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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  Overpriced and Uncomfortable - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By bradpepsi - October 22 - 2:00 am

  This has got to be the most uncomfortable car Ive ever driven. The driver is very cramped and the gas pedal is far too sensitive. The problem is you dont notice things like that on a test drive, its only when you go on a drive more than 30 minutes or so that you notice how uncomfortable it is. Performance is much better than the reviews for it indicate, but the gas mileage is pathetic for a car with a 115 HP 4 cylinder engine (about 23 mpg in the city). At $17,300 for the automatic version, Mitsubishi is out of their mind. Ive had mine for only two months and am already looking to get rid of it.

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  The best small sedan - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Geralt - October 22 - 2:00 am

  The best small car to drive. Handling, fun and design are outstanding.A lot of room inside. The engine has enough power to enter 70 mph highway line and commute everyday. Has good fuel economy and handling is awesome. Youll take 25 mph turns with 50 mph and not feel it. Reliablitity poven by German TUV. For 5 years old cars Lancer is better then some Mercedes or BMW! Great mitsubishi.

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  Car Sucks - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Joebert - October 22 - 2:00 am

  This is the absolute worst car I have ever driven. The transmission will not shift into 1st gear driving over 5 MPH and sometimes not into 2nd gear if over 15 MPH. The dealer said that this is normal for Mitsubishi and that "They do not have the smoothest shifting transmissions out there." Why is it that for the first 6-8 weeks of owning this car did it drive fine? Nobody wants to address this question. I have had it in there a total of 4 times for this issue and the first time they replaced the synchronizers (maybe) and now they tell me, "We replaced them to make the customer happy. I will NEVER buy another car from that dealership.

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  Should have better reliability - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By some_fog - October 21 - 9:20 am

  I owned this car for a 5.5 years. The car got 5 years factory warranty. During the 5 years Ive got broken the alarm button, A/C and oxygen sensor. Dealership has fixed that for no cost to me. After 5 years Ive got broken the second oxygen sensor and two rear windows. It was unexpected to me and I decided to get rid of the car.

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  Very Pleased - 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By boehm421 - October 19 - 9:04 pm

  Recently purchased my Outlander Sport after looking at the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tuscon. Read some reviews indicating it is very loud and under-powered. I have found the power to be more than adequate and engine noise to be a non-issue as well. If you are a lead foot, engine noise will be louder than usual due to the CVT transmission. The car makes use of higher RPMs to power the car for quick acceleration. This has to do with the fact that a CVT does not "shift". Its basically one large gear. The car feels well made. I am very happy to own this car after trading in a Mercedes Benz ML320. I do mostly city driving/ short trips and get about 23 mpg, which is a vast improvement for me.

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  2005 Mitsubishi Lancer - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Chr15 - October 18 - 6:03 pm

  Take the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer to dirt, and turn the wheel all the way and hit reverse, woo is that fun! dont worry about moving much cause your making unbelievable turns. it would be better if you got one with all the features needed and security requried ABS is not standard, but a CD player is? I like the full grill as opposed to the two quarter size slotts. The clips installed on the inside panels are perfect for power wire for trunk thumpers. This is the only car Ive had where the seat didnt have to be all the way back to reach the pedals sufficiently and comfortably. I wish I would have gotten the Ralliart model though. The factory brakes seem to decipate too soon.

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  Sweet - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Phillygator - October 17 - 10:00 am

  We really enjoy our new Montero Sport. We traded our Nissan Altima for it and now I will never buy a sedan again. Its fun to drive in that it has good power for a big truck and the ride is surprisingly smooth. I would recommend the bigger engine (3.5 L vs. 3.0 L).

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  nice - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By superduckyaya - October 17 - 10:00 am

  nice car, fun to drive

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  The wizard of OZ turns heads - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By michield - October 17 - 2:00 am

  The Lancer OZ Ralley is a head turner. A sporty car with a youthful aroma. Some critics say its under powered with only 120hp in a 130hp class but the torque at 130lbs is what you feel. I tested the corolla, protoge, and sentra before deciding on the OZ. I didnt find any noticable difference in power or acceleration when driving. I suggested that if you want to turn heads by the OZ. If you are more conventional and wish to save a few pennies in gas by the corolla.

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  My favorite car (by a wide margin)! - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By ilhavenese - October 15 - 2:18 am

  I bought this car brand new & have owned it for 12 yrs. In that time it has had all regular maintenance done according to the owners manual, & Ive had 0 problems with it. The car drives as nice 12 years later as the day I bought it. Im up to 133,000 miles & would drive this car anywhere in the country with confidence. Ive owned a Galant (replaced the Galant; I wanted a manual transmission & Galants no longer came in them), Prelude, & currently also own a 1969 Mini Cooper (classic version as opposed to a new 1), & this is by far my favorite car to drive (even with the fun appeal that the Mini has). Of the cars I own, this 1 handles the best, is 100% reliable, & averages 40+ mpg.