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:

• 

  Like the Car - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By dkh5a - April 7 - 2:00 am

  I boughth this car as a cheap 4-door car that got decent gas mileage because of my commute. It has lived up to all of those expectations and "knock-on- wood" has been the most reliable car I have ever had.

• 

  Great Car & 0 Payments for a year. - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By mpeters@niu.edu - April 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in November 02, and I love it. The interior quality is excellent, better then others in its class. Ride on the highway is smooth, and handles great. Over all excellent quality, and a great value.

• 

  Updated review, 10,000 miles later - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By SixFeetDeep - April 6 - 12:46 am

  My first review was under the name Adam S. Just an FYI to all reading this. The car has been holding up pretty well. My only issues with the car has been the stock Dunlops which the dealership swapped out. They had a pulling issue from day 1 & they put on Pirelli P-Zero Neros instead. Now the car doesnt handle quite as well. Hopefully they will be better in the winter. The Dunlops were pretty scary! The paint on this car chips very easily! The front & right behind the rear doors my car looks awful! The Navi system is only current up to 2006! That is ridiculous! Mitsus customer service has been quite poor. But overall, 10K later, the car has never given me any trouble. A+ for that.

• 

  Its Okay - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Carrie - April 5 - 12:43 pm

  We bought our 2005 Galant used with 10,000 miles on it. It has enough horsepower and the interior is very nice. I dont really like the exterior though, it looks like all doors to me. I can live with that I guess. However due to the sloping down of the roof when I pull the seat up so I can reach the pedals I have virtually no head room unless I lower the seat and then I can barely see out. Its a nice car but not built for short people. I am 53". I probably wont be keeping it long because Im tired of hitting my head.

• 

  Waht a japanese car - 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Juledum - April 4 - 7:30 pm

  I bought a DE MAN and I am very happy with it. The performance is very good and its fun to drive. I dont feel intimidated when a BMW or other fancy cars stop next to me in a Light. When they want to show the power of their cars, the Lancer response very well with its 152hp and its light weight. It is a good car for long trips.

• 

  Go Buy One - You Wont Regret it! - 2006 Mitsubishi Montero
  By WRM - April 4 - 2:13 am

  My wife wanted her SUV back after a year driving an economy car. I bought her a Montero Limited and she loves it - it is just the right SUV for a woman, she says. It is easy to drive, has a great warranty, 5 years of roadside assistance, it is comfortable, roomy, has easy to use 4WD, etc. She was so happy I brought this truck home. She had a Ford Explorer last time and said the Montero beats the Explorer by a mile. This SUV is well built, rides smoothly, looks great, and I like it too. I stand 63" tall and I can ride in this SUV no problem. Take the time to test drive this SUV and compare it to what you want to buy. Oh, my wife loves the rear tail gate. It swings out like a gate and is very easy to use. Try it out!

• 

  Good Car Overall but had minor issues - 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By luke12321 - April 3 - 1:01 am

  I bought this car in 2006, it had around 45k on it. I drove the car for about 100k miles when I owned it. First, the car says to run premium only but I never did. I ran regular in it the entire time and it never gave me any issues. Issues with car: Replaced 02 sensor, transmission was making a clicking noise, but never gave me any issues. Sunroof gave me trouble with jumping, jerking, really rough to open. I just stopped using it soon after buying it. Back hatch would not stay up when opened. Dash is cheap, it was cracked when I bought it. Wasnt starting well, I didnt want to deal with any longer so I sold it. Glad I owned it, good car and low maintenance.

• 

  Best car in the world... on a dry road - 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By thehouseattheend - April 2 - 12:23 pm

  I absolutely loved my eclipse. I bought it brand new in June 2001. I have over 217,000 miles on it. Last summer I had to replace half an axle. The radio stopped coming in and the a/c stopped working at about 90,000. But nothing else major and I am rough on my vehicles. I hear if you put weight in the back it handles better in the snow. I recently crashed it. I am having a hard time finding another vehicle. I might just buy another eclipse. It is very comfortable to drive. I am 511" and not a stick girl either. Be careful with the black paint. It discolors and peels off and the dealers wont deal with it.

• 

  Caution Low Power - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Edward77 - April 1 - 2:00 am

  Buy this vehicle only if you live in a flat area. The 4 cylinder engine is under powered for any type of hill climbing. We live in Western PA and the engine really strains climbing moderate hills.

• 

  Awesome Car - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Nic231 - March 30 - 3:46 pm

  I do have to agree with the snow thing. I live in Chicago and this car sucked on even a dusting of snow. But other than that this car rocks! I love the sound sys. Love the nav. Looks are good but the tires. Be careful not to bump the curb with these rims. It will grind up the rims. Car dose need more hp and the 16 more for 09 aint cutting it!