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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  An adequate car for a very good price - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By martymac - December 12 - 2:00 am

  The 99s came with bad tires, which I hope have been replaced. This is my second Galant. My first was an 89, which I drove for 180,000. Now, that was an amazing car. If you can find a low mileage 89 -91, buy it. I doubt if this one will make that, but I am sure it will hit the century mark All in all, considering that it is at least 2,000 less than the Camry and Accord, I Would recommend it. My dealership is a service oriented one, so shop around, but if you are in the NYC northern surburbs, Yorktown Mitsubishi is worth a visit.

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  My New Raider! - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
  By Justin P. - December 9 - 4:40 pm

  My 2006 Mitsubishi Raider Duro Cross V8 has a very strong 4.7 liter engine. It has tons of space inside and gets all the looks in the world. I get more complements on the styling and questions on what it is. I love the power and looks the most.

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  Fun SUV - 2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Gil - December 8 - 3:50 pm

  Top Quality. Fun to drive. Great handling and road stability. I dont have any fears of tipping. Would buy another one.

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  read and choose wisely-BIG BOY w/class - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero
  By unclebertram - December 7 - 10:00 am

  The Monty is by far, one of the top 3 offroad vehicles you can buy at a dealership (hummer and Landcruiser being the other two), and the Monty is the only one that can use its AWD on dry pavement. My fav. device in this car is the trans, which is rumored to be supplied by Porsche (Landcruiser does the same thing. Every SUV buyer read this,"YOU DO NOT HAVE TO MASH THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO GET POWER OUT OF YOUR MACHINE." I love this trucks evasive maneuverabilty and cornering, but I switched the OEM tires for Bridgestone Revos.

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  For the money spent, Im satisfied. - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By SteveO - December 6 - 6:40 pm

  I bought a GS model and though I do have a couple minor complaints Im pretty well satisfied. I wanted a Celica but couldnt fit in one comfortably. The Eclipse is very comfy and easy on the back for anyone sitting in the front. Definitely not a 4 seater. Avoid 4 adult occupancy at all costs. The acceleration leaves something to be desired but is decent for a 4 cylinder. For the price I found this to be real good buy, styling and comfort were big for me and this car met those easily. I dont know why everyone rips on the interior. I personally like it. Beware of the blindspots! The rear left one can be quite a problem during the busy morning commute.

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  Fun to drive when it runs. - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By R Harry - December 4 - 12:53 pm

  I love my 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse. It is fun to drive and very versitile. I only wish this car was more dependable. I have become good friends with my mechanic and the process of towing.

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  Jurys Still Out - 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Mary - December 1 - 12:26 pm

  I thought I would love this car, but so far I have put mucho bucks back in it already. The heater core died first - thank goodness we got the extended warranty. Then one of the auto window stops broke the first time I used it. Our Chevy full size truck and old Explorer got better gas mileage. I thought we would be doing better in that area. The ride is very comfortable, but the wind noise is pretty bad. The sun visors are worthless for short people. I love the trunk size. The defrost is wayyy too slow. The stereo is nice, and cruise works great. There are a lot of cup holders, but they dont hold large sized drinks. If I had it to do again, I think I would keep looking. You win some, you lose some.

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  A Great Vehicle - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By illiniturf - December 1 - 10:00 am

  I really love my new Endeavor! The looks are great and the features are outstanding. I did lots of shopping around (Highlander, Pilot, etc.) and settled on the Endeavor. I am very happy with my decision. Its an excellent value for the money. The color that I got (Dover White Pearl) was very difficult to locate.

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  Very Surprised... - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By honda kid - December 1 - 10:00 am

  After a lot of research and test driving, we narrowed our search down to the Honda Pilot, Mitsubishi Endeavor and Toyota Highlander. We thought the Endeavor had a better ride than the rest of the bunch. The Pilot has a third seat, but, we did not think it would be a smart idea to put our kids in the third seat for safety reasons. The Highlander was a nice SUV but the style was a little outdated. We were able to buy the Endeavor a few dollars below invoice, finance it for 5 yrs at 0% and get 7 yr free roadside assistance. In fact, they are still offering this until Sept 03. Go here and click on Summer Clearance. http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMSA/jsp/index.jsp#

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  2004 Outlander (bought in 2003) - 2005 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By redbrnch - November 30 - 6:20 am

  I have always driven large SUVs and trucks and just love this car. It takes daily off-road abuse to get to and from our home. Great buy, just beware of financing scams that can come with it.