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Mitsubishi will pay for a year's worth of gas if you buy a new 2005 model year vehicle.

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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Mitsubishi Motors will reward buyers of new 2005 model year vehicles with a year's worth of gasoline, the company said in a statement Wednesday.

The program begins Friday and runs through the end of October.

"With the price of regular gasoline hovering at about $3 per gallon, we believe this promotion will be welcomed by all consumers," said executive vice president of Sales and Marketing Dave Schembri.

The company said that each customer will receive pre-paid debit cards in the mail that can be used for gasoline at most major motor oil companies' retail locations.

The cards are worth between $1,500 and $2,500, depending on the estimated amount of gas required to drive the new vehicle for 12,000 miles, based on the EPA combined rating for the vehicle.

Whether the recommended fuel for the vehicle is regular (computed at $2.80 per gallon) or premium (computed at $3.10 per gallon), is the other factor that determines the value of the card.

Mitsubishi said prices were based on the average price per gallon reported by AAA's daily fuel report on Monday, September 19, 2005.

Customers can select from a variety of major motor oil companies for each debit card, the company said.

The auto maker's "Gas Comes Standard" campaign is billed as a straightforward incentive with real value to the consumer.

"There are a lot of confusing incentive offers out there whose true worth is extremely hard for customers to determine," said executive vice president of Sales and Marketing Dave Schembri.

For some consumers, a year's worth of free gas may be considered pretty attractive as an incentive, given that pump prices in some areas are hovering just below record highs; and some analysts say that prices could hit $5 a gallon if Hurricane Rita hits the nation's gasoline supply.

Mitsubishi cited recent surveys that show rising oil and gasoline prices are causing more than 70 percent of motorists financial hardship and forcing them to cut back on driving in some way.

Americans recently ranked gas prices as the country's top economic issue, Mitsubishi said.

Anyone who buys a new 2005 model-year Galant, Endeavor, Montero Sport, Outlander, Eclipse Coupe, Eclipse Spyder, Lancer, Lancer Evolution and Lancer Sportback is eligible for the deal.

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