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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  Dont buy one - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By tank driver - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I hate this car!Ive had front end problems,brakes replaced,and it rides like a small rusty tank.Save your money and buy a Toyota.

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  scary to drive - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By disappointed - August 16 - 3:46 pm

  I wish Id listened to the advice another reviewer gave here on edmunds. He said the steering was "squirrely," and he was right! You cant take your eyes off the road for a second--this car will take you right off the road. And the sway in this thing makes my kids sick! No sway bar is available to correct it. Also, because the entire hatchback lifts up, it drips water right on you if its been raining. Then, when you get home, your groceries fall out! I bought this because I liked the way it looked, but dont do it!

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  Just dont cut the mustard - 2008 Mitsubishi Raider
  By David - July 15 - 2:50 pm

  Had the truck for 3 weeks, 16 mpg no matter how you drive around town..18 on the highway.Truck seems to be solid built but extremely underpowered with the 3.7 v6. Small inside cab as an old day small import is but the outside will fool you as it appears to be a full size truck. Might as well buy a full sized Silverado or F150 concerning the gas mileage and engine size for weight ratio. Had it to do over, would not buy one with the v6 would opt for the v8- then price wise- a Silverado or Ford with a v8 would be cheaper and more comfortable inside. Feels like a 4cyl powered truck. Nice design power train leaves room for beter power to weight ration and definitely pick up-a VW bug will do it in!

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  NO BRAKES - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By used car blues - July 12 - 10:00 am

  this car is OK. bought it at 1 year old for 11,000 so i have not lost 10 grand in the first year. biggest problem is the brakes, the rotors have been warped by "my driving" 3 times in 20 thousand miles. my accord never had this problem in 120 thousand miles.i guess the car is ok if you buy it used, new for 20k ouch! next time i will go back to honda.

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  Poor Car - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By ice1012001 - June 28 - 3:00 pm

  I have had my Mitsubishi Galant for less than one year and the O2 sensors and the catalytic converter went out.

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  Lemon? - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By puddles - February 2 - 2:00 am

  After seeing all the other reviews, I did not see one person mention the hard pull to the right...a recall item, nor did anyone complain of a hard banging noise under the front. I do live on a mountain dirt road, I did expect off-road bility.I had this vehicle in the shop 3 times in two months for front-end problems. After contacting Mitsubishi for the 2nd time I was told it was NOT an off-road vehicle....hmmmm. I thought that was what an SUV was for. Would not recommend this vehicle for any serious off-road driving. Dirt roads it was not made for. Highway is nice, maybe I should move, huh? Also, too much outside noise,too much tinny noise,not solid

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  Not a comfortable CAR - 2007 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Erica - January 24 - 11:33 pm

  Well, My husband traded my honda accord in for an Endeavor. They told me at the dealership that they will transfer my Sirius Radio into my new endeavor. They installed it only to find out that All I can hear it Static. Apparently they dont make a part that goes into the back of the radio to stop the interference with the radio. So I was pretty mad about that! Then I kept hearing the radio changing volumes, Like it was go in and out? It would drive me crazy. Next, I cant even keep a bottle of water in the cup holder without it flying all over the place. Its uncomfortable to drive. I just dont like it. Im sorry for all you endeavor lovers out there.

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  3 months, Paint Chipping , Roof Creasing - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Elaine Weather - November 20 - 1:30 am

  2016 Outlander less than 3 months old, front exterior has started peeling and chipping. Warranty says its from pebbles and not covered. This car rides the same roads my other two cars ride and none of them are chipping or pealing. There is a crooked crease across the inside roof where the sun roof is. The warranty company states that is a user issue to. This crease was noticed one month after purchase.

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  Never Again - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By 04MitsuGalant - October 14 - 10:20 pm

  The Mitsubishi Galant is not as great of a car as I thought. Its brakes have been a constant problem since 12,000 miles. It has 29,000 miles now. The brakes squeak 70% percent of the time. The dealer says there is nothing wrong and thats normal. I had the brakes replaced after 25,000 miles and they still squeak. Also, the interior rattles. My car doesnt even always start the first time. The sunroof scrapes when its closing. It doesnt have good pick up when trying to go from 60 to 80. It takes a few seconds to actually pick the speed up when doing that. Mitsubishi dealer service is terrible. The hubcaps get dirty quickly

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  Mitsubishi deserves to fail - 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By cwd986 - August 20 - 6:49 am

  Where to start...rattles galore on a brand new car, idle that wants to destroy itself by jumping into the 3,000 rpm range after the first clutch engagement, that obnoxious chime that you cant disable when the temp hits 37 degrees. Oh, and come to find out my "new" car was damaged in transit, repainted, and the damage was not disclosed. When I called Mitsubishi about the body damage they wouldnt tell me how much they paid the dealer to fix the damage or sanction the dealer for non-disclosure; in fact, they were no help at all. In my opinion Mitsubishi deserves to go the way of Suzuki and disappear from the American market.