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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  Mitsubishi Eclipse RS Hatchback - 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Billchappyri - January 16 - 12:03 am

  Car holds up great is front end crash. Does not require much maintainance, however, spark plugs are not reliable at all!

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  Mitsubishi ES Lancer Automatic - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By dinh - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Best car for the monney. Better look than CIVIC , TOYOTA, NISSAN

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  Fun - 2006 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Ghost - January 13 - 8:46 am

  This is the second Mitsubishi I have owned, not including my TV ... They are great cars and are very reliable. I test drove an Outlander a year ago, but was not quite ready to purchase one. Now I wish I had then. Even though this is a "base" model it has lots of perks like power locks, power windows, a decent stereo and rear defogger. This is stuff you would pay extra for on some of the other small SUVs. The 5-speed transmission is pretty responsive and, in reality, it has plenty of power for a SUV this size. It is also larger than it looks. I was suprised how much the size was comparable with my 2001 Jeep Cherokee. I really have enjoyed mine.

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  happy to review - 2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Endeavor - January 8 - 1:00 am

  Fun to drive and very solid. The added "stick shift" feature makes it even more exciting and is really great for control on ice and snow.

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  My favorite! - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By AINEJ - January 6 - 2:00 am

  I was shopping for a Chevy Tahoe. I went to 5 different chevrolet dealers and was frustrated I could not find the color and options I wanted. I decided to go across the street to the Mitsubishi Dealer and look at the Montero and I saw my endeavour and fell in love with it! The interior is amazing. The 6 disc in dash is a great standard feature in the XLS. I have never been so pleased with a new car purchase. I would highly recommend this car!

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  Awesome!! - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Tammy - January 5 - 9:16 pm

  I bought my Mirage in 02 used, had 31k on it and have LOVED it. It now has 120k on it and will I drive it till it falls apart. It has beautiful gas usage and plenty of get up and go. The only problem I have had is the A/C compressor chirps.

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  Awesome "whip" - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Jennifer - January 3 - 10:46 pm

  I have had my 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse for about 6 months now. I have not had any problem with it and I love it. I get lots of compliments and looks, a lot of them from the police! I have always wanted an Eclipse and I am glad that I chose this one. I agree with everyone else in that it is a "drivers" car. There is not a lot of space in the backseat. It also became a little pricey when I went to tint the windows, because there were so many "little ones." I also think that the cost of repairs seems to be a bit expensive. I had my car for 3 months and hit a deer. it took almost 2 months to fix because of the new body style, but it isnt the cars fault.

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  Love It - 2006 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Ebough - January 2 - 5:50 pm

  I just bought my 2006 Outlander after almost eight years driving a Ford SHO. I wanted a truck, but we picked the Outlander as a compromise. After years of driving a very powerful, low profile car, the Outlander took a lot of getting used to. However, once I was comfortable I love it. I hate super plush cars, so this is a great compromise between a car and a truck - and honestly, with Mitsubishis road rally experience, I expect to be able to get out of my driveway many mornings without snowblowing. Once I get my first scratch I might go down some dirt roads. If youre looking for something with quick acceleration, this is not the car. But it does cruise quite nicely.

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  Love This Car - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Kaisere - January 1 - 2:10 pm

  I bought my Galant about 3 weeks ago. It had 32,000 miles, very low I thought for an 03. The interior and exterior were in great shape. I feel in love with this car as soon as I took it for a test drive. It was either between an 06 Malibu or the 03 Galant. The Galant drives so smoothly Im glad I chose it. They style of the car is sporty yet "mature". My car already came with the spoilier so thats why it looks sporty. The interior looks like every other Galant, the greyish color seats. The car is very spacious, bigger then my neon. So far I dig this car and I hope it lasts me for a long time :)

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By marina - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle ...no complaints...Pretty decent in the snow...Love it! Sorry to hear the body style is changing in 2005. Should not change a good thing!