Mitsubishi Australia’s New CEO Takes the Helm as Sales Slide and Chinese Brands Surge

Monday, January 5, 2026, marks the official start of a challenging new chapter for Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL), as Shunichi Kihara steps into the role of CEO amid declining sales and intensifying competition from rapidly expanding Chinese automakers.

Mr Kihara inherits a brand facing clear headwinds. Mitsubishi’s long-standing reputation in Australia as a value-focused manufacturer—offering solid vehicles at competitive prices—has been increasingly undermined by the aggressive rise of Chinese brands such as GWM and BYD. These competitors are no longer fringe players; they have become established, well-funded, and strategically aggressive forces in the market, according to car.news.

The leadership transition follows the unexpected resignation of former CEO Shaun Westcott in September 2025, a period that coincided with mounting pressure from falling sales figures. While full-year official results from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) are due on January 6, early data paints a concerning picture. Over the first 11 months of 2025, Mitsubishi’s Australian sales declined by 17.5 percent year-on-year, placing it among the steepest drops for Japanese brands in the country.

This decline saw Mitsubishi fall to ninth place in overall sales rankings, a sharp contrast to its fifth-place finish in 2024 and its peak performance in 2018, when it ranked fourth with nearly 85,000 vehicles sold. During the same period, Chinese brands capitalised on expanded model ranges, competitive pricing, and broader dealer networks to move ahead.

Product concentration has also become a challenge. Mitsubishi’s local lineup has shrunk to just five models, down from eight only a few years ago. The Outlander remains the brand’s strongest performer, yet even this key model recorded a nearly 20 percent sales decline in 2025. While a facelifted petrol version arrived last year and an updated plug-in hybrid is imminent, the Outlander now faces intense pressure from newer, tech-focused rivals—particularly from China.

In the plug-in hybrid space, BYD has made notable gains. The Sealion 6 surpassed the Outlander PHEV to become Australia’s top-selling plug-in hybrid, while the Shark 6 PHEV ute has gone even further, dominating the segment. These shifts highlight how quickly the competitive landscape has changed, according to car.news.

One bright spot for Mitsubishi has been the Triton. Despite a dip in 4×2 sales, combined Triton volumes grew modestly in 2025, outperforming several major rivals in the highly competitive ute segment. An updated Triton is expected in 2026, though a hybrid version remains some distance away, even as competitors move faster in electrification.

Looking ahead, Mitsubishi faces a significant gap in its electric vehicle strategy. As of early 2026, it has no fully electric vehicle on sale in Australia. This will change later in the year with the arrival of a compact electric SUV built by Foxtron, aimed squarely at rivals such as the BYD Atto 3 and Kia EV3. A second EV, potentially an electric Eclipse Cross, could follow if local approval is granted.

Despite the challenges, Mitsubishi is not without strengths. Its nationwide dealer network exceeds 200 locations, and its enhanced 10-year warranty and roadside assistance package remains one of the strongest in the market.

Whether these advantages, combined with new leadership and upcoming products, are enough to restore momentum will ultimately be decided by Australian buyers—and by the sales figures that follow.