According to reports, Mitsubishi Motors North America said that its March sales grew 17% over last year as the sales of sedans, crossovers and sport utility vehicles boosted. 

On Thursday, the Japanese automaker said that it sold 5,434 vehicles in the United States in March.

Mitsubishi did not state which models sold the most but said that sales of Lancer, Galant, Outlander and Endeavor saw a surge. 

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi's Outlander has a new baby sibling called Outlander Sport. It is a foot shorter than Outlander and possesses its same basic structure. The Outlander Sport brags about a remarkable estimated highway fuel-economy figure of 31 mpg. 

Outlander Sport is powered by an aluminum 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with changeable valve timing, which generates 143 hp and 143 lb-ft of torque. The base ES model can be furnished with either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT that reproduces six “gears” via steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. 

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport will storm the markets this fall, and is its first of three mpg-conscious offerings that will be accessible in North America over the next three years.