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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  Good If You Dont Want Your Kid to Speed - 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By jeeppsu85 - May 21 - 10:26 am

  My car is beautiful, but has no personality. I treated her like a daughter. I washed and waxed her weekly or bi-weekly and maintained her on a regular basis. There has been no problems with the leaks that are usually found with this model. My only problem is I tend to have problems accelerating on the highway and going uphills. In the winter, the trunk has the grand ability to smack ya on the head. This is a beautiful car but it has low performance. The 420A inline 4 has amazing economy, it hits about 230-310 miles per full tank depending how you drive. To accelerate fast you need to turn the air/heat off to get full power to the engine.

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  2009 Lancer - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By 09lancer - May 20 - 9:50 pm

  Love the car so far. Graphite Gray. Had an old car with a huge V8. Gas mileage is not perfect but much better than old car by a large margin. Interior has nice style but the quality does lack behind. I thought interior in GTS was better than the ES model. It is a comfortable car for me, Im 5"10. Spoiler does block the view but you get used to it. For a 4 cyl it is pretty powerful, but it could have more power. The back seat has a decent amount of room along with the trunk for a compact sedan. Overall a pretty decent car for the price. Got mine for a great deal so cant complain. If looking for a cheaper compact sedan that has a little bit of sportiness, the Lancer is for you.

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  Trust mitsu engines. - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Chapin - April 23 - 10:00 am

  I come from another country Guatemala, where mitsubishi trucks are popular, Ive known owners with trucks from the late 70s and still those guys will not let go those trucks. I enjoyed my 1995 and now my 2001 montero, I wish those trucks will have more power and better gas mileage. I know this montero will last long, long years of good performance and few problems.

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  Great Value, Great Vehicle! - 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By qoheleth - April 20 - 1:54 pm

  I bought this Outlander SE AWD as a 2012 leftover. The price was $21,300, a great price for a SUV with AWD, bluetooth, and lots of nice features. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong or missed a beat in the first 15,000 miles. It has been fun to drive, reliable and relatively economical.

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  Gets Job Done - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Ramesq - April 16 - 10:43 pm

  It was not a difficult choice, $0 down and 1.9% financing for 5 years. Decent acceleration, doesnt require premium gas, getting 26mpg combined, 39,700 with no problems whatsoever. Handles well and fairly quiet and comfortable. Shifter could be smoother and abs and side air bags not offered. Yes, there are other cars that offer more for the money (wife has Jetta with leather and abs and side airbags for same price) but in a cash crunch, Mitsu financing difficult to beat.

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  Good deal - 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
  By lajestut - April 16 - 8:46 pm

  Just bought the truck. Was looking for value, and found it in this truck. Original MSRP was $29.5K, but I bought mine for $13.2K, with only 21,000 miles on the odo. Lucky to have found this one. Used Dakotas are selling for more. I guess not too many are aware of this truck. If youre in the market for a Dakota, definitely look at the Mitsu. Its the same truck underneath. By the way, checking the internet is the way to go. My truck was stickered on the lot for $17.9K.

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  Good car, but... - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By former owner - April 13 - 5:16 pm

  I had this car from 2003 and just traded it in this past weekend. Overall, it is a very reliable car. I never had any major problems with it. While driving it, I got rear-ended twice. I also lost control of the vehicle once while attempting to avoid a driver on a cell phone and was hit on the passenger side. I consistently walked away without a scratch and relatively minor property damage. That being said, if you can afford it, I would go for a new car or one made in the last couple years. While this is a good, reliable car for its age, the safety features which are standard cars today are SO much better than they were in 2003. (Curtain airbags, stability control, etc.).

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  Fun To Drive, But... - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Sarah - April 6 - 8:06 pm

  Well Ive had my 07 Eclipse GS for about three months now so I think I have a good enough feel for the pros and cons to rate this car and give it a review. First of all the car looks GREAT. The design on the exterior is so innovative and curvy. The interior is a beautiful blue color at night thanks to the little blue LED lights inside the dash. However, the plastic on the doors and other parts of the interior IS CHEAP. I barely knick the door and theres a scratch. I cant have anyone sit in the back if there wearing heels because I am afraid they might scratch the plastic. I really hate the fear of scratching my plastic every time I take a ride, but over all the car is nice.

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  fun car - 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By baron - April 5 - 10:00 am

  car has alot of options for the money. handles very well. Nice wheel package, nice to have full size spare.

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  my truck - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero
  By kiko69 - April 5 - 10:00 am

  good ride ,great family car,so far no problem , wish if give me more power when accelerating