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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  Great Car For The Money - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By hayesd2 - August 20 - 12:33 am

  I bought the 08 new and have had it now for a little over a year. I have the "sun and fun" package along with the wing on the rear. The only real flaw I can think of is that the car should have had a 6th gear. Gas mileage would have been far better and the wear and tear on the engine would be reduced. I would buy it again

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  My Mitsubishi Galant ES V6 - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Naz Berumen - August 12 - 10:06 pm

  My car has not given me any trouble, it;s been very reliable and very durable. The only inconveniace was had to tighten fan belt once. Other than that slight problem, the car is well put together and fun to drive.

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  Why Dont You Back Your Vehicle? - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Vaughn - August 12 - 3:10 pm

  This vehicle could be one of the greatest vehicles put on the road, except when problems arise no one is willing to look into the problem while the vehicle is still under warranty, God forbid they will have to pay for something thats wrong with it. My vehicle has had a break problem since the day I drove it home. I have to do a break job on the front every 15,000 to 18,000 miles. When I take it in for a brake job, they tell me it is because of the way I drive, but as soon as the warranty was up and I would have to pay for all the repairs, they found almost a thousand dollars worth of repairs to do. This was with a Mitsubishi dealer and not the dealership I leased the vehicle from.

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  Just three letters.........G T S! - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By John - August 10 - 12:16 pm

  I have found the comparison of amenities to car price for the GTS to be the best out of sedans. However, I have been plagued by problems since I purchased it. I only hope Mitsubishi can fix them since the car is great all- around.

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  Happy and Satisfied - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By ChiBob - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Stylish, nice build. Not ubiquitous like a Civic or Corolla, so it stands out, at least for now. Roomy interior with great ergonomics. Seats are a little hard, but support is good. Lots of great standard features. And again, build quality is superb.

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  My cars better than yours - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By ethan - August 8 - 2:00 am

  overall this car is pretty good for the price tag even though they mimic the rally car but only put the engine of a civic into it. The ride is smooth but the clutch needs alot of work. My suggestion would be to rent one if you can find one and drive it for a week before buying one, still though i would i get just as many options on this as i would a civic ex or corolla le, but i only paid $15,500, those two are asking almost $20,000 for the same thing! Wake up and drive honda and toyota this car is better in every way.

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  It OK, but nothing more - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By doublel9 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  good, but not great. The dashboard rattles showing bad build quality. the wheel alignment is forever off-center. And the lack of folding side mirrors is a DISGRACE. Ive knocked off two already. Once when a bicycle! brushed it. Utter disgrace. Engine is very smooth and there is good interior room. Again, its a good car, but not great

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  Not bad but parts can be expensive - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By capitan_ed - August 6 - 2:42 pm

  The overall car isnt bad. I got the car used from a dealed about 7 years ago and put 90k miles of my own for a total of 150k (actual mileage). I gave all it maintenance and regular oil changes. The engine is not as strong as I would like to. I had to reapir it and change multiple valves, gaskets and resolve loss of pressure inside the engine. I live in CA and the smog regulations are strict here I had to get rid off the car for not passing the smog check because the catalytic converter worth more than the car itself. Not for tall people defenitly!

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  Cant justify getting rid of it. - 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By kirk - August 4 - 3:30 am

  Have had my 98 for about 8 yrs. Averaged 34 mpg, and have seen 45 mpg on straight highway driving. Put on a cold air intake and now it sounds more throaty. Very reliable. Never been in the shop. Lots of room to work on engine. (its smaller than some motorcycles engines). I always talk about the mileage. Why get a hybrid, is what I Wonder.

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  Good but not perfect! - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Piper - August 2 - 5:16 am

  Now that I have 5 month of driving on my Outlander, its time to put a good review. First, the inside insulation is not at the top, your ear a lot of road noise and the exhaust system is a bit noisy. I get an average fuel economy of 18-16 in the city and 22-24 in the highway driving. Its a great suv during the winter season, you feel secure driving around. The seat are comfortable but a lite high. The warranty is great but after driving it for a couple month, if I had to choose for my new SUV now I would not choose this one. Before buying test drive it for a day or two, you will see what I am talking about.