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 Commuter - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Regalistic - March 11 - 10:00 am

  The Mirage DE Coupe is a fun ride in the city aswell as the country side. It is cool inside and out with a sporty look that seems to cost much more than the deal you can get with buying this car. A lot of bang for the buck!

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  Dont buy for looks - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By DianaB - March 11 - 8:30 am

  I really do like my Montero Sport but I had a Nissan Maxima that was 11 years old and Id do anything to get it back now! The gas mileage is horrible. I suppose that it is OK for an SUV, but not good for someone who drove a car that got about 25-30 mpg! Its fun, looks great, reliability is good too!

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  Its a Truck?? - 2008 Mitsubishi Raider
  By Kusch - March 8 - 9:20 pm

  The only thing that makes this a truck is a bed and a bumper hitch!! Granted, at the time of purchase, I was looking for an SUV, after years of driving a Full Size F150. So, I settled for 50/50. I loved it, until I bought a boat. After a few months of towing on the weekends.......things started going wrong. I figured Id save up the problems and turn it in for service and warranty at the one year mark. Its at the dealership now...and Im waiting...and waiting... The service and warranty are great, they just had alot of stuff to fix. Bottom line, if you want a truck, buy a truck. If you want a nice looking 4 dr, but this truck. Do not treat it like your last pick-up, as it wont last long.

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  Long Term Loser! - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero
  By EFenderman - March 5 - 10:00 am

  After 60K + miles and 2.5 years of ownership, this SUV has not earned my confidence as a quality long lasting, reasonably priced vehicle to own. Problems with chipping paint on bottom panels after 2 months and fights with Mitsubishi to warranty/repair it should have been the first red flag. Since then, very poor brake design, pads expensive and require frequent replacement. Other expensive broken items; computer display (replaced 2x and still not able to adjust clock in all temps),elect.antenna, fuel door release, rear wheel lugs (3 thus far, metal too soft), 4wd instrument bulb & oxygen sensors have to be dealer reset ($100) with every drive to Las Vegas!

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  Ride with me - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By thomas furry - March 5 - 10:00 am

  Its very good on the road , speed and braking.

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  Good truck inexperienced service - 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
  By james2468 - March 1 - 10:16 pm

  INQUIRY DETAILS I have a 2007 Raider extended cab trouble free for so far, 81,000 miles. Its like a Dakota but only 3/4 of the cost and a bit more style.The V6 does not have a lot of power for towing but it sure uses a lot less gas than my F150 did. Quiet and stable on the highway, good trade off between load carrying and ride. I would buy another one. The only thing I would change is the factory Goodyear tires wore out fast and had poor traction in the rain and snow. This truck is basically a dodge underneath and the Mitsubishi dealership knows not much about them. When the truck has 17,000 miles they recommended that the transmission would need some work on warranty.

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  Fun, powerful car! - 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Jimmy973 - February 28 - 1:00 pm

  Bought this car about a month ago and all I can say is wow. This car has performance, style, and a price that had it sitting in my driveway. Acceleration is great from the V6 paired with the 5 speed! I find myself punching the gas for no reason other than good clean fun.

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  Hard to decide if I like it... - 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By strand83 - February 26 - 9:24 pm

  I am now beginning to understand why the Mitsubishi dealer had so many Outlander Sports and why I got a price under $16k. While this car looks amazing and offers a lot for the price, Mitsubishi definitely cut some corners. I have two main issues with this vehicle: 1. Suspension - Try driving one on the freeway at 65 MPH and you will feel the car be thrown around by the ruts and grooves in the road. It is much more noticeable than most cars because of the soft suspension. 2. MIVEC valve timing - My Outlander Sport has less than 2500 miles on it. I have had 3 check engine lights. The dealer says the computer needs a reset due to timing. Obviously the MIVEC hasnt been completely sorted out.

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  Good Performance bad fuel economy - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By michael zeydelis - February 21 - 2:00 am

  Good Performance bad fuel economy

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  I am a noob MItsubishi owner. - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Rusty Shackleford - February 18 - 2:48 pm

  So I just bought the 2016 Outlander ES 4WD, a few days ago. At the dealership, I test drove many vehicles including; the Jeep Compass, & the Hyundai Santa Fe. Both Vehicles had more features than my Outlander but once I drove that thing, I loved it. To me, it had the best ride feel, great price, and it feels like a larger SUV than what it really is. Mine is all black with black accented rims, so it looks sharp. Im disappointed in all the expert reviews saying this car is average because it does not come with all the latest in cabin features, but I dont need lane assistance, parking assistance, or even the heated seats. This is a fantastic SUV, extremely underrated, and great price. The one thing I do agree on with the expert reviews is the third row seating. That thing might as well not exist, because only my 4 year old can fit back there.