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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  We Love our Eclipse! - 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Lindiglo - March 30 - 7:43 am

  We have only had our Eclipse since Feb 2005....so far we love it! We are in our 40s and this car has a way of making you feel 20 years younger. With the sunroof open, and the whole day ahead of us.......we are young again. Our Eclipse is Pearl White, and we put a black bra on the front, I truely think its the sharpest looking car in our city.

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  Dont believe the "professional" reviews - 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By Bill - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Mitsubishi builds a very fine product but you dont hear much about them because everyone raves about Honda, Toyota etc, well they have issues believe me. My only issue with the outlander sport is getting in and out of the backseat, they could have made the door openings a bit wider This SUV is basically a Lancer on steroids. Sure its not going to take you from 0-60 in 2 seconds but its quick enough...very smooth and quiet ride. The panoramic roof I wish would open in some fashion, the led lights are a bit on the trendy side which I could take or leave.

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  Not the only one in town anymore - 2012 Mitsubishi I-MiEV
  By mitsulover - March 28 - 11:20 am

  Lack of back seat leg room and basic seat design meant I could only give the car a "3" for comfort (but its not advertised as a family hauler anyway). I already had two Mitsus, so, I had to pick the I-MiEV over the Leaf. But if you have a family of 4, buy the Leaf. As with my other Mitsus, the Japanese built or designed models (think Lancer vs. Galant) seem to have a better build quality and design (this one has the "J" VIN). Like my Buell, this thing is still rare enough to get lots of people coming by with questions, so be prepared. At $0.15 per KWhr, I pay a little over $3 for a full (22 hrs @ 110V) charge which gives me a little over 60-miles on the freeway or 80+ in the city.

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  Nice car - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Bob - March 26 - 10:00 pm

  Our recent trip of over 800 miles in our 07 Outlander was a pleasure. We consistently got 28-29 mpg at highway speeds. The manual shift option is fun and easy to use. There is plenty of room in the rear for baggage. how can you not love the exceptional 5 year bumper to bumper warranty? We have downsized from ford Explorers and are seeing a big difference in economy. I really like this car.

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  I Love My Endeavor! - 2007 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Cindy - March 26 - 2:50 pm

  This is my second Endeavor. Ive test driven several other "comparable" SUVs and nothing compares. Its reliable, comfortable and most important, fun to drive. I love it! Cindy

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  great car - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By s - March 26 - 2:30 am

  Smooth ride, slick styling, very comfortable seating for 4 adults, strong 4-cylinder engine, extremely fun vehicle, and highly recommended.

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  Pros for Lancer - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By kipsoin - March 26 - 2:00 am

  I traded my 2002 Lancer OZ for the Ralliart Sedan. Excellent ride and reliability. Would have preferred the Sportback but diddnt come with Manual Transmission. My other car is a BMW 323i, Love the Ralliart for its nimbleness and fast take offs. Not great at high speeds but bests 90% of Mid size cars

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  2002 Montero LTD, aka "Ozzy" - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero
  By asalini - March 25 - 10:00 am

  We shopped around for 6 months before finding this great SUV. The only one my husband felt comfortable in (most others didnt give enough head room). We love everything it does.

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  I dig it - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By franchinboy - March 25 - 9:13 am

  Ive had this car for about 3 months now and I love it! Definitely not a mom SUV. Im a 29 yr old male who has previously owned a Mazda RX-8 and Audi TT. Great transition vehicle for me. All the upgrades are worth it, wouldnt have gotten it without them. This car is very fun to drive too. Ive never noticed any road or wind noise. The 3rd row seat is small, but my wife rode back there once, she is 57, and said it wasnt bad. Just couldnt do for a long road trip. Front seats are very comfortable, back seats a little more stiff. Fuel economy is great IMO, a lot better than my previous Mazda. All around, a very cool ride.

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  Great car, practical! - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By JT - March 25 - 7:18 am

  This is my first Mitsubishi. We had a Mazda5 2013 for almost 3 years but decided to sell it after bad crash rating released recently and major warranty work on the engine tappets (not a good sign). So we were looking for an SUV with third-row thats not a full size or V6, and it boils down to Mitsubishi Outlander or Nissan Rogue (with 3rd row option and run-flat tires since the third row takes over the spare tire space). We test-drove our friends 2015 GT and was quite surprised with the car and I was glad to find many improvements was done to 2016 version. The Rogue is out of question since we would rather have spare tire than using run-flat tires. We ended up getting the cosmic blue 2WD SEL with roof rack, and exterior package. The car is primarily driven by my wife and she couldnt be happier with it and I also really enjoyed the car. I drove it to the mountain and the Bay many times, the performance is good. Im not sure why the the reviewers from certain auto mag and review sites gave it such low mark (biased-much?). The engine power is decent, dont believe when reviewers slammed about how slow the car is getting into freeway ramps. I lived in CA and drove to the SF and the bay many times and it gets to the ramp fine even in fast paced traffic. Maybe those pro reviewers are so spoiled with testing high end cars and have snobby attitudes against more affordable car for the masses. I also used to own 2007 Acura MDX with technology package and I enjoy driving the Outlander more than the MDX to be honest. I cant say anything about the warranty yet but the 10-year 100k miles warranty should give you peace of mind. All in all, this car deserves a look, its a great people mover, fun enough for weekend driving and its priced great for its class. PS: look for real world reviews in youtube and websites. This car is actually selling well in Europe and not sure why its hardly heard in US (I would blame Mitsubishi North America marketing department for this). The plugin Hybrid version is selling like hotcakes in Europe and will come to US sometimes next year.