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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  It looks better than it is - 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By jacobmunden - September 6 - 7:43 pm

  Really, the title says it all. I got my fully optioned AWD outlander sport in 2012 and have put around 10,000 miles on it. As far as reliability, its been great, though youd expect that from a brand new car. The driveability of the car is far from sporty. While it may be AWD with paddle shifters, it doesnt offer much fun to the driver. The gas mileage on it is absolutely average. I do have to say, it looks pretty good on the outside, especially with the rim package! If youre looking for a car with good gas mileage or a bit more performance, look elsewhere.

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  Not all SUVs are the same !!! - 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By Kids out of the house.. - August 29 - 2:11 am

  Its been two years (2015) since I bought my outlander sport and initially I gave it high marks , but after driving it every day , I have changed my opinion . There are much better alternatives too choose from . Last , but not least , Mitsubishi is not interested in the US market , they give us sub par products . I do not recommend buying this small SUV . Cons : Cheap plastic interior Noisy engine Rides like a horse Average gas mileage Average technology Too fam small of tear seats Pros : Great warranty Hope this helped.

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  its aight - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By nufftrouble - August 16 - 10:26 pm

  I have the oz and i find for it being the top line of the car models they could have at least given it more horsepower or made the rims 16. The car lacks power and has bad handling. This car has so much restrictions on it. Its a good car for the price but with the name lancer they should put whats known in lacers, horsepower

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  Short Seats, Bad Trans - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By stinger ray - July 29 - 2:00 am

  Bought my SX for the 0,0,0 deal. It looks great but has been back to the dealer more then any other car I have owned. 6 times for the trans no going in drive alone (and still they wont replace the trans). Seats dont sit high enough or low enough for my comfort. Looking forward to getting rid of this car.

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  Not bad at all- well... a little! - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By kewl kid - July 29 - 2:00 am

  I would recommend a Honda Civic or a Hyundai Elantra also!

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  2014 Mitsubishi Outlander GT - 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By tr2v3l3r - July 27 - 9:30 am

  I test drove several Mitsubishi cars and liked the way the car felt. After driving the car for a week I was able to find a number of short comings. The automatic transmission is unresponsive, traction control never engages in slippery conditions, loud road noise, and the car itself feels unrefined. V6 engine has 224 hp at 6250 rpm, but power to weight ratio is 0.045 hp/lb. The car is a bit too heavy at 5005 pounds. My previous car was lighter at 4001 pounds and you can feel the difference. This is my first Mitsubishi car, but I have been looking at them for 15 years. A number of my friends owned Mitsubishi cars and were happy with them.

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  2nd Review - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By wpederson - July 23 - 2:33 pm

  Well, I have put about 22,000 miles on my car since my last review, and im not so impressed anymore. The trim paint on the door is peeling off, the seats are already showing wear, and you can never seem to get used to the clutch. The car always "lurches" at take off and it does not shift smoothly at all (maybe cuz its got lots of torque?) It has a few electrical problems, the moonroof has a mind of its own sometimes and reopens by itself after closing it. Overall Im not terribly displeased, it does have lots of power, and looks great, just wish it was better quality like other Japanese brands...

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  Think Again - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Rhonda - July 4 - 2:00 am

  The 1st month the car was floodeddue to poor window seals. Both interior door handles broke off (recall) and I have had proably 10+ recalls. Tried to turn it in under the lemon law but it has to be the same problem 4+ times. I have has alignments and it still is not striaght and over 70 mph it rattles. The resell value is terrible and to fix any small part as in light covers is very expensive.

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  STAY CLEAR - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By bk007 - June 30 - 2:00 am

  I have owned the car for a year now, and cant wait to get rid of it. I drive a lot 40,000 miles in one year. Gas milage is getting worse and worse, build quality is poor, dash rattles, door rattles, now heres the best part the car has a msrp around 15k+ now a year later even if it had low miles its worth around 8k, 50% loss in one year, you do the math!

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  Not impressed - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Amanda - June 26 - 9:20 am

  If you live where there is snow, do not get this car! It tends to get stuck, even on the roads. It does not get any traction to get started, just wants to veer all over the road. Also, when trying to stop on slippery roads, it pulls the car hard left or right. I went from a 2007 Civic SI to a 2009 Lancer GTS, the Civic had tons more power and got tons better gas mileage. Very upset with the whole car. The seats are extremely uncomfortable when taking a trip longer than 30 minutes also.