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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  Best Bang for your Buck - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Speedyvonquick - October 15 - 2:00 am

  A well rounded performer thats great looking, put together well, and fun to drive. Just purchased this weekend & got a great deal. Check out www.carsdirect.com before you buy ANY car and save big money! Their quote was $2,000 under what the dealership was quoting. I got the sun & sound package with leather. Leather is a must in this car as the fabric seats are very spongy and soft. Ill write another review after Ive put some miles on it.

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  Montero Limited Review - 2004 Mitsubishi Montero
  By spintotenor - October 12 - 2:00 am

  The only problem I have is that the tranmision slips a bit every once and a while.

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  GTZ - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Beacon 888 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  A very nimble car to drive, thanks to the front suspension settings, it tends to provide too much confidence on car handling, so be careful. Body Frame are too soft for this kind of settings.

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  Good car! - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By D.W. Stones - October 12 - 1:03 am

  The Lancers standard equipment is great not cheap and flimsy like in some of the domestic cars Ive had. This car is fun to drive and can take the numerous potholes of the roads of PA with out jolting you around like a youre riding in a dryer on four wheels unlike my old Subaru. More than 120 horses would make it a little bit more exciting to drive.

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  # 1 Review - 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Ed D - October 5 - 11:23 am

  several times check engine light has come on for no reason. All in all car has been been trouble free. Engine needs more power.

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  Good car - 2012 Mitsubishi Galant
  By dcw3 - October 2 - 6:50 pm

  Ive had the car for 3 years. Bought with all accessories-it was $25,000. However, purchase price was $19,000. The depreciation is high but not an issue for me since I keep a car for at least 10 yr. Reliability has been excellent with zero problems. SE ride is a little stiffer than base model but handling is excellent. Im not sure what the other reviewer hated so much about this car.

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  Happy with the purchase! - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By mji - September 28 - 10:00 am

  essentially happy with the vehicle. Have had previous SUVs and this by far is the better in the price range. no major problems with the car so far. Feels solid, powers well, and drives almost like a car. My wife enjoys the feel as well.

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  Not too bad, but wouldnt recommend - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By maddee2030 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car brand new off the lot. I didnt have any problems for a very long time; just normal maint. ~110K my transmission died w/ no previous indications there was a problem. Replaced a cracked radiator @ ~90K. Never replaced windshield or headlights. 4 things Ive always complained about. 1.The LCD display on the CD player is nearly impossible to read. 2.The fact that the CD player tells you when its too hot is an extremely bad design flaw. 3. The top coat on door handles & side mirrors is gone. 4. Upholstery all the way up to the window? Terrible place to have fabric after 9 years of resting your arm there. Vinyl on my next car, please...

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  great - 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Herve - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Great car, but very easy to scratch it

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  Good Car, Great Price - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Rich Lucido - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Bought the LS FWD for just under $21k and there is simply no other midsize SUV comparable in that price range. Drives incredibly well and has more than enough power for daily driving. The lack of ABS is a serious drawback, as is the automatic locking doors. Day time headlights would have been nice too. The build quality on it is much better than our 03 Trailblazer LT and it has more low end punch,a much nicer ride and despite being a smaller automobile it feels bigger. An extremely nice car, at a very reasonable price.