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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  Poor paint quality, Nice car - 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By DIXIENDFW - July 17 - 4:53 pm

  Overall, I like my outlander, but my paint started fading within 2 years of owning it. I took it to the dealer who told me it was because of the "texas sun". Needless to say, it is paid off now, 4 years old and looks pretty shabby on the outside. All the plastic parts are more pink than red. I am not happy. But, the interior is nice, laid out well. I have room for my car seat and one other adult in backseat. Cargo room is sufficient for a smaller suv. I am unhappy that at 50,000 miles I am considering A NEW PAINT JOB.

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  Black paint problems - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Lisa - July 11 - 3:43 am

  Major problems with the black paint have developed in about 2-3 years. In my opinion there is an obvious defect with the black paint on many Mitsubishi. Paint on the roof down to primer in many locations on roof. Car is garage kept, to bad it comes with a 3 yr 36k mile paint warranty. Suggest bringing back to dealer early, or youll get no where.. Not sure with so many issue with the Black paint they have not recalled.

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  10 - 2004 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By tina1968 - July 11 - 2:10 am

  I love my new car ,,, best car on the road,,,,,

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  Galant ES - 2006 Mitsubishi Galant
  By CelticCrafter - July 10 - 9:36 pm

  I really love driving my 2006 Mitsubishi Galant ES. It handles well, is comfortable, and has no road noise or harsh bumps.

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  Eclipse Owner - 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Eclipse owner - July 10 - 10:00 am

  I have had my car for almost three years, and until now I have had no problems whatsoever. However, recently I found that there was a problem with the ignition switch that is prevalent in all Eclipses. When it goes bad, the clock, radio, and air conditioning will sometimes not work. If I had not purchased my extended warranty, it would have cost $282 to have fixed. Other than this, I have loved my car.

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  AWESOME ENDEAVOR!! - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By STACEY MARTIN - July 10 - 10:00 am

  great, great ride. Pretty good on gas, DVD player is incredible, along with heated seats.

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  Luv My Rocket Super Fun... - 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By tashaluv2 - July 8 - 12:35 pm

  We Pd 700 bucks for it 3 years ago & did minor work tires,ect basic stuff & few weeks ago the clutch went so we replaced it a bit of a job but clutch is One Piece but we did it.U find oodles of parts on Net & not expensive & just bought an 05 V6 & Id rather drive this one w over 150k miles & have 5 cars & Id rather drive my rocket and Std trans ride is Fun,Fun...

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  Dont drive to work - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By A - July 7 - 9:40 pm

  From the day I bought the car, I just liked it, not loved it. I didnt buy it for the gas mileage, so I wasnt expecting good mileage. The power was fun (manual makes it better), but I notice all the other things like the blind spot, rough ride and road noise. To top it off, when I took the car in for a shimmy while braking, I was told that it is normal for the rotors to have to be resurfaced every 10,000 miles. So have fun with the car, just dont use the brakes.

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  Great Competitor - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By MitsuLover - July 5 - 3:16 am

  Ive had my XLS eleven months now and am very happy with it; no problems yet & going strong. It has a number of features usually found in much more expensive cars, but if Mitsubishi wants the XLS to compete against the higher-end SUVs in its segment, then theyll have to "up the ante"; theyll have to install illuminated vanity mirrors (and improve quality of sun visors), programmable automatic locks, dual express-down windows, real fog lamps, mudguards, driver and passenger power seats, auto-dimming mirror w/built-in compass and HomeLink. With at least these additional features, it would put the Outlander XLS more at the Acura/BMW/Lexus level as opposed to the Honda/Toyota level.

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  Zippity do dah - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Purchasinggirl - July 5 - 1:03 am

  I love this car! I have had people stop and take pictures of it with their cell phones. I am always being stopped and asked if thats the new Eclipse. The interior lights are great. The down side is that it is hard to backup because of the rear visibility. There is basically no back seat and it is difficult for tall people to fit in the front. I would have liked to have automatic door locks which is not an option. I feel safer knowing my doors have locked for me when I put the car in park. Lets not forget the stereo rocks!