Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) has seen its eye-catching and versatile 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport compact crossover vehicle named a "Top Safety Pick" by the non-profit vehicle research and crash test ratings agency, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The Outlander Sport joins another popular Mitsubishi Motors vehicle offering - the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer compact sport sedan (except Ralliart and Evolution) - in the elite company of production cars to achieve the Insurance Institute's highest marks for vehicle crash testing.

In order for a production vehicle to be named a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute, a car must earn a "good" rating in the organization’s crash test analysis. The 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport received a "good" test score in the following key areas of evaluation:

• Front impact crash testing
• Side impact crash testing
• Roof strength test results
• Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings

With a starting MSRP of only $18,795, the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport provides comfortable and roomy seating for five, is powered by a capable 148 horsepower 4-cylinder engine that achieves an EPA-rated 25 mpg city/31 mpg highway and features energy-saving technologies including Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and a specially-designed high-efficiency alternator. Available options include an advanced Continuously-Variable Transmission (CVT), panoramic glass roof, 9-speaker Rockford-Fosgate® premium audio system, HDD navigation system and Mitsubishi’s legendary All Wheel Control (AWC) all-wheel drive system.

For more information about the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, please log on to media.mitsubishicars.com and for more on the 2012 Outlander Sport's "Top Safety Pick" award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), please visit iihs.org.

About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, sales, marketing, research and development operations for Mitsubishi Motors in the United States. MMNA sells coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles through a network of approximately 400 dealers. In November of 2011, MMNA launched the battery-powered electric vehicle Mitsubishi i as part of a corporate mission to offer consumers more environmentally responsible modes of transportation. This battery-powered electric vehicle technology addresses the need for vehicles that produce zero tailpipe emissions and support a growing agenda for sustainability. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.