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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  Gotta love it! - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
  By jb1201 - May 8 - 10:00 am

  Just purchased mine, although I do not give high marks to the dealership, the Lancer sportwagon is fun, roomy, and easy to operate.

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  A Nimble Machine - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By dasharc - May 4 - 2:00 am

  After almost 2 months of walking away from testdrives that just didnt feel right, I knew the Lancer was for me the minute I sat in the drivers seat. Its comfortable, stylish, and nimble..not to mention fun. The car makes you want to drive because it simply takes to the road and wont let go! The highway is the best place for the OZ, but its just as much a joy to buzz around town in. The ride is smooth and effortless at any speed. Theres plenty of room for rear passengers without cramping anyone and with the fold-down seats this car is practical, too.

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  Good Stuff - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By mitsudriver - May 3 - 7:56 am

  I just bought the Outlander ES and I really like to drive it. It has great pickup and it a real smooth ride on the highway. There is a lot of storage throughout the vehicle, with two glove compartments and dashboard storage.

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  sales and consulting firms - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
  By Dchandler - May 2 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my lancer for almost four months now and everything about this car is awesome ,great power ,very reliable ,and great fuel economy.The infinity stereo kicks and the handling of this car is almost like a evolution eight rally car. My wife and i took a trip to the coast recently and the car did amazing . Anyone looking for a smaller wagon or car period should definitely check out the lancer raliart sportback.

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  excellent car - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By biglou - May 2 - 10:00 am

  this car is fun to drive is laike the evo but for alot less.

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  Great SUV - 2006 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Brian - April 30 - 6:33 pm

  With a new baby on the way we needed to sell our Eclipse and get something with 4-doors. The Endeavor was perfect. It rides and drives like a sedan with the space and comfort of an SUV. It does not feel top-heavy like many AWD and 4WD vehicles do. It gets better gas mileage for me than what was stated on the sticker. Its perfect for someone who doesnt like the maneuverability of large SUVs but needs/wants more space than a sedan.

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  Eclipse GST - 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Eclispe Freek - April 30 - 2:00 am

  This car is absolutely the biggest bag for the buck that you could get back in 1998. This car excelerates fast, corners well, and has nice smooth engine sounds.

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  Amazing little car - 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Rob - April 29 - 11:38 pm

  Lets be real about this review. This is a compact AWD car for around $20k. This is an all-around excellent, fun to drive car. For what you pay and what you get there is no equal. This car is easily overlooked in favor of other small foreign cars and this includes the Subaru. HOWEVER, this is an amazing little car. Wonderful engine, and so far no mechanical issues at (26,000 miles). I have a 2016 ES, AWD with the 2.4 CVT. I love that the technology in the car. Its simple and in some ways , "old school". Controls are laid out well and easy to use. Visibility is excellent!! I am a smaller person and never have an issue checking my blind spots or backing the car. The 2.4 engine delivers very nice power especially at highway speeds. If you want to be naughty and say push it over 80MPH the little engine really wakes up and can probably catch a few bigger cars off guard. I personally find the fuel-economy to be very good. If you put things into perspective and consider the following; 2.4, CVT (automatic) with A/C and AWD. Then I think 30 MPG is outstanding!! Im not sure where these other drivers get off saying the fuel-economy is so poor. I find it, in fact, to be rather good. I dont care for the CVT automatic but have never found it to be a problem. I think it holds the engine performance back too much and it never allows the engine to happily-rev to the red line, instead it allows for a leisurely stroll around the tach. I have yet to encounter any serious snow conditions but feel pretty confident it will perform well in the snow too. However, my car came with ridiculous "traction B" tires so be VERY careful in the rain with these crappy tires. Consider the Continential "pure-contact" as an immediate replacement. Overall, I cant say enough good things about this little car. Im very pleased with mine.

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  Bueno - 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By chaga - April 27 - 1:56 am

  My Mitsubishi Lancer es muy beuno. This car is absolutely great. There finally is a compact sedan at a price to compete with the Civic that has the performance and looks to match.

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  Excellent car for price - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By lotte311 - April 27 - 12:59 am

  I bought my car in 2005 with 12000 miles on it. I am now crossing the150k mark. I have not had any major issues. I have performed all recommended maitaince. The only major repair so fair was a LF inner wheel which was done last year at 125K miles. I am now routinely making 1200 mile round trips to another state and this car powers through the drive. Pretty good for its value, not the prettiest car on the road but if you are looking for good value for your money then this is it. I still get an average of 25 miles in town. On my last trip out of state I did 30miles/gallon on highways.