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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  WOO HOO - 2004 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Billyjobob - August 26 - 2:40 pm

  This is my first, but I love it already. Corners like a car, smooth ride, etc. Everything about it is awesome.

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  Outlander AWD SUV - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By jf - August 26 - 1:03 pm

  The Mitsubishi Outlander is a great mid-size SUV with lots of room inside. It is very comfortable and has a very nice radio system. The bass sounds very good for an SUV. It drives very well in the snow with its AWD. This is a very reliable vehicle when it comes to bad weather. Also, it drives very smoothly. It is not not bumpy. Its easy to control even for younger adults. Its not too big and not to small. The Sports-tronic tranmission is great too. It feels like youre driving a manual transmission when you get bored with the automatic.

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  Great value, overlooked SUV - 2006 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By djenkins - August 25 - 11:10 pm

  It is strange that this SUV crossover does not get better professional reviews. Everywhere I look on the net, the people who actually own one are very happy with it while pro editorial reviewers usally give mediocre reviews. It gives great value, luxury car level comfort and a modern, aggressive styling both in and out. I have the Limited version with leather. It really upgrades this entry level SUV to a luxury entry level and its double sunroofs are a nice feature. The 4-cyl. 2.4liter MIVEC engine gets the job done nicely and feels faster then it actually is. Its handling is tighter and more sport sedan-like than ALL of its competitors including the new RAV4. I tested all of them and this one is tops, I have no regrets.

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  Outstanding Car - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Huey - August 23 - 2:23 pm

  Absolutely loved it. It handled as well as my taurus (which cost about 3 grand more than my galant) the gas mileage could be a bit better, but not bad, im averaging about 20 city and 25 highway. The car is packed with features for the price. Cant be beaten. The front seats are very comfortable, the back can be a bit tight for adults, mainly for smaller children. Great acceleration, and great stopping time. Love the design. The "INFINITI" surround sound system is awesome, clear as a bell at full volume. headreasts are comfy, the fog lights are a nice feature to have, The transmisssion perfoms like a champ, great dependablility

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  Mitsubishi deserves to fail - 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By cwd986 - August 20 - 6:49 am

  Where to start...rattles galore on a brand new car, idle that wants to destroy itself by jumping into the 3,000 rpm range after the first clutch engagement, that obnoxious chime that you cant disable when the temp hits 37 degrees. Oh, and come to find out my "new" car was damaged in transit, repainted, and the damage was not disclosed. When I called Mitsubishi about the body damage they wouldnt tell me how much they paid the dealer to fix the damage or sanction the dealer for non-disclosure; in fact, they were no help at all. In my opinion Mitsubishi deserves to go the way of Suzuki and disappear from the American market.

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  What a great car! - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Dan - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car brand new almost 10 years ago. Right now the car is at 151k miles and still runs like new. Im constantly getting over 35 MPG. I use regular oil (change every 5k mile) and regular gas. The only issue I had at 105k miles was the spark plug cables which had to be replaced. Actually, I should still call it regular maintenance. All I can say buying a new car always pays off on the long run. Of course Mitsubishi deserves a lot of credit and now I understand better why the Mitosis services are struggling - these cars are not breaking down!

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  Oh my, best SUV ever! - 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By sharonboswell - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought the Endeavor yesterday in black with black leather. I tested about 20 SUVs and this one just hit me! It sits up high and rides really smooth. it looks almost like a Durango but a better drive. It is so comfortable inside and I love the remote starter and the GPS system. I got such a great deal on this 38K suv. After the 4k cash back incentive, my trade in, 2k for paying cash, I had a price in mind ($29,500) and he gladly accepted it. I was astonished! This drives so smoothly around corners and has the best pick up. In addition, it is just a beautiful SUV, the best!

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  Excellent vehicle for the money - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By MARK - August 19 - 12:26 am

  The Endeavor is an SUV that rides like a car.

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  Awesome VALUE - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By reliable and fun - August 18 - 9:10 am

  I bought my 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander used last year and I have put some 12,000 miles on it so far. I am pleased to the attention put into its design, the Outlander is not just another little SUV, it has style. The designer, Olivier Boulay did a great job. The clock on the dashboard has an art-deco appeal and everybody likes it. I love the high-up driving position that I have without giving up the stability of a car-based four wheel independent suspension. The materials are of superior quality and the car is very roomy. I never had a single problem with my Outlander. It is as reliable as it can be!

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  the jousting lancer - 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By david - August 15 - 5:18 am

  nice car but hard to get with the features you want without getting some you dont, like alloy wheels are only with automatics. the ph. setup is horrible or else im doing something wrong!! the usb is ....wait for it.... in the freakin glovebox!! really inconvenient and the stereo is way bassy, even with the bass turned down some. on the upside it handles nice and feul economy is better than advertised. smooth ride and fairly quiet cabin price goes up mysteriously when buying, this fee ,that fee,..... overall i like the car alot but will have to spend a little more money to get it the way i want it and spend some more time trying to figure out the sound and ph. as i just bought it today and only drrove about 220 mi. mitsubishi is qaulity stuff tho and i,m sure ill figure it out. i would recommend this car over any american made model