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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  Fuel Milage - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By kleo84 - May 17 - 3:03 pm

  I disagree with the other people saying the fuel mileage is bad. i drove this car from Kileen, Texas to Colorado Springs and averaged around 33-35mpg!!! Both trips. The only thing I dont really like about the base models is the HP. It shoulda been upped a little compared to the newer 4cyl. N/A cars out there, but nice car looks mean in the front.

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  Great Car Horrible Paint - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Eric Vanhinkle - May 16 - 6:13 am

  I purchased this car with 4 miles on it. I noticed after my first oil change that there were specs on the cars hood. Very small at first then increasing to the size of a pea. At my next oil change I mentioned it to service who took pics and sent to corporate as the dealer cannot make warranty decisions on leather and paint. I had the regional director of service come out and inspect my vehicle who took more pics and turned into corporate. I was told these were stones and not covered under warranty. While I am not a care engineer, repair or sales person, I would think that if I was hit by something hit my car hard enough to chip my paint to the gray primer there would probably be a dent, which there is not. As the chips are increasing in numbers and size, I am anticipating my entire hood will be gray and not the beautiful cosmic blue before the loan is even paid off. So buyer beware and google mitsubitshi paint and I will assure you that one of the suggested phrases is mitsubitshi paint "chips" or "problems".

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  Dont be fooled by "expert" reviews! GREAT CAR! - 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By Bravin Hughart - May 16 - 1:21 am

  Are you kidding? Buy it! We mulled around for two weeks trying to decide between the Honda CRV, Subaru XT and the Outlander Sport. The Mitsubishi had the best warranty by a long shot (not the warranty was much of a concern with Honda or Subaru). It boiled down to bang for your buck. We got a LOADED SE Outlander with the glass roof for around the starting price of the other two. We bought the Mitsubishi thinking we just got more bells and whistles but a cheapo car. Well, we were wrong. We just wrapped up a 2000 mile road trip and we were stunned. Economy: This car averaged 31 MPG over the full distance. (Keep in mind this is the 4X4) The insurance rate was lower than the other two SUVs we were considering. Comfort: I have a very bad back and that is the most comfortable I have been in a car since I drove a Lincoln. It rides, handles and stops very well. Power: Many people comment the power is lacking in this car. My wife and I feel it is just right. It is not slow by any means. 70 -80 mph with no issues through the mountains. Acceleration is actually impressive. MPG is the concern for us and this car finds that balance between power and MPG. The CVT transmission is a little weird at first but you soon get used to the shift or no shift depending on where your foot is on the accelerator. I have fun working with the transmission keeping the MPG maxed out. Design: The interior is not Lexus quality but it is as good if not better than Honda, Toyota or Subaru. We LOVE the Rockford Fosgate stereo system with the touch screen and deep bass. The illuminated glass roof is a treat at night. The exterior is aggressive and sporty. It turns heads. We had several people ask us what kind of car this was and they liked it. Value: We feel we could not have done better with any other car. The Mitsubishi dealers seem happy to have our business instead of considering it a chore to sell us a car (Honda, Subaru). We bought this car for work commuter duty. We have already decided it will be much more than that.

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  RELIABLE - 1996 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Mitsu - May 14 - 10:00 am

  The best thing about this car is its reliability. Overall I have been happy with since Ive had it almost seven years and I feel as though its been good to me. This is a pretty simple car that gets the job done and doesnt give you any problems, which is all I was looking for.

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  mits diamante - 2001 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By chefboyrmike - May 14 - 10:00 am

  sports cars power with luxury car ride high quality sound system really sweet doing 85 on the highway

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  Just another Car - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By bigspender - May 14 - 10:00 am

  OK car. Drives ok and handles nice. No power unless someone gets out and pushes. They are very proud of it as they MSRP the o-Z at 18,000 and the dealer tries to sell $2000.00 more of scotch gaurd and pin strip.

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  Excellent Value and Fun Too! - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By DPiedra - May 13 - 12:40 am

  This car has handled well through Ontario winters and through several long trips in hot summer months. Highway driving is very smooth (surpisingly so for a small V4). Interior is nice, but could use a better clock (minor detail though). I find the accelaration a bit slow when entering the highway, but at high speeds, no problem. In city driving, there is no lack of accelaration. Not sure what the folks who say this vehicle lacks acceleration are looking for, racing type acceleration? If so go to high end V8s, this is a great buy and fun to drive too.

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  Phenomenal Car! - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Poke - May 12 - 5:30 am

  Bought mine used with 17,000 miles on it. I was just looking for an everyday runner, and this car was available. Simply unbelievable. I never even looked at Mitsubishi before, but its true that theyve thought of everything. I have the convertible GT V6, and this baby is a runner, alright. Previous owner put a carbon fiber hood on her, 20-inch black spoke wheels, an air induction system to increase her horsepower, and all the options! Wow. Shes amazing! The ride is incredible, the look is amazing, and the officer who pulled up alongside of me to tell me I was going too fast even gave me a thumbs up and a wave! And my golf clubs fit in the trunk! You wont be disappointed!

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  Outlander 2007 - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Mother of Twins - May 11 - 12:50 pm

  Its fun to drive. Handles very well in curves, even in really sharp curves. It accelerates quick and it is fast for a small SUV. It has a lot of cup holders. It has more than one storage compartment, not only the regular glove box. The seat hugs so you cant slide when turning. It is a fun SUV to drive and cool looking.

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  WOW! 2015 Outlander Sport GT one year later - 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By BTWells - May 10 - 2:00 pm

  I bought the 2015 Outlander Sport GT back in April 2015 so have owned it for more than a year. Wow! What a nice vehicle. I got a gray one with the Touring package, Rockford Fosgate sound system, panoramic roof, cargo package, and exterior side moldings. The GT version also comes with the 2.4 liter engine. For me it drives beautifully. Nice pickup and acceleration with the improved engine. The black leather interior and matching black carpet make the interior fell rich and comfortable. The navigation system/audio system is LOADED with features and looks and sounds great. At the push of a button the ceiling retreats and panoramic roof with its LED backlighting appears-- very impressive! Best Features: The sound system is too cool and if you like bottom-end bass you will learn to rock out! Night driving with the panoramic roof open and the stereo loud will make you want to take more night drives! It was easy to pair my IPhone to the system and having the system controls on the steering wheel is convenient . The leather heated seats are very comfy and the dashboard layout was nicely thought out. There is also ample leg room for rear passengers. The gas mileage is also good--my best is 33 MPG and it averages 26-28 MPG on my 19 mile commute to work. Could be better features: I am not yet sold on the voice activation of the phone or navigation system. Maybe it needs to learn my voice and after one year of trying you would have thought it would have my voice down pat? And, Mitsubishi should rethink the "book" it gives as owners manuals. I find the manuals to be confusing and contain too much info and printed in typeface much too small for my eyes. And, after a year of driving, the shocks could be better. And lastly, the rear cargo area is small but certainly ample for most shopping expeditions as long as you dont buy any really larger size items. That being said, I really like the GT!