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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  Outlander 03 - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Dennis - June 30 - 10:40 am

  Ive own this SUV since Dec 02, I must say I couldnt be more pleased. I havent had a bit of trouble except for replacing the brakes at 20,000. The milage is great when I go to Vegas 27-28) but city driving eats up the gas (about 17mpg) Yea, I would buy another one when the time comes.

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  Very Good So Far - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By maurice young - June 30 - 12:56 am

  My Ford Econoline conversion van broke down for the last time in August 2004. I needed something to drive that day so I had my daughter take me to the nearby Carmax store. I was going to buy a used car that was safe and that would get better mileage than my van. After looking at several used vehicles with limited warranties, the salesman told me about the Galants that they sold that were new and had great warranties and prices. The styling did not blow me away but it was alright. The test drive was ok so I went with it. 23,000 miles later Ive come to really appreciate this car. Its comfortable, reliable, has a solid ride, and reasonably good looking.

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  Awesome Eclipse - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By sexie 06 - June 29 - 12:33 am

  This is my 3rd Mitsubishi Eclipse in 10 years, and it is by far the best one I have ever owned. The design is on the money. It is HOT! It is sporty, sleek, and just glides on the road. It also is easy to handle (and easy to get a ticket in if you arent careful). I just tinted the windows and had a set of hook up rims on it. The Eclipse has always been my favorite car. It is comfortable to ride in. I would recommend to any single lady or guy (it is a great pick-up car).

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  Great buy - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By ashgad - June 27 - 10:56 pm

  I bought this car in 2005, needed a larger car for our new baby. It has been such a great buy! It is super reliable, nothing has ever broken down on it and it runs like a champ. It has almost 90,000 miles on it now and is still running as great as the day I bought it. It is awesome in the snow, when we had a huge storm here 2 years ago, I was passing up every other SUV and truck left and right as they all got stuck or slid down a the hill. I would recommend this car to anyone, it has been great for us!

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  My first car is a total winner - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Dr. Ann - June 26 - 7:33 am

  This is my very first car! Since I got it in January, Ive been very, very, very happy with it. Every aspect is just right. I didnt want to spend a lot of money as I just started working, but just needed a car to move my kid to school and places. Our Britax convertible car seat fits perfectly, and when I tell my friends this new Outlander has the latest-tech rigid anti-crash frame (called R.I.S.E.) as well as six advanced-tech airbags, plus 5-star frontal crash test result from the NHTSA, they are impressed. Great value!

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  2003 Mitsubishi Galant ES - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By KSpec - June 25 - 7:20 am

  After 2.5 years of ownership, this car has been a real pleasure to own. Mileage is around 25 around town and 29 on the highway. Steering is precise and the brakes and accelerator are responsive. Even though it only has the 140 HP engine, Mitsubishi put the torque where it is most useful which makes the car more responsive than you would otherwise expect. This is the 2nd 2003 Galant we owned. the first only lived a few months before it got totalled, but saved our lives as we were hit from behind at a very high rate of speed. Were alive because of this car!

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  Terrific Buy - I Love this Car! - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Gloria LaBrecque - June 23 - 9:43 pm

  I bought this vehicle after 6 months of researching several similar small SUVs, like the Rav 4, Hyundai Tucson, Subaru Forester, etc. I found the ride of the Mitsubishi very comfortable, the look very sporty and sleek and the overall driving experience to be superior to the others and the BEST part of this research process was the price piece - the "Bishi" (as my 3 year old calls her) was less than the whole bunch. I have owned the car for two full months and have consistently gotten 20-21 mpg city driving and 26-27 mpg on the highway.

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  Diamante is "Okay" - 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Ray - June 22 - 12:40 am

  The stiff ride improved significantly with the addition of Goodyear Assurance tires. Overall the Diamante is a pretty good value for the money. It is reliable but had little glitches initially and I spend several days at the dealer having noises fixed and things adjusted. I am currently having trouble finding patch paint and misc. parts. I would like more power but its adequate as is. A recent trip East gave me a low of 22 and high of 29 mpg - overall 26.54 mpg at 70+ mph all the way - Im pleased. I will probably keep this one for a while as my "work" transportation. Too bad they stopped importing the car.

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  Storage and performance - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
  By Don Andretti - June 21 - 10:20 pm

  I bought this new. The seats are great, the head rests sit perfect so I can leave my head on the head rest while driving. The roof rack is great to hold cargo box. Suspension is stiff enough that the cargo loaded down for camping is forgotten about. I normal drive with a tool box in back and corners and pulls like a sport coupe. I bought this to keep up with my Datsun 280ZX that I still drive. The Sportback will out straight line and corner the Z but will not give you the precise feedback of the Z saying that about a wagon that gets the same MPG as My Z is amazing I now have 66k miles on the Wagon. MPG 29 hy "towing a HondaTRX450R" 26 hy PS this replaced my Dodge D-50 SP 5 sp

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  Like my Eclipse - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By JMRO - June 19 - 5:00 pm

  I had been interested in an Eclipse for several years. Now that Mitsubishi has built a serious sports coupe, I decided to purchase. And, I am glad that I did!