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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  Good in the snow - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By randyptl - February 10 - 2:00 am

  Overall it is great. Not much on acceleration, however, it rides well on the highway. My kids love the arm rest with the drink holders and the back seat fits two car seats well.

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  My Galant - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By ES - February 8 - 4:10 am

  The Galant is a great vehicle that drives well. Compared to the Nissan Altima, the Galant wins hands down. I have a newborn and the space, comfort, and drive of the Galant are excellent.

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  Fun for Teen - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Hadeswolf - February 5 - 12:03 am

  Had the GTS CVT for over half a year now, and I have to say, this car is extremely fun to drive. I paid a tad too much for this car, but it was worth every single penny. This car is great, looks aggressive, perfect for those teenage drivers like myself. Although I have to say Im a little disappointed in the engine power, its a blast to drive. The 152 hp engine could be a little better, certainly the 09 GTS with the 2.4 L 168 hp engine will be much faster. The fuel economy is rather good on this car. I get about on average 21 to 22 MPG. But for me this is hard to obtain because as a teenage driver, accelerating slowly doesnt give me a rush of adrenaline.

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  I am still driving it and it has 36,868 - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Eclipse driver - February 1 - 10:36 pm

  My car has never given me one bit of trouble. I loved it from the first time I saw it. It is red. I am the only owner and bought it new from the showroom. The only problem I have had was the check engine light that has come on twice since I have had it. It is on now so I hope this is not the beginning of problems. I did find out that if you do not screw the gas cap until it clicks at least 4 times that the check engine light could come on. I think the gas cap is a little loose now, which may be the problem. Had it checked today and said the engine was fine so dont know why the light wont go off. I will investigate but it still drives as good as ever. I just love my car... everything!

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  Excellent Truck - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
  By Patriot - February 1 - 2:43 pm

  The raider is a great truck. I wasnt sure what to expect and was hesitant at first. I traded in a Dodge Ram 1500 for it. The Raider is very comfortable, comes with many more extras than the Dakota, and it has an awesome 5 year / 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. It looks awesome too. I got an LS Quad Cab 4x4, with remote mirrors, power everything, auto, V6, appearance package and only paid $20,400. Its sticker was $27,355. The Dakota didnt come close in price with a lot less options. It has plenty of room in the inside and a very functional truck. I would strongly recommend it. Definitely take one for a test drive if you are looking for a new truck. This is my third truck and it is by far the most comfortable and functional.

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  Outlandish Surprise - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Tyler - February 1 - 5:57 am

  I needed an affordable SUV for my family of 5. I looked at all options including some large sedans and mini vans. Then I came across the Outlander. Ive had the car for only about a month but I am totally impressed. It looks great, drives great, gets amazing gas mileage for a full size SUV. I am consistently getting 31-33 mpg on the highway and 29 mixed. I can get my wife and three kids in this thing and jump on the highway and go! It also doesnt require Premium gas just basic unleaded. I have the base model but I love it for what it is. A simple clean performer. The bluetooth phone connectivity works great and much better than my last 35 thousand VW. The stock wheels look very nice and fresh. Its also very quiet on the road. Its a just a real good performer for the tasks that I use it for. My model doesnt have all the bells and whistles but honestly I dont need Nav. I have my phone and it works great. I also love that I sit up high on the road. Its as high as most trucks and higher than most vans. Its got tons of cargo space and is really flexible when youre hauling people or cargo. The build quality feels good. The ride feels solid with nice balance of road feel and comfort. It has high clearance so although I havent tested it in the snow, I am expecting decent performance. The warranty is amazing. I simply do not believe that there is a better SUV buy out there for $19,785 especially one that sits 7. The Outlander will haul people and cargo and do it with style and great gas mileage. Plus you get the added bonus that they are not a dime a dozen. In a way they are a bit like a boutique company. I read all the reviews before I bought it and many complained about the lack of power. I dont get it. It has enough power. Is it fast? Fast enough. Is it a race car? No. In drive mode with "Eco" mode enabled at can at times feel a little sluggish but its not that bad. If you feel the need you can always drop the shifter in "sport" mode, click off the "Eco" mode and get much snappier performance. I actually like that I can turn this stuff off and on. That way I can get great mileage most of the time but get performance when I feel like its needed. So far I am really liking the Outlander

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  Best family sedan at any price - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By El Paso Galant - February 1 - 4:00 am

  My 1999 BMW M3 was getting to small for my family, so I was looking at the new BMW 540i, Infiniti G35, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Nissan Maxima and every other car under $60,000. I picked the Mitsubishi Galant GTS, the 540i was my first choice, but the wife didnt like the dash. I dont care what the spec says, but I know my GTS is faster 0-60 mph than any of the car I test drove. I love the stereo. I still dont understand why people say Bose makes the best stereo. The blue dash light is awesome. The shiftronic is so smooth, its like driving a manual transmission. This car is fast and very comfortable. The only way to describe this car is WOW.

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  Great Car, Great Price, Fun Extras - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By dugger48 - January 31 - 11:23 pm

  I was researching mid-sized SUV and Crossovers for approx. 2 years before I discovered the Outlander. All the other cars that I researched fell short of what I was looking for. The Outlander met almost all my expectations. Appearance & design: nicely designed interior and sporty exterior. Performance and good gas mileage: 220 hp + 6spd auto tranny. Price: $25k w/options. Drivability: ride quality (suspension, road noise, handling), interior comfort, visibility, and interior space. The Outlander also offers a lot of neat std. and optional equipment (see Fav. Features). I highly recommend you consider the Outlander when researching/test driving similar vehicles, youÂ’ll probably buy it

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  Love my limited montero - great for moms - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero
  By lxc - January 31 - 10:00 am

  I really appreciate that I can stow the rear seat under the floor and gain that cargo space And I love being able to expand seating capacity so easy. I totally disagree that the rear seat is useless My kids love it Lets face it Im not going to drive cross country with an adult back there but who would The seats flip very easily to get the kids in and out Its great on the highway and around town And its not so big that I need a flagger to get me into a parking space Its great for lugging the kids their stuff and friends around and looks great not the mother ship (aka minivan) and its not like driving a grayhound (Giant SUV)

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  Still happy after 2 years - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By jk - January 29 - 1:00 pm

  Pretty much love the car. Its been able to do everything Ive asked of it. People still comment on how cool it looks. Pickup is excellent.