The is a compact crossover SUV manufactured by Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors. It was originally known as the when it was introduced in Japan in 2001. The original Airtrek name was chosen to "describe the vehicle's ability to transport its passengers on adventure-packed journeys in a 'free-as-a-bird' manner", and was "coined from Air and Trek to express the idea of footloose, adventure-filled motoring pleasure." The Outlander nameplate which replaced it evoked a "feeling of journeying to distant, unexplored lands in search of adventure." The second generation of the vehicle was introduced in 2006 and all markets including Japan adopted the Outlander name, although production of the older version continued in parallel. It was built on the company's GS platform, and used various engines developed by Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, and PSA Peugeot Citroën. PSA's Citroën C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007, which were manufactured by Mitsubishi in Japan, are badge engineered versions of the second generation Outlander. Global sales achieved the 1.5 million unit milestone in October 2016, 15 years after its market launch. As part of the third generation line-up, Mitsubishi launched in January 2013 a plug-in hybrid model called Outlander PHEV. , global sales totaled about 300,000 units, and according to JATO Dynamics, the Outlander PHEV is the world's all-time best selling plug-in hybrid since December 2018. , Europe is the leading market with over 126,000 units sold through January 2019, and the Outlander plug-in hybrid listed as Europe's best-selling plug-in hybrid car for five years running, 2015 to 2019. The fourth-generation model was released 2021. Following Mitsubishi's entry to Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance, the fourth-generation Outlander is based on the Rogue/X-Trail, which is built on the CMF-CD platform. First generation (CU/ZE/ZF; 2001) The first-generation Outlander/Airtrek and was based on the Mitsubishi ASX concept vehicle exhibited at the 2001 North American International Auto Show. The ASX (Active Sports Crossover) represented Mitsubishi's approach to the industry wide crossover SUV trend for retaining the all-season and off-road abilities offered by a high ground clearance and four-wheel drive, while still offering car-like levels of emissions, economy, and size. The Airtrek was first introduced to the Japanese market on 20 June 2001, and was sold at Mitsubishi Japan dealership chain called Car Plaza. It offered a choice of either a 4G63 2.0 L or a 4G64 2.4 L GDI, mated to a standard INVECS-II 4-speed automatic transmission. Both front- and four-wheel drive were available. The four-wheel drive version