The RVR was essentially a second generation Mitsubishi Chariot (marketed in some markets as the Space Wagon) with a shortened chassis but sharing the components of the longer variant. Mitsubishi RVR Hyper Sports Gear-R (Japan) In Japan, the RVR saw competition from the Nissan Rasheen, the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, the Subaru Forester, and the Suzuki Escudo. Open front and rear differentials were used on vehicles equipped with 4WD.
The Hyper Sports Gear R trim package in Japan used the drivetrain of the first Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 the 4G63T 2.0 L 16V DOHC turbo straight-4 mated to either a four-speed auto or a five speed manual which was not offered in North America. Its "tall wagon" configuration traces to Italdesign's 1978 Lancia Megagamma concept. The RVR was also marketed by Chrysler as the Dodge/Plymouth Colt Wagon and Eagle Summit Wagon captive imports in North America. Export markets in Asia and Oceania used the Japanese market name. The first generation RVR, introduced February 1991, is a compact MPV, manufactured for 1991-2002 and marketed as the Mitsubishi Space Runner in Europe and Mitsubishi Expo LRV in the United States. The RVR logo no longer uses the inverted Cyrillic "Я" on the first letter. It does not feature a rear sliding door, due to the current perception that SUVs have conventional doors, and sliding doors are typically installed on family vehicles. It was released in Japan on 17 February 2010. The reintroduction of the "Sports Gear" RVR nameplate is an attempt to inherit the popularity of the first generation vehicle. Sales later declined, and the original RVR was discontinued in August 2002. The RVR had an especially good sales record in the beginning, even with the decline of the RV sales boom. This approach was similar to the one used by Honda when they introduced the Honda CR-V. It was a tall wagon with some off-road characteristics, targeting the "sports gear" or outdoor lifestyle market. It was also developed and released during Japan's " bubble economy", and gained popularity due to the convenience of a passenger side sliding door. Television commercials in Japan used Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck as spokespeople. It had a convenient size passenger cabin and spacious 4–5 person capacity with a youth-oriented approach, making it appealing to young people. In addition, the original logo had a Cyrillic Я on the first letter, so that it reads ЯVR. RVR is an acronym for "Recreation Vehicle Runner". The cars were sold at the Mitsubishi Japan dealership chain called Car Plaza. The RVR was Mitsubishi's Recreational Vehicle debut during the Japanese economic boom. The first two generations were classified as compact multi-purpose vehicles (MPV), and the model introduced in 2010 is a subcompact crossover SUV.
The Mitsubishi RVR is a range of cars produced by Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors from 1991 to 2002 and then from 2010 until present.