At a glance
- Japan-built WMIs
- JA3 cars, JA4 SUVs, JA7 trucks
- Price class (position 6)
- U medium, V high, W premium
- Plant codes
- Z Okazaki, U Mizushima (Kurashiki)
- Year letter
- T = 2026, V = 2027
On this page
- How to read a Mitsubishi VIN
- Mitsubishi model codes for 2026 and 2027
- A real Mitsubishi VIN decoded: 2018 Outlander PHEV
- Why does a Mitsubishi decode list several trims?
- Why does a Nissan Rogue Plug-in Hybrid have a Mitsubishi VIN?
- Which WMIs does Mitsubishi use?
- Where is the VIN on a Mitsubishi?
- Common questions
- Sources
How to read a Mitsubishi VIN
Mitsubishi files one VIN table per model year with NHTSA, split into four sections: who built it (positions 1 to 3), what it is (4 to 8), the check digit (9), and the year, plant and sequence number (10 to 17). Here is how a Mitsubishi VIN decoder reads JA4J3UAB4TZ000001, a test VIN we built on the 2026 Outlander row of that table with a computed check digit. It's a pattern, not a car we traced.
| Position | What it codes | JA4J3UAB4TZ000001 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country: J, Japan | J |
| 2 | Manufacturer: A, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation | A |
| 3 | Vehicle type: 4, multipurpose vehicle | 4 |
| 4 | GVWR class: J, 5,001 to 6,000 lb | J |
| 5 | Car line and drive: 3, Outlander 2WD | 3 |
| 6 | Price class: U, medium | U |
| 7 | Body: A, 5-door wagon | A |
| 8 | Engine: B, 1.5L turbo with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, 174 hp | B |
| 9 | Check digit | 4 |
| 10 | Model year: T, 2026 | T |
| 11 | Plant: Z, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan | Z |
| 12 | Sequence number, 1st digit | 0 |
| 13 | Sequence number, 2nd digit | 0 |
| 14 | Sequence number, 3rd digit | 0 |
| 15 | Sequence number, 4th digit | 0 |
| 16 | Sequence number, 5th digit | 0 |
| 17 | Sequence number, 6th digit | 1 |
vPIC returns it as a 2026 Outlander ES with two-wheel drive (4x2), a CVT, seven seats and a 1.5L turbo mild hybrid, built at the Okazaki plant.
Mitsubishi model codes for 2026 and 2027
Positions 4, 5 and 8 identify the model. These rows come from Mitsubishi's 2026 table (25VC-NS004 Rev.B) and its 2027 table (26VC-NS001 Rev.A, filed in June 2026):
| Model | Position 4 (GVWR) | Position 5 (line) | Position 8 (engine) | Position 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outlander Sport | A: 4,001 to 5,000 lb | P 2WD (2027 only), R 4WD | U 2.0L, 148 hp; W 2.4L, 168 hp | U, Mizushima |
| Eclipse Cross (2026) | A: 4,001 to 5,000 lb | T 4WD | A 1.5L turbo, 152 hp | Z, Okazaki |
| Outlander | J: 5,001 to 6,000 lb | 3 2WD, 4 4WD | B 1.5L turbo mild hybrid, 174 hp | Z, Okazaki |
| Outlander PHEV (2026) | T: 6,001 to 7,000 lb | 5 | 9 2.4L with S91 and YA1 electric motors, 22.7 kWh battery | Z, Okazaki |
The 2027 table filed in June 2026 lists the Outlander Sport and the Outlander only. Mitsubishi's tables label position 6 "Make & Price".
A real Mitsubishi VIN decoded: 2018 Outlander PHEV
This 2018 Outlander plug-in hybrid went through an NHTSA crash test (test 10637), and the test record lists its VIN. NHTSA's vPIC database returns this for JA4J24A52JZ059588:
| Field | vPIC result |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander (plug-in hybrid) |
| Body | SUV, 5 doors |
| Engine | Plug-in hybrid: 2.0L engine, 117 hp, with two 60 kW electric motors and a 12 kWh battery |
| Plant | Okazaki, Aichi, Japan |
| GVWR | Class 1D: 5,001 to 6,000 lb |
| Airbags | Front and curtain (rows 1 and 2) |
vPIC's airbag and safety fields can be incomplete; the window sticker or owner's manual has the full list.
Why does a Mitsubishi decode list several trims?
Because position 6 is a price class, not a trim. In the 2027 Outlander table, W (premium) covers the SEL, the Black Edition and the GT SR, which is sold only in Puerto Rico; V (high) covers the SE, LE, Ralliart and Trail Edition on the 4WD. When we decoded a 2027 test VIN with W in position 6, JA4J4WABXVZ000001, vPIC gave the trim as "SEL, Black Edition, GT SR". The badges or the original paperwork settle which one you have. In the 2026 table, U covered only the ES, so a 2026 Outlander with U decodes to that single trim.
Why does a Nissan Rogue Plug-in Hybrid have a Mitsubishi VIN?
Mitsubishi builds it. The 2026 Rogue Plug-in Hybrid appears in Mitsubishi's own VIN table, built at the Okazaki plant with the same 2.4L engine and S91 and YA1 motors as the Outlander PHEV and a 20.0 kWh battery. Its VIN starts JA4T0: T for the 6,001 to 7,000 lb GVWR class and 0 for the Rogue Plug-in Hybrid line, then L for the SL grade or M for the Platinum. NHTSA lists JA4 under both Nissan and Mitsubishi.
Our test VIN JA4T0LA93TZ000001 decoded as a 2026 Nissan Rogue SL plug-in hybrid with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation as the manufacturer. Because the make is Nissan, the decoder flags it on this page and points you to the Nissan VIN decoder.
Which WMIs does Mitsubishi use?
vPIC lists 22 WMIs for manufacturers named Mitsubishi. For Mitsubishi Motors' own cars and SUVs there are JA3 (cars), JA4 (SUVs) and JA7 (trucks) from Japan, ML3 from Thailand, and 4A3 and 4A4 from Mitsubishi Motors North America. Others decode as different makes: JW6 and JW7 as Mitsubishi Fuso, JP3, JP7 and MP3 as Plymouth, and JE4 as Eagle, while JL6, JL7, JLS and TYB are registered to Mitsubishi Fuso truck companies.
vPIC knows 32 Mitsubishi model names, from the Starion, Tredia and 3000GT to the Mirage G4 and Outlander. Its multipurpose vehicle lists for 2025 and 2026 have the Eclipse Cross, Outlander and Outlander Sport.
Where is the VIN on a Mitsubishi?
Start at the base of the windshield on the driver's side: on cars and SUVs the VIN has to be readable from outside, through the glass (49 CFR 565.13). Then open the driver's door: the certification label there carries the VIN plus the month and year of manufacture (49 CFR 567.4). Your title, registration and insurance card show it too. Paint isn't part of the VIN; where to find the paint code covers that. If you're listing the car, how to take pictures of a car to sell covers the shots buyers look for.