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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  New Outlander Sport GT - 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By btwells - December 7 - 9:43 pm

  I bought the new 2015 Outlander Sport GT. Wow! What a nice vehicle. I got a gray one with the Touring package, Rockford Fosgate sound system, panoramic roof, cargo package, and exterior side moldings. The GT version also comes with the 2.4 liter engine. For me it drives beautifully. Nice pickup and acceleration with the improved engine. The black leather interior and matching black carpet make the interior fell rich and comfortable. The navigation system/audio system is LOADED with features and looks and sounds great. At the push of a button the ceiling retreats and panoramic roof with its LED backlighting appears-- very impressive!

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  Galant GS - 1996 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Monkey - December 5 - 6:56 pm

  Great little car. Even after adding some bolt on power (turbo) the car was very reliable. This is until we hit 170000, then the engine had a few stumbles. At 175000 the engine said its about my time and the transmission soon followed. I am sure that had this drivetrain remained stock it would have easily hit the 250000 mark.

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  Awesome machine - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By bfrost2 - December 5 - 5:36 am

  Alright so this car is absolutely worth the money, I commute 150 miles a day round trip and it runs strong with decent comfort. The only negatives Ive found with this car are if you live where it snows you WILL be jamming out your rims with a snow brush every time you get out of the car or drive around with the car shaking so bad you cant read the guages, it also doesnt do as well as promised on gas I average 23ish. You 100% want the rockford sound system and the CVT transmission is complete junk so buy a 5 speed. (traded my automatic back after 2 weeks because it was so annoying). Other than that this car is amazing and I may buy another one when trade in time rolls around.

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  Endeavor Nitch - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By LBEndeavor - December 4 - 10:00 am

  If you are willing to sacrifice a hi towing capacity and rock breaking off road ability in exchange for more comfort and better handling, the All Wheel drive Endeavor is worth considering. For 99 % of our driving this is a great SUV, and for 90% of the remaining 1%, this vehicle will handle our off road needs. We can only hope for the great Japanese tradition of reliability.

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  Exceptional Value - 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By aa0526 - December 2 - 2:11 am

  Primary Purpose: 1. Commuting to work alone (95%) 2. Short trips with family (5%) Been shopping around for a small CUV that has a 3rd row (for those rare occasions). Wanted a 3rd row as a backup for the minivan. The minivan is reserved for long trips. I cant wean myself from Japanese cars. I shopped between the Santa Fe, Rogue 2014 and the Outlander 2014. Being a current Nissan and Mitsubishi owner, it was a hard decision between the Rogue and the Outlander. The current MPG averages 28-30 combined. The warranty and price were the clinchers. It is relatively quiet, acceleration was good for my needs, very roomy 2nd row (I am only 57" - so there is plenty of room left behind me).

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  My best car yet! - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Shizzleman - December 1 - 1:30 pm

  I have had my Galant for 2yrs and I love it. I have not had many problems. The only problem I faced was when the heating coil got clogged and that cost about $600 to replace. Other than that the mechanics say my car is flawless. I do my regular oil changes and get maintenance and the car does the rest.

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  Very reliable vehicle - 2009 Mitsubishi Galant
  By nick131 - November 30 - 12:59 am

  Bought the car with 34k miles , now have 80k miles and still drives the same. The only maintenance performed have been oil changes and front brake pads once. Drives great on highways and passes other cars easily. Five speed speedtronic comes handy on snow days. great car for everyday commuter.

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  best suv under 20,000 - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By jwebb - November 28 - 10:00 am

  i didnt think i would like it after i drove it , i fell in love with the way it handles and looks..

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  Rugged - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By MZ - November 28 - 10:00 am

  We love this vehicle! Excellent looks, Build construction is phenomenal! We compared the under body of four runners & pathfinder & this is definitely more substantial. Very thick skid plates. Also we measured the rear trailing arms, and this vehicle has the longest which translate to better off- road performance. The 3.5 liter provides good acceleration. This vehicle have lots of neat features.

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  best car ever - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By karen1958us - November 28 - 10:00 am

  drives like $30000 but for under$20000