the forthcoming Nissan Rogue, engine included.

This follows previous reports that Mitsubishi would be leaning on Nissan to keep its SUV lineup alive, but the news arrives just in time for an imminent update of the Outlander which has been on the market since 2014. We've already spied the 2021 Outlander undergoing testing, with the Rogue-underpinned model looking larger than the current model.

While it's unclear at this stage exactly what engine will be found under its hood, it's unlikely to be the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder from the current Rogue that's been on sale for as long as the Mitsubishi crossover. Instead, we expect an engine of a smaller size, but with turbocharging in order to be more economical and with a little more than the current SUV's 170 horsepower.

The platform and engine sharing will be reciprocal, however, as we expect the Outlander PHEV to return as well, sporting the electrified 2.4-liter engine from the Engelberg Tourer Concept. In concept form, this powerplant was able to yield a 43-mile electric-only driving range and a total range of more than 430 miles. This is expected to be more powerful and more economical than the current 2.0-liter twin-electric motor setup found in the current Mitsubishi Outlander Hybrid. The 2021 Outlander will debut before the end of the current year, with deliveries expected to commence by early 2021.