Overview & Reviews

Mitsubishi has built its brand in the United States with a selection of cars and SUVs that tend to offer above-average performance and style. The parent company has its roots in producing commercial vehicles for its home market of Japan.

A Japanese word meaning "three diamonds," Mitsubishi was founded in by Yataro Iwasaki, a descendant of samurais, in the early 1870s. The company's initial focus was on shipping, but it quickly diversified into areas such as mining and ship repair. In 1917, Mitsubishi unveiled the Model A, Japan's first series production passenger car.

It wasn't until 1960, with the launch of the compact Mitsubishi 500, that the company began producing passenger vehicles on a large scale. That decade also saw the launch of other Mitsubishi light passenger vehicles like the 360 Van and 360 Pickup. The company also distinguished itself on the racetrack during this decade, taking top honors in Japan's Grand Prix.

Mitsubishi's automobile production arm was officially spun off into a company of its own with the establishment of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in 1970. The company's Colt made its way to American shores in 1971, the same year in which Chrysler purchased a 15 percent stake in the new company. However, the Colt wasn't sold under the Mitsubishi name, but rather under the Dodge brand, reflecting Chrysler's interest in the company. By the end of the decade, Mitsubishi was producing more than 1 million cars per year.

In 1982, Mitsubishi began selling cars in the U.S. under its own name. Through the '80s it offered a variety of cars for the states, including the subcompact Mirage, turbocharged Starion sports car and midsize Galant sedan. Mitsubishi hit its stride in the '90s, thanks to the popularity of the Eclipse sport coupe and 3000GT sports car in the U.S. and the turbocharged Lancer Evolution in other parts of the world.

Chrysler made the most of its partnership, as it used Mitsubishi platforms under many of its models. The Eclipse, in particular, was a key vehicle produced by the Diamond Star Motors partnership. In 1998, Chrysler merged with Daimler-Benz to become DaimlerChrysler. Mitsubishi's partnership continued with DaimlerChrysler for a few years but was financially terminated by 2003.

The new millennium has been a struggle for Mitsubishi. Its vehicles have grown stale with consumers and sales have wavered. At one point the company was forced to admit that it had systematically covered up vehicle defects in Japan. On the upside, though, the company's compact, high-performance sedan, the Lancer Evolution, has been a continuing success in the United States. Going forward, Mitsubishi plans to revitalize its brand by developing environmentally friendly vehicles (such as its all-electric "i" hatchback) that are still fun to drive.

User Reviews:

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  Hidden Gem - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By Rob - May 22 - 4:03 pm

  This 2016 Outlander sport SE 2.4 AWD is the best kept secret. As others have said it is underrated for sure, it is quiet, good MPG, CVT transmission is far better than the DCT (duel clutch transmission) many makers are putting in their models. So called expert reviews are really lopsided on this vehicle, Before you buy one of the EXPERT best rated models, go with the consumer ratings and give this hidden gem a try, I did and I am more than satisfied I made the right choice.

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  Great car - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By murky - May 18 - 7:26 am

  I got into a wreck in this vehicle in the mountains of Virginia, and I must say, 10+ on crash rating. Completely protected me, AND the front end absorbed so much of the impact, that beyond the front fenders there was NO damage! Unfortunately, it was deemed totaled, but this car saved me in an accident.

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  Fuel Milage - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By kleo84 - May 17 - 3:03 pm

  I disagree with the other people saying the fuel mileage is bad. i drove this car from Kileen, Texas to Colorado Springs and averaged around 33-35mpg!!! Both trips. The only thing I dont really like about the base models is the HP. It shoulda been upped a little compared to the newer 4cyl. N/A cars out there, but nice car looks mean in the front.

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  Dont be fooled by "expert" reviews! GREAT CAR! - 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By Bravin Hughart - May 16 - 1:21 am

  Are you kidding? Buy it! We mulled around for two weeks trying to decide between the Honda CRV, Subaru XT and the Outlander Sport. The Mitsubishi had the best warranty by a long shot (not the warranty was much of a concern with Honda or Subaru). It boiled down to bang for your buck. We got a LOADED SE Outlander with the glass roof for around the starting price of the other two. We bought the Mitsubishi thinking we just got more bells and whistles but a cheapo car. Well, we were wrong. We just wrapped up a 2000 mile road trip and we were stunned. Economy: This car averaged 31 MPG over the full distance. (Keep in mind this is the 4X4) The insurance rate was lower than the other two SUVs we were considering. Comfort: I have a very bad back and that is the most comfortable I have been in a car since I drove a Lincoln. It rides, handles and stops very well. Power: Many people comment the power is lacking in this car. My wife and I feel it is just right. It is not slow by any means. 70 -80 mph with no issues through the mountains. Acceleration is actually impressive. MPG is the concern for us and this car finds that balance between power and MPG. The CVT transmission is a little weird at first but you soon get used to the shift or no shift depending on where your foot is on the accelerator. I have fun working with the transmission keeping the MPG maxed out. Design: The interior is not Lexus quality but it is as good if not better than Honda, Toyota or Subaru. We LOVE the Rockford Fosgate stereo system with the touch screen and deep bass. The illuminated glass roof is a treat at night. The exterior is aggressive and sporty. It turns heads. We had several people ask us what kind of car this was and they liked it. Value: We feel we could not have done better with any other car. The Mitsubishi dealers seem happy to have our business instead of considering it a chore to sell us a car (Honda, Subaru). We bought this car for work commuter duty. We have already decided it will be much more than that.

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  mits diamante - 2001 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By chefboyrmike - May 14 - 10:00 am

  sports cars power with luxury car ride high quality sound system really sweet doing 85 on the highway

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  Excellent Value and Fun Too! - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By DPiedra - May 13 - 12:40 am

  This car has handled well through Ontario winters and through several long trips in hot summer months. Highway driving is very smooth (surpisingly so for a small V4). Interior is nice, but could use a better clock (minor detail though). I find the accelaration a bit slow when entering the highway, but at high speeds, no problem. In city driving, there is no lack of accelaration. Not sure what the folks who say this vehicle lacks acceleration are looking for, racing type acceleration? If so go to high end V8s, this is a great buy and fun to drive too.

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  Phenomenal Car! - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Poke - May 12 - 5:30 am

  Bought mine used with 17,000 miles on it. I was just looking for an everyday runner, and this car was available. Simply unbelievable. I never even looked at Mitsubishi before, but its true that theyve thought of everything. I have the convertible GT V6, and this baby is a runner, alright. Previous owner put a carbon fiber hood on her, 20-inch black spoke wheels, an air induction system to increase her horsepower, and all the options! Wow. Shes amazing! The ride is incredible, the look is amazing, and the officer who pulled up alongside of me to tell me I was going too fast even gave me a thumbs up and a wave! And my golf clubs fit in the trunk! You wont be disappointed!

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  WOW! 2015 Outlander Sport GT one year later - 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By BTWells - May 10 - 2:00 pm

  I bought the 2015 Outlander Sport GT back in April 2015 so have owned it for more than a year. Wow! What a nice vehicle. I got a gray one with the Touring package, Rockford Fosgate sound system, panoramic roof, cargo package, and exterior side moldings. The GT version also comes with the 2.4 liter engine. For me it drives beautifully. Nice pickup and acceleration with the improved engine. The black leather interior and matching black carpet make the interior fell rich and comfortable. The navigation system/audio system is LOADED with features and looks and sounds great. At the push of a button the ceiling retreats and panoramic roof with its LED backlighting appears-- very impressive! Best Features: The sound system is too cool and if you like bottom-end bass you will learn to rock out! Night driving with the panoramic roof open and the stereo loud will make you want to take more night drives! It was easy to pair my IPhone to the system and having the system controls on the steering wheel is convenient . The leather heated seats are very comfy and the dashboard layout was nicely thought out. There is also ample leg room for rear passengers. The gas mileage is also good--my best is 33 MPG and it averages 26-28 MPG on my 19 mile commute to work. Could be better features: I am not yet sold on the voice activation of the phone or navigation system. Maybe it needs to learn my voice and after one year of trying you would have thought it would have my voice down pat? And, Mitsubishi should rethink the "book" it gives as owners manuals. I find the manuals to be confusing and contain too much info and printed in typeface much too small for my eyes. And, after a year of driving, the shocks could be better. And lastly, the rear cargo area is small but certainly ample for most shopping expeditions as long as you dont buy any really larger size items. That being said, I really like the GT!

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  The one and only, Diamante - 1997 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Michael - May 9 - 1:10 am

  I love the Diamante, shes my Mitsu~ I live in Seattle, Washington and the weather here is really weird. Sometimes it rains a lot, snow once in a while, and occasionally, itll be sunny. But nonetheless, through it all my Diamante has been amazing. Over 150,000 miles and still running strong! What I like the most from the Diamante is its uniqueness from other cars. Everyone these days is out sporting a Honda Civic/Accord or perhaps, a Toyota Corolla/Camry. Its soo boring! Thats where the Diamante comes in. Diamante brings a new experience to the road that only a selected few may experience. Diamante is smooth and sleek; made for those that enjoy the finer things in life.

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  Exceptional vehicle despite poor reviews. - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By C Sigrist - May 5 - 9:45 pm

  After researching which car to buy for months, I finally decided on the Outlander SEL 2WD. Most of the automotive magazines hate this car and Im not sure why. I love my Outlander! I have a fairly significant commute; about 60 miles a day so fuel economy was an important factor. The Outlander gets the best mileage of any other non-electric SUV out there. I put it in eco-mode and Im getting an average of over 30 mpg. The acceleration is not zippy but it is fine. I also opted for the safety package which gives adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance. I really like having both of those features. I would never have thought to buy a Mitsubishi but happened to be looking at a used car at a dealership and the salesman convinced me to test drive the Outlander. This vehicle is an exceptional value. The purchase price is considerably less than any other similarly sized SUV out there. It comes with a great warranty and roadside assistance. Do yourself a favor and go test drive one.