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 but needs more - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By robbieshop - September 15 - 2:00 am

  I have owned the car for over two years. I am happy on the power and handling of the car, even if the car is not a BMW. I quickly wore out the stock tires at 33000 miles, I have had the brakes worked on four times. I would not recommend going to the dealership for brake problems. The car handles great in adverse weather, partially due to the Aquatred 3s and Dunlop Graspic snow tires.

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  Great Car for the money - 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Eugene - September 11 - 2:50 pm

  Love the car but hate to see it losing value. OEM parts are ridiculously expensive and aftermarkets are hard to come by. Gas mileage is not all that great (20- 22 MPG) and heater core problem is starting to surface. I would recommend this car if you can find an exceptional deal .

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  My first SUV! - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By gzane711 - September 9 - 2:00 am

  After week one, and only have about 300 miles on it, the skies opened up and we got 6" of snow! I was like a kid in a candy store! I found the Endeavors handling in the snow outstanding. Great visibilty. My son likes the DVD.

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  Affordable fun! - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Ssikpiyelnats - August 26 - 2:23 pm

  Ive had the 08 Lancer ES with the sun and sound package for a year now. Ive found it extremely enjoyable. I added a K+N air filter, and an axle back Flowmaster 40 series exhaust, and noticed a performance increase and MPG increase immediately. The sound system is great, gives a nice rounded sound without being overbearing. The transmission is smooth, and the car can be tossed around with relative ease. I love the interior design, theres beauty in simplicity. Everything is integrated into the dash, making it flow wonderfully. The only complaint I have is that after a year, the padding used on the rear dash to deaden rattles has worn out, causing vibrations with the music. Annoying.

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  Very Pleased - 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By MtnTyme - August 24 - 10:00 am

  The first 3 yrs, I put over 36k per yr on this car, most of that in the Appalachian Mtns. The Yokahoma tires that came with it lasted about 90k miles, and the seat covers still look great. I average about 40 mpg overall. It survived a deer collisionw/only front end body damage. It handles very well in snow on paved roads, but does not have the power to handle deep snow or icy grades on rutted dirt roads. It now has a bit of tapping when it starts, and the suspension is losing out to the rough dirt road where we live now. Ill have to give it up soon for something w/more clearance & traction, but it will be sorely missed.

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  Decent enough car, poor resale value - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By clee1138 - August 24 - 10:00 am

  We bought this car during the 0-0-0 deals for when we were cash poor. It has been a pretty decent car - fun to drive, comfy, and pretty reliable - but now that its time to trade, were taking it on the chin. The V6 is peppy and responsive with OK economy. Handling is OK with the right tires. The interior is solid, but Mitsubishi cut too many corners - small console, no rear dome light makes the back seat DARK at night, and very limited storage space. If you can find one used, its probably not a bad choice, but let someone else take the new car depreciation hit.

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  Love this car! - 1996 Mitsubishi Galant
  By mdark - August 23 - 11:06 pm

  Bought this car with 150k miles on it, has had a few minor issues but nothing abnormal for a car thats now pushing 165k miles. The car is extremely comfortable, I love driving it and the gas economy for a 1996 is AMAZING. The freeway MPG is phenomenal, however it dislikes stop and go in-town driving and traffic. Extremely reliable and the maintenance fees are pretty reasonable. Id recommend this car to anyone, I can expect it to go 200k with ease.

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  Not bad for the money - 2000 Mitsubishi Galant
  By killertaco - August 20 - 2:00 am

  So far this car has been pretty good. We have had a couple of issues with the car including replacing the wing as it was loose when we purchased it; incidentally, I pointed this out to the dealer (Huntington Beach Mitsubishi), but they declined to fix it as they stated nothing was wrong with it, until I took it to another Mits dealer and they fixed it----go figure. Another issue is at low speeds there is a humming sound that comes from the front end, and this "humming" is really evident when turning sharply, but again at slow speeds. The driver side power window stopped working after a year, but the warranty paid for the repair.

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  Good bang for the buck - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero
  By dcmooreesq - August 15 - 5:40 pm

  Bought my 2003 Montero used (driven 1 year), so took advantage of a great price cut. Was in virtually new condition. Well put together, workmanship is very good. Runs great. V6 has adequate power for me, I dont tow. Fuel economy is okay for an SUV. Very reliable and roomy. I rarely go offroad, but this thing is one of the more capable stock 4x4s. Handles snow and dirt just fine. The Infinity radio system is okay. Controls and gauges are well laid out. For what I paid, Im very happy. Too bad Mitsu has decided to stop selling the Monty in the US.

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  An OK alternative - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Drew - August 11 - 9:03 pm

  I bought my Lancer used, with about 36,000 miles on it. Its been a solid performer so far, but it should be for the first 100,000 miles. Any car should. The car should have more horsepower. Theres no reason it shouldnt be in the 160-170 HP range when the Rally version is well over 200. The gas mileage is disappointing, it too should be better. Ive experience high 20s when traveling on the highway - it should be in the mid-30s at least. All in all, the Lancer is a half-way decent alternative if you cannot afford the Civic or a comparable Toyota or Nissan. My only other concern would be the automatic transmission. I hope it doesnt give out before its paid for. Go with a stick if you can.