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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  Covering too many goals - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By oldkrog - August 17 - 11:16 pm

  I wanted an suv with relatively good mileage, as much room for my autistic son as possible, good handling and a v6. Got them all in the outlander. But inside, plastic not very good, upholstery just so-so and there is Styrofoam under the floor carpets. Glad I got it, but wish I had gone for the xls loaded. Accelerates kinda odd, but you adapt to it. Turn on the air or radio, nothing happens for a couple seconds, like it has to think about it.

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  Between the Corolla and the Camry...Perfect - 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By GREG BARLOW - August 17 - 8:32 am

  This is our 3rd Lancer in the family and not the last. 26 mpg on mountain roads and the 2.0 ltr has power to spare as peepy as my wifes AWC 2.4 ltr Lancer. I dont like the new front bumper design but can live with that. Paint with Mitsubishi has always been an issue so you must stay on top of the waxing. If you step up and pay a little more from the 5spd stick you get lots of extras. I really liked my wifes 2015 but I love my 2016. We will drive these for 10 yrs and then pass them to the grandkids. Keep the oil changed and the servicing up to date and these will go the distance not to mention they have timing chains not belts which have to changed out and thats not cheap. We paid $15500 which included destination (which is a bs charge but they wont waive it) plus tax and lic.

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  Underrated Car - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By kobo1d - August 16 - 8:26 pm

  Ive had my Eclipse GTS Automatic for a little over 4 years and it has been a very nice car. Bought used, still under factory bumper-to-bumper warranty, Ive driven it hard (currently at 67000 miles) and have had very little issues with it. The only problems with the car have been some electrical issues: The factory 6-CD player completely stopped working, refusing to play and making a horrible crunching sound constantly. Mitsubishi wanted $450 to fix it, so I just replaced it with an aftermarket setup. The switch for the passenger side window only rolls the window up, not down, so the passenger has to roll down their own window. Sunroof switch is touchy. And yes, the plastic scratches easy.

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  Lot of car for the money - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Stcharlesguy - August 16 - 10:50 am

  What a great car!! I cant say enough about it!! i was worried when i bought it, going from an Infiniti to a Mitsu. Boy was i wrong. Much quicker response, funner to driver, more sportier. Dont let the 2.0L engine scare you, this thing is flying down the road before you know it. The CVT really makes that possible! I Have the fully loaded GTS with nav. Its ridiculous how many options you get for such a small price. I paid twice as much for my Infiniti and got a lot less.

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  JUST BOUGHT IT - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Terri Krause - August 16 - 12:22 am

  GREAT CAR FOR THE PRICE. IVE OWNED IT FOR A MONTH. ITS FUN TO DRIVE, ROOM IN THE BACK, AND THERES EVEN ROOM TO SIT IN THE THIRD ROW. Sound system is clear. No problems yet. I look forward to keeping this car a long time.

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  Great Car - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Jasidus - August 15 - 9:16 pm

  This car is an absolute blast to drive. It performs pretty well, one of the best in its class. The engine is very good with lots of torque. The handling and suspension give this car a very sporty feel. The quality and design of the interior are also very good. It was sort of an impulse buy, but I have no regrets.

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  wifes new toy - 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By TGolf - August 15 - 2:13 am

  After 3 Chevy Astro vans driving this car is fun. The gas mileage in town is about 20mpg and about 23mpg on the hwy. The sun and sound package is a great addition. It looks like a Lexus from the rear and a Pontiac from the front.

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  Not too bad. actually pretty good - 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By MOHAMMAD MOHAMMAD - August 14 - 11:20 pm

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  2000 GT - 146,000 miles - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Michelle - August 13 - 11:56 pm

  I bought this car in 2002 with 35,000 on it. It has been a really good car. Just breaks and tires. The fuel pump did go out in 2009 and so did a bearing for my wheel. My hatch does stick, need 2 hands to open, plus the sunroof needs a hand popping open, that was like that when I bought it. I drive on the expressway to work back and forth 60 miles a day. Not too bad in the snow for being a sports car, but looking into getting a SUV for next winter. All and all got real lucky with this car, no major problems!

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  Fun Sports Coupe - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Masahiro - August 13 - 4:26 pm

  Ive been following the Eclipse since 8/05, and finally purchased the 06 Eclipse GT (6-seepd man.) in June after reading several reviews and a few car magazine articles. I test drove the Audi TT Coupe in 5/06, and was impressed. Then, I drove the Eclipse the following week. Again, I was impressed! If money wasnt an issue, Id buy the Audi TT. Not because of any quality issues, but because it came in AWD. For the price, however, the Eclipse was a much better buy. Its also a sharper looking coupe than the TT - it really gets noticed! In our household, we have an 00 Nissan Maxima SE and an 03 Nissan Sentra SE- R Spec-V (6-speed.man.) But, they are not even close to my new Eclipse in performance!