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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  Best Buy! - 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By EclipseOwner - July 24 - 10:36 am

  I purchased a 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS with the sportronic transmission. My Eclipse has the 650 watt Rockford Fosgate sound system which is excellent. I have had the car for 3 weeks now and it is an amazing car, it is fast even with the 4 cylinder and gets 31 mpg. It has a surprisingly spacious interior and Im 6 foot 1 so it has a large cabin. The car is very easy to take care of and is a great buy. I used to have a 2006 Eclipse but I was in an accident in April that totalled it. The Eclipse is extremely safe because in my accident I was in a head on collision with a Cadilac Escalade and I was completely safe.

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  test of time - 2002 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By dinosaur - July 24 - 10:00 am

  my mirage is a 93 and still running like a top;and im told i am very hard on a car by my son who is a mechanic.it handles great and does manage to get out of its own way-not bad for a 4 cyl.the only complaint is that parts are always dealership only and cost a fortune.im looking for a new car and probable will by another mirage.at 140,000 it keeps on ticking.

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  NEEDS SOME WORK - 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By TAYREN - July 24 - 10:00 am

  FUN TO DRIVE! GET MANY COMPLIMENTS ON LOOK OF VEHICLE. LIKE THE SIZE COMPARING TO OTHER MID-SIZE SUVS. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN PERFORMANCE WITH TRANSMISSION- HAS DELAYED KICK-IN WHEN INCREASING SPEED. ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD. 4WD HAS ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH SLIPPAGE.

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  New SUV Blues - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Prather - July 24 - 10:00 am

  Engine cutting out & its a new car & being jerked around by the dealership

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  Best in its class - 2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By AyRuGO - July 23 - 1:20 am

  Smooth ride. Very comfortable. Got more engine power. More leg room. Drive like a car. Dont need extra luxury items on it. Love the warranty!

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  Great gas mileage - 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By kmgreen - July 22 - 7:57 pm

  About 2 months ago, we traded in our Jeep Liberty for a re-poed 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. It gets better gas mileage than expected - about 29-31 in mixed driving. It doesnt feel peppy when accelerating but its my first CVT and I think it just feels different, not bad. The drivers side has tons of legroom and my knees never hurt on long trips. The road feel is a little rough -- similar to the Jeep. We live down a rough dirt road and with 8+ inches of ground clearance, the Outander Sport performs great. Update: Weve had this car for about 2 years and never had a problem with it. If and when we need a new car well probably buy another Outlander.

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  Red Beauty - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By richgroh - July 21 - 10:07 pm

  This was my first car and have owned it for over 3 years.Bought it at 104k and it i now at 145k. Only problem ive had so far was the a/c compressor went out at 110k but you have to expect things to break with this many miles. I has been totaled 3 times and still runs like a champ. Besides routine maintenance and the a/c compressor it has been very reliable so far. I am a delivery driver and my other job is a long commute so alot of those miles were hard on it and i also have a pretty heavy foot. I average around 22mpg which is good considering my lead foot and it is alot of stop and go traffic on long island plus it is also an automatic.

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  mitsubishi 98 eclispse RS - 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By jay bird - July 21 - 10:00 am

  good reliable car, keep the oil change going, spark plugs go out real fast when it gets old, turning angle is not good

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  Its awsome - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By chris holowiak - July 21 - 10:00 am

  I have so much fun with this car its my first car but more then any other car i have driven its the best one out of all. its just an awsome car to drive.

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  2000 Mitsubishi - 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Phil - July 19 - 10:00 am

  The transmission shifts hard in this car. The rear seats have no room for comfort.