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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  Still fun, but Im giving it up - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Kent Rebman - January 11 - 10:00 am

  I have enjoyed driving this car a lot; its the first car Ive had in awhile with "punch," but it has been troubled with oddball problems. The windshield washer sprayers quit periodically; the passengers power window switch; the LCD panel. Its also invisible to other drivers and Ive felt like Ive had a target on me since day one, so, Im giving it up at lease end.

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  Mitsubishi Outlander - 2005 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By MADJIMMY - January 10 - 9:43 am

  Finally found a small SUV that doesnt need the V6 to climb a paved hill! This little gem is a powerhouse that is a blast to drive, looks great and is very nicely engineered. Love the Sportronic automatic transmission, a flick of the wrist, and you down and up shift manually. The engine is a marvel, plenty of power in the 160+ horses packed into the 4 cylinders, power to spare and power to play with. Roomy, comfy, and did I mention it is a great deal of fun?

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  Great car for the money - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By MEL - January 10 - 1:40 am

  This car is a head turner, fun to drive, has a great sound system, front seats roomy but back seat has no leg room and good trunk room. The GS is peepy for a 4 cylinder, does corners well.

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  Mitusbishi ride to thrill - 2002 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By kid sid 2479 - January 8 - 4:33 pm

  I bought this car in April 2006 for only $7,999. It recently hit 23,000 miles. It was cheap and affordable. It was the best deal from a car dealership plus it still had avpowertrain warranty on it. It was easy to drive and had less confusing controls inside the car. It handled like a dream. It was a sporty looking car. The back part of it looks like Honda Coupe. I am not complaining about the power. It could have more, but that would make it more expensive. The car is very affordable, nice, and fun to drive of course. It does not give a good milege on roadways but on highways it does pretty well. For people with a tight budget who want a decent, sporty, eye-catching car, this would be it.

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  Great car - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By dave s. - January 8 - 10:00 am

  for the price, this is a great car. Not top of the line, but I am very happy with it.. Highly recommend to those on a budget.

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  90% super luxury for the money - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By jjambbong - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I had the car for a week now and Im loving it. Price was great for its features. This baby had almost everything that I wanted in SUV. I recommend that you go test drive one and youll see why.

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  Awesome SUV - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By kimliz - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Love the look of the dash! The lights are incredible at night. Hard to judge distance of front of vehicle. Love the roomy back seat and the doors feel solid.

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  Awesome - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Sarge - January 7 - 9:10 pm

  It was between the Mazda 6 and Galant and the Galant won hands down. Engine: The Mazda 6 was sluggish around 3,000 RPMs. The Galant however has awesome response no matter what the RPM range. I couldnt stand the stepped style shifter in the Mazda 6, the Galant had the same type transmission however a much smother shift pattern. Handling: This car sticks like glue, I would love to get it on a closed course and see what its capable of.

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  ********BAD A/C******** - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By chris - January 6 - 10:26 pm

  I have had this car for five years and I have had to fix the a/c about 5 to 6 times. The engine is great but there is a big problem with the a/c.

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  Vader - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Michael Kroll - January 6 - 10:30 am

  I had wanted to replace my 2001 F150 Supercrew with a new Mustang, but that was not practical with one offspring still in collage. The Outlander seemed to be the best bet for our needs. So far this vehicle has surpassed all of my expectations! I have hauled quite a few boxes (my mother is in the process of moving) and have torn up the roads using the F1 style paddle shifters. They took a bit of getting familiar with, since I am used to manual gearboxes such as in my wifes mustang GT, but once I did, there is no way that I will use the full on auto, unless the wife is with me. (She likes good gas mileage). Also, the Rockford/Fosgate kicks!