The latest iteration of Mitsubishi’s handsome hybrid crossover concept arrived in Los Angeles for the international auto show under the moniker XR-PHEV. Said to be the Pajero of the future, the Mitsubishi XR-PHEV Concept has been around in one form or other for a few years now, with no real decision for production.

In its latest incarnation, Mitsubishi XR-PHEV Concept boasts a rather magnificent red paint job garnished with chrome accents, and the same familiar aggressive face we are hoping to see someday on a production Mitsu. The car has the proportions of a crossover, but given the fact that Mitsubishi is a master of making off-road cars, you can rest assured it will be able to get out of its own way like a real SUV.

The XR-PHEV also features the latest version of Mitsubishi’s highly efficient plug-in-hybrid electric, details of which are still a closely guarded corporate secret. Tell you what, it needs to be seriously good and clever enough to work in some sort of all-wheel-drive configuration if it wants to have something to say in today’s competitive market full of sophisticated hybrids and EVs.

“We brought the Concept XR-PHEV to LA so that we could talk about our new design direction and how future products will be taking clues from its dynamic lines,” said MMNA Executive Vice President, Don Swearingen. “We also brought it to LA to reinforce the message that Mitsubishi is here to stay in the United States.  As we regrow the brand we will introduce new models while updating existing ones, creating a new look and a new value proposition for the brand.”