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:

• 

  Wow! - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Jeff - February 21 - 6:40 am

  I currently own a 2004 Outlander, so Im familiar with the quality of the brand. My wife traded her 2005 Subaru Outback for the 2007 XLS 4WD. We absolutely love this car. The ride is great and the vehicle is fun. I tried to talk her out of the navigation system, but we got it and it is awesome. The wheels, stereo, and of course the engine are all quite an improvement over the 2004 model. We compared it to the CR-V, Saturn, Toyota and Subaru (Outback and Tribeca) and nothing comes close to matching the engineering marvel of this vehicle. Note: there is no new car leather smell to this vehicle. The odor absorbing headliner keeps the car smelling, well, clean. Which is nice, since we have dogs. Give this car a look

• 

  We love this "crazy" car! - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By S&L - February 19 - 10:00 am

  Before we bought this Galant we were looking for Altimas, Hondas,etc., except Toyota as we dont believe it’s worth the money they asked for. Galant outperforms them all; it can be driven either gently or like a racehorse, accelerates very quickly, stable and reliable on the road, easy in maintenance. In other words – excellent and very reasonable buy for end user.

• 

  149,000 Miles and Still Going! - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By LLNE760 - February 16 - 4:26 am

  I bought my new Galant in 2001 and have had no major issues with it. The only 2 things that Ive had to replace since then were 1) a cracked radiator and 2) the O2 sensor. As long as all scheduled maintenance and oil changes are done on time, this car will run for years to come. Included in my usual oil changes, I also add a bottle of fuel injector cleaner to the gas tank. Paint on my car is great, but I also tend to wax my car every three months. I love my car and want to buy another new Mitsubishi, but will need to wait until this recession crisis eases up a bit.

• 

  Awesome SUV - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By we2apothecary - February 16 - 2:00 am

  This is an awesome buy! The Outlander comes standard with automatic transmission, add-ons are reasonable, & the financing deal Mitsubishi is offering is incredible. The Outlander has the smoothest ride of any of the "mini-SUVs" on the market. Great handling, super comfortable seats, good gas mileage, & you just cant beat the overall appearance. No problem with interstate passing here (not sure where Edmunds get that comment). This car has incredible get up & go. Mitsubishi includes tons of standard features. I am super satisfied with our purchase!

• 

  Good combination of sport and luxury - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Obi-Wan - February 16 - 2:00 am

  Looked at the Acura RSX, Toyota Celica, and Hyundai Tibutron. The Tiburon was quite a value, but build quality was noticebly cheaper, and resale poor. Celica and RSX were nice, but somewhat plain, and the RSX had to be revved between 7-8K rpm to get the last 40 hp out of the 200 hp engine. Eclipse is longer and heavier, but much more comfortable for front seat passengers, especially on longer drives. 210 HP is readily available at all speeds, and 5 spd manual is sporty enough for mountain roads. So its not "fast and furious" but it is sport luxury without having to rev like a formula 1 racer.

• 

  My Eye Catcher - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By dee - February 15 - 5:33 am

  The 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse is awesome! I get plenty of people asking if they can look inside. I even got a couple of thumbs up on the interstate while taking a weekend trip.

• 

  Best value for a midsize car - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By walkerci - February 14 - 10:00 am

  What attracted me to the Galant is value for the money, style, performance, interior room, and the great warranty. You simply cannot get more car for the money. My Galant was built with UAW labor and more than 50% US part content, so I can even feel a bit patriotic about my decision. My other cars are a 1999 VW Passat GLS and a 1997 VW Jetta GT. I considered buying another Passat, but the difference in price didnt seem worth it to me.

• 

  I LOVE THIS SUV !! - 2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By RNDB - February 14 - 10:00 am

  I OWN THE 2004 XLS MODEL OF THE ENDEAVOR AND I MUST SAY, I LOVE IT! BEFORE I PURCHASED I CONSIDER NISSAN AND LEXUS AND NONE OF THEM PLEASED ME AS MUCH STYLE AND PRICE WISE. IT SEATS 5 ADULTS COMFORTABLY AND I HAVE LOTS OF CARGO SPACE. THE GAS MILEAGE COULD BE ALITTLE BETTER BUT OVERALL I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE BEST SUVS OUT THERE. MY HUSBAND AND MY MOTHER ARE CONSIDERING TRADING IN THEIR CARS FOR ONE TOO!

• 

  All 10s - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Nam - February 10 - 2:00 am

  One of the best small cars I have ever had the pleasure of owning.

• 

  mitsu montero sport - 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By tkuhn1 - February 10 - 2:00 am

  overall, a good, reliable car. comfortable, everything you would want in an SUV, but could use a little more boost in power.