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! - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By unc25 - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I dont understand the problems that people have with their mirages...I have owned two and im only 17!!! I had a white 95 and nothing went wrong except the tranny went on me and had that replaced!! I just recently got a 2000 de sedan and other than it being an auto I have no qualms about it!! Maybe if you people would change your oil and fluids regularly and do routine maintanence then you shouldnt have very many problems with your car. Oh you do need wider tires!! They help out alot on the roads!! I went and got some 17x7s and man it handles just fine besides the body roll which can be fixed with strut bars upper lower/ front rear!

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  SO FAR SO GOOD~ - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By smartautoguy - July 7 - 5:31 am

  dove to 78k, bought around 56k still runs strong and 3.8V6 pulls like a muscle car traction control works very nice on rainy day!

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  The cheaper evo - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By the man colin morgan - July 6 - 10:46 am

  This is the only Lancer in the out of all trim to have a 2.4 L engine displacement. Not even the evo is packed that tight. The engine is out of one of Mitsubishis SUVs and is a tough cookie to crack although it has evo parts it front wheel drive. I have mine fitted with a magnaflow performance 2.25 inch exhaust tail turbo, waist gate, blow off and piping with a custom intake. Rrm cold air intake and intercooler. Tien BASIC coil overs. Irotors performance brakes and rotors. This car although not handling as good as an evo has potential to be quicker in a quarter mile. It very responsive and I would recommend it to anyone with a hope to race

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  Great Galant! - 2006 Mitsubishi Galant
  By William Sosa - July 4 - 8:18 am

  Great value!

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  Best bang for the buck! - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Mr. D - July 3 - 12:30 pm

  I purchased the Monetero after testing practically every full-size SUV. I was relocating from NV to OK and wanted a vehicle that had 4WD for the more inclement weather. Popped out the door for a hair over $30K (a steal when compared with competitors) and headed down the road. The vehicle is quiet and very comfortable on the open road. I have hit black ice in this vehicle and if she was going to flip then she would have. Price, curb appeal, and features make her a nice purchase.

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  No probs here - 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By rvalle - July 3 - 10:00 am

  I purchased mine in 99, and the only problem I have had is I had to change the battery after 3 yes. I did leave the lights on a couple of times, and the last time is when it did not want to work right. Very reliable though.

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  warranty service "sucks" cheap features - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By ttapgal - July 3 - 10:00 am

  The warranty covers nothing that is apt to defunct. The interior light continuously drops out of its slot--not a warrany covered feature!! The hubcaps are plastic which causes the front ones to "melt" and fall off. Of course, this is not a warranty covered problem. The battery died before the 60,000 miles--not a warranty covered item after 24,000. This causes the radio/cd to need a special code in order to get it to play again. Since the car had 14,000 miles when I bought it, the special code cards were not included in the sales/car info. Will Mitsubishi furnish the special code??-- NOT WITHOUT A CHARGE--another nonwarranty item.

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  Nice Car - 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Brj - July 1 - 10:00 am

  This is a very nice vehicle and drives really smooth with cvt. I read a lot of reviews about the car being down on power, but I think the cvt transmission is just that smooth that it doesnt feel the way some vehicles feel when you get on the gas, cant even feel it shift sometimes.The car has plenty of power for (normal) driving and not for those looking to go drag racing or something like that. this car was actually built in japan so the quality will be there unlike some vehicles that have a Japanese but built in some other country. The car is pretty good on gas and if your driving mostly hwy you should see about 33 or 34 mpg hwy. I plan to put in a k&n air filter to get even better mpg.

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  Hands down, the best 4x4 for the money - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Todd - June 29 - 1:03 pm

  Just bought a 2003 20th Anniversary Ed. Love it! This thing will get you anywhere and in style too. At a time when luxury SUVs are everywhere, the Montero will still turn heads and boast serious off-road capabilities. All this at half or less than luxury SUVs above its class.

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  mitsu-review - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By chris - June 27 - 5:23 pm

  3.5liter engine has good power and acceleration. Very dependable; no problems at all up to 52k. Room in the front seats is fine for my wife who is 56" but for me --6 ft it is a little cramped on long distance driving.