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 Sports Coupe Value - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Doug - July 17 - 12:36 am

  After testing driving the Scion tC, Honda Civic and the Ford Mustang V6 I test drove and purchased an Eclipse GS. While it is more expensive than the Scion and the Honda, I felt the Eclipse delivered more value. It has better acceleration than the Scion or Honda, has more comfortable seats, has a better interior layout, and a has much better exterior design. I did like the Mustangs exterior design, but its interior seemed cheap and poorly laid out. Overall the Mustang (which was more expensive than the Eclipse) just didnt seem to offer as much value.

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  Just the best car Ive ever owned - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
  By artrocks - July 15 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned new and old cars for the last 30 years and this car make me AND my husband happy; Ive got room and vroom... It looks cooler than any other car on the road. I read about Mitsubishi, checked out the Japanese version of this before I bought this. (never buy the beta version) and this model is clean - I couldnt find anything bad about it. Ive never bought a Mitsubishi and put my faith in the good opinions of its customers. Have had this car for 8 months and its the best.

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  Love it - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By a & l - July 15 - 10:00 am

  Weve had other Galants, but this one is by far the best of them. The ride is smooth, the pick-up is great. You feel you are in a much bigger car. We absolutely love this car. We leased the others, this one we bought with no regrets. Unfortunately, with the gas prices high - well we all know.

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  Mixed bag - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By PTS - July 15 - 2:10 am

  I bought mine in 2003. I was torn between the Eclipse GT and the Acura RSX Type S. I chose the Eclipse because money was an issue as I was fresh out of college and Mitsubishi was offering zero payments for a year and a lower APR than Acura thereafter. Plus the RSX was in its first run while this model of Eclipse was in its second. I figured Mitsubishi would have worked out some kinks by the second generation of that model. Overall I have been pretty pleased by the performance and mechanical build of the engine and drivetrain. I have issues however with the shoddy plastic quality of the dash, doors, trunk lining, etc. The interior is a synch to scratch with keys, luggage & other cargo.

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  Great Trip Mobile! - 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By EMOH76 - July 13 - 7:53 am

  I would definitely suggest this SUV. Cheaper than its competitors and cheaper to insure. So far it has been extremely reliable at 11,000 miles. Many of my miles were on long trips. The AWD holds the road well in all road conditions.

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  The Best - 2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By armando nicholas - July 12 - 2:13 pm

  My wife and I were searching for a SUV for a good three solid months. In terms of price, safety, warranty, and comfort this is the best in its class.

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  The same car in Aust - 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By gundie - July 12 - 2:00 am

  Well the car looks the same a different name, and built quality seems to be improved

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  2001 Montero Sport ES - AMAZING CAR!! - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By nightlisa - July 10 - 11:10 pm

  BOUGHT BCUZ: I bought this car because it was the right price, I got it when it was about 4yrs old, and they wanted less than $8,000 for it, sold cheap because the young girl who it was bought for - thought it was ugly & not sexy, she wanted a little car. AMAZING: Other than buy a new car battery after 4 years, do the brakes & Oil, and change an O2 sensor for DEQ - this car has ran like a champ with little to no down time in the mechanic shop. Ive had an accident or 2 and it has held up amazingly well, paint looks perfect - body barely has a scratch, and navigates like a dream still. Yup its ugly but my wallet loves it.

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  I love my 2017 Mirage! - 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Janaka - July 10 - 10:45 pm

  Great little economical car that cant be beat for the price. Ive been averaging 48mpg and have even reached 52mpg at times. Its not a luxury car but has everything I need. I mostly drive it in a mountainous area and find that braking and acceleration are plenty adequate. Dont listen to the professional reviews unless you are looking for a sports car. For an everyday driver, this car is perfect for me.

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  One of the best cars Ive owned - 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Don - July 10 - 1:30 pm

  The 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante has unexpected, powerful, and quick acceleration. It has smooth and very comfortable road performance after I changed to better touring tires. You need to use only the best windsheild wiper blades otherwise they are noisy. The specs require plus fuel, but I alternate with regular without any noticeable mileage or performance difference. The fuel indicator shows close to empty when there is still more than a hundred miles left in the 19 gallon tank. I average 22 mpg in the city. It has a good stereo with controls on the steering wheel. I dont understand why professional car reviewers do not rate this car higher.