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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  Great Value Auto for the Money - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Svenska Poyka - December 1 - 2:00 am

  Ive found my Mitsubishi Galant to have been a hidden secret in the automotive world. A great little car you hear little of until you meet someone who owns or has owned one. Never have i found a person who was not excited about their Mitzi!

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  cant beat it for the money - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By ryanclements - December 1 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I have had the Outlander for a year now and we still love it. It has a very car-ish ride and still has many of the useful things we were hoping to get from an SUV (cargo space, roomy ride). ABS should be standard. Its probably not the best SUV on the market, but the cost makes it, in my opinion, the best value--which is most important. Its pretty good on gas anyway, but we added a tornado fuel saver and the hwy mpg jumped by 4-6 miles/gal! The sportronic trannie is a hoot too. I dont use it often, but theres plenty of juice when I need it. We love it, and anyone that would give it a chance most likely will too.

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  Super Car - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Nissim Moses - December 1 - 2:00 am

  This is my 4th car 12&4 were of 1500 cc and the 3rd was 1800 cc engine. All were excellent. The Dealer in Rochestor of the 1800 cc gave excellent service. The pricing of repairs if ant and service was very reasonable

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  Ralliart - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By sdmac - December 1 - 2:00 am

  This is a really fun car. I bought the lightning yellow (my favorite color) and cant help but smile every time I get it it!

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  Even Better the Second Time - 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By zascarace - November 30 - 10:00 am

  This is the second Montero Sport Ive owned (I traded in a 1997 LS) and the only cause for significant complaint would be the level of sevice received from Mitsubishi Dealerships. The Montero Sport is quiet and rides smooth (for a truck). The "New for 2000" coil spring rear suspension really made the ride quite a bit smoother. In fact I will argue too smooth since I had to add air springs to level out the ride when loaded down for long trips.

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  Best Ive owned so far - 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Ltl Doc - November 30 - 10:00 am

  I originally purchased vehicle for travel involved with work. It has quickly become my preferred vehicle. I highly recommend this SUV.

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  Liked the 1st so much..bought another! - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By jwphishy - November 30 - 10:00 am

  LOVE THE RELIABILITY !!!! Love the look and ride!!!

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  Good, solid car & looks and drives great - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By TonyM - November 30 - 7:03 am

  I just got the GTS, 5-speed about 2 months ago. A little late maybe. But its what I could afford. I think this car is very solid and runs great. As long as you keep up on your oil changes, and put premium in it like the owners manual suggests. The first thing I noticed because I immediately drove it on the highway was it takes a while to find a comfortable adjustment on your seat in conjunction with using the clutch as well as sitting for prolonged periods of times. My back hurt for about a week in beginning to drive it. Its fast though, for sure. This car packs a punch! I havent had it long enough to really even encounter mechanical problems... *knock on wood*.

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  Galant ES - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By MIKES - November 24 - 1:43 am

  The only thing I dont like is the material they use for the dashboard and upper door panel. It is very hard to clean the rough surface. Other than that it is a great car averaging 22 mpg city and 30 on hwy. 4 cylinder is plenty powerful enough.

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  Great Wheels - 2010 Mitsubishi Galant
  By cjf 06/29/2010 - November 23 - 7:13 am

  This is my first Galant. I have to say Im impressed. Ive only owned it 3 months but it seems like this car is well put together. I must say I dont at all agree with the Edmunds OR Consumer Reports reviews. They seem exceedingly harsh. Although I would have preferred a 6 cyl the 4 cyl is quite adequate. Ok. It might not leap like a race car but it has a lot of pep for a 4 cyl. Handling and response is excellent. And, yes, the engine is slightly noisy at times but its not loud by any means. The ride is very steady, smooth and even. The interior very stylish and the radio sounds great. As far as the quality of the controls. Everybody uses plastic these days. Seats are comfortable too.