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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  The Galant Sucks - 2000 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Zubaid - February 23 - 10:00 am

  The front tires shake excessively during breaking. And I have affirmed this from other Galant owners (even GTZ owners). When going over a bump, it feels as if the front axle just cant take it. Too much torque coming from the V6. They didnt try to distribute the torque at all, simple switch of the 4 cylinder to a 6 during construction and design...bad idea. The car bolts forward if youre not careful. Overall..a piece of crap and I regret buying it every single day. My advice: Dont buy this car!!

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  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By wrightsumner - February 21 - 5:00 pm

  Ive had my Outlander now for 4.5 months and have already put 2000 miles on it. Its a blast to drive, comfortable, great handling, sporty. Lots and lots of car for the money. I got mine with all the features, 30GBHDD, DVD player/Nav system, sun roof, Rockford Fosgate sound system, Blue Tooth, and still payed thousands less than I would have for a RAV-4 or CR-V with comparable options. Im very pleased with the gas mileage. I actually got as much as 32mpg on a recent cross country trip. I average between 25-30 mpg (most of my driving is highway miles). I like the fact that I dont see many on the road. It feels large (I feel safe driving it) but also sporty at the same time.

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  Wow! - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Jeff - February 21 - 6:40 am

  I currently own a 2004 Outlander, so Im familiar with the quality of the brand. My wife traded her 2005 Subaru Outback for the 2007 XLS 4WD. We absolutely love this car. The ride is great and the vehicle is fun. I tried to talk her out of the navigation system, but we got it and it is awesome. The wheels, stereo, and of course the engine are all quite an improvement over the 2004 model. We compared it to the CR-V, Saturn, Toyota and Subaru (Outback and Tribeca) and nothing comes close to matching the engineering marvel of this vehicle. Note: there is no new car leather smell to this vehicle. The odor absorbing headliner keeps the car smelling, well, clean. Which is nice, since we have dogs. Give this car a look

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  We love this "crazy" car! - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By S&L - February 19 - 10:00 am

  Before we bought this Galant we were looking for Altimas, Hondas,etc., except Toyota as we dont believe it’s worth the money they asked for. Galant outperforms them all; it can be driven either gently or like a racehorse, accelerates very quickly, stable and reliable on the road, easy in maintenance. In other words – excellent and very reasonable buy for end user.

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  Very Happy Customer - 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Brian - February 19 - 7:13 am

  This is my first SUV. I needed more cargo space than my sedan could offer. I test drove the vue, equinox, escape, journey, nitro before looking at the outlander. This offered everything I was looking for and really enjoy driving it. I like the steering wheel radio controls, the in-floor storage (I dont have the 3rd row seat). I like all the safety and stability features. The 4 cyl is good, but because I have a lead foot could use a little more get up and go. I have to still get used to speedometer on left side of the display. Offers great warranty. Gets good gas mileage for an SUV. Great safety ratings. Not sure why you dont see more of them on the road. This is a great SUV especially for the $$.

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  149,000 Miles and Still Going! - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By LLNE760 - February 16 - 4:26 am

  I bought my new Galant in 2001 and have had no major issues with it. The only 2 things that Ive had to replace since then were 1) a cracked radiator and 2) the O2 sensor. As long as all scheduled maintenance and oil changes are done on time, this car will run for years to come. Included in my usual oil changes, I also add a bottle of fuel injector cleaner to the gas tank. Paint on my car is great, but I also tend to wax my car every three months. I love my car and want to buy another new Mitsubishi, but will need to wait until this recession crisis eases up a bit.

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  Very nice design and very low quality. - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By deadeclipse.com - February 16 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car new and since the day one it had major clutch - transmission related issues. Brakes went out 2 times, gearbox rebuilt and still shifts very hard. Dealer service never finds any problems. $2K in rust repair after being less than 2 years old and the list goes on.... www.deadeclipse.com pretty much sums it up. It is true shame, because this car could be so much fun and I do like the design of it a lot.

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  Awesome SUV - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By we2apothecary - February 16 - 2:00 am

  This is an awesome buy! The Outlander comes standard with automatic transmission, add-ons are reasonable, & the financing deal Mitsubishi is offering is incredible. The Outlander has the smoothest ride of any of the "mini-SUVs" on the market. Great handling, super comfortable seats, good gas mileage, & you just cant beat the overall appearance. No problem with interstate passing here (not sure where Edmunds get that comment). This car has incredible get up & go. Mitsubishi includes tons of standard features. I am super satisfied with our purchase!

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  Good combination of sport and luxury - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Obi-Wan - February 16 - 2:00 am

  Looked at the Acura RSX, Toyota Celica, and Hyundai Tibutron. The Tiburon was quite a value, but build quality was noticebly cheaper, and resale poor. Celica and RSX were nice, but somewhat plain, and the RSX had to be revved between 7-8K rpm to get the last 40 hp out of the 200 hp engine. Eclipse is longer and heavier, but much more comfortable for front seat passengers, especially on longer drives. 210 HP is readily available at all speeds, and 5 spd manual is sporty enough for mountain roads. So its not "fast and furious" but it is sport luxury without having to rev like a formula 1 racer.

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  My Eye Catcher - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By dee - February 15 - 5:33 am

  The 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse is awesome! I get plenty of people asking if they can look inside. I even got a couple of thumbs up on the interstate while taking a weekend trip.