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They were still doing it in 2008.

I had a 2008 Lancer and the owners manual constantly had to make distinctions between "California" and "non-California" versions for various procedures/features.

(I'm not even in North America, that's just global manufacturing for you)

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Doing some quick searches suggests that this is an emissions-related issue.

It is, but California's emissions standards have been adopted by other states, and a lot of companies just make one model that is compliant in all 50 states. I'm not sure what the cost difference is these days, but I wonder if it's worth having to maintain two separate lines of inventory. It presents a problem to people who buy a new car, then move to California. If there aren't enough miles on the odometer, California will refuse to register the car because it doesn't meet their emissions standards.

Emissions standard says I don't have enough miles on the odometer, huh? I'll show them.

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