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 car - 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Frank Trobirdge - August 18 - 12:00 pm

  I love this SUV. I drive it 30,000 miles a year and has 95K on it now and still runs like new. I have used it to haul my small camper and have really abused this car, but it continues to work like a dream. While its design is pretty extreme, it allows the car to look as new and trendy as the other crossovers being released today. I will keep this thing forever if I can, and if it dies, it am so pleased I am likely to go out and purchase another Outlander.

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  outlander rocks - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Brandon Terrill - August 18 - 2:00 am

  The outlander is the bestcar Ive been in that I had!!!

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  exciting drive - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By schumacher - August 18 - 2:00 am

  my mitsu is titanium w/sunroof and infinity sound which i find to be ok. i get lots of stares because this car just plain looks bad ass. and it is if you can handle a clutch and shifter in a racer fashion . i can rip a 7 second 0-60 and 15.2 1/4 mile. however i wish mitsu would have distanced itself from other cars of this type by offering a 230 hp, 235 lb.ft torque engine. it would have been the smart thing to do in order to draw people away from competitors such as acura and toyota.

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  Very, Very, Very Nice Vehicle - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Girlie - August 13 - 10:00 am

  Nice comfortable, firm, sturdy, solid and smooth riding SUV. Excellent on long trips. Stereo system is awesome. Rear passengers would be more comfortable if the rear seats could recline some. Some road noise and please dont open just the two rear windows, it will really hurt your ears. Otherwise, very satisfied.

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  Prior owner of 96 Eclipse in love again - 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Dorf - August 13 - 6:33 am

  I love Eclipses! Use to have a 96, and recently an 08 Versa (DULL ride). Just got this 2008 Eclipse GS in Rave Red (beautiful color!). What a difference between the Versa and this car. This car makes driving a THRILL again! Love it!

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  Fun, quality, reliability and great valu - 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By PS3Fanboy - August 7 - 1:00 am

  I bought an auto DE last fall and have been extremely happy with the car. What attracted me was the loads of features for the price, including power everything, 16-inch wheels, 7 airbags (more than cars that cost twice as much), performance reputation, high reliability ranking (backed by long warranty), and high safety ratings from the govt and IIHS. I have not been disappointed at all, in fact everything has exceeded my expectations. I drive the car a lot, 50/50 highway and city, and the fuel economy is excellent (I dont hard accelerate). The styling draws a lot of attention -- which unfortunately got me a speeding ticket! In short, this is a great compact car, best in its class.

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  Great Vehicle - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By kmbc - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I just traded in my Montero Sport Limited for Endeavor XLS. What a difference. This is a great vehicle. My only regret is not getting the Limited model.

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  Excellent for its price! - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Ana Ben-David - August 5 - 4:20 pm

  Highly recommended. I bought my car when it had 35k miles on 04, today it has 93K miles and still drives perfectly. Regularly maintained, there are no problems at all. Definitely an excellent choice.

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  Great value and great performance! - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By jimbo52 - July 31 - 1:16 pm

  We have been looking for a compact crossover with occasional third row seats. The XLS provided more than expected features and performance at a reasonable price. No problems and a great warranty. Anyone looking at vehicles in this class should try this one last.

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  wake up call - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By jeric - July 31 - 2:00 am

  i owned an older galant and the new blows it away