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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  Jeffs Jiggetdy Review - 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Jiggy Jeff - September 17 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my 2001 GT Eclipse for nearly two years now. I love driving this car. The 5-speed transmission is very smooth and easy to shift on the fly. The throaty V6 exhaust sounds spectacular-people can hear you from a mile away). The headlights look nice, but the outer coverings are some type of hard plastic and scratch up easily. The bad things about this car are the brakes squeal at low speeds (since day 1),the sunroof jitters when going back (Ive taken it to the dealer twice & it still happens). The rear hatchback doesnt really rise on its own. You have to literally PULL it up (the gas struts arent strong enough)

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  Really a good car - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By excellent2 - September 16 - 11:38 pm

  Ive had my 2000 mitsubishi mirage for 6 yrs and and it has 267873 miles all ive ever done to it is change the oil and tranny fluid, put new tires and brakes this car is by far the best car ive ever had it is still runing strong it is better than my honda if this car ever goes under im buying another one.

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  Great Ride - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By jmercado787 - September 16 - 8:26 pm

  I bought the outlander thinking I was going to buy another car later. Yea right, Im keeping this bad boy. I made some modifications but from 160 hp Im up to 190 hp. Im very happy. Also I put 18" chrome rims on it. And a cold air intake. Think about it. You can wonders with this vehicle. I love it.

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  Ralliart Rules - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Ralliart - September 15 - 2:36 am

  Ok, this car really is a bang for your buck. Sporty look, handling and low end power with out paying extra. The first time I drove one, I fell in love. Had it for little over 3 years and no complaints so far.

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  Love it - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero
  By cdub - September 13 - 1:13 pm

  We were about to throw our hat into the MDX sweepstakes but could not stomach the extra five grand (as well as the yupster appeal) Except for gas mileage, could not have made a better decision. Solid in snow and rain, nice ride, ton of space, very nice interior elements, intuitive gauges, great seats, nice stereo and 0% financing closed the deal. Take a very hard look at look at what you get for the $$ when you compare to Explorer Eddie Bauer and Envoy)

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  GREAT NEW LOOK - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Razo681 - September 13 - 10:00 am

  I love the 04 galant I traded in my older 01 galant (which I loved) for this one and I am very pleased. the 2004 has more pickup more standard features, and is great fun to drive. On top of it all its more roomy and comfortable. My only gripe about the new Galant is the engine noise. Other than that Im very pleased with the car so far.

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  good car for the price - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By buckayou - September 13 - 10:00 am

  I have my mitsubishi galant for 5 days and Iam disappointed with the bumpy ride. The car drives very hard, like theres too much air in the tires. I travel alot so the main reason why I bought this car was because of the great warranty and the low price.

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  Mostly Very Happy - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By cdubs - September 13 - 10:00 am

  I looked at every SUV in Endeavors class (Pilot, Explorer, Trailblazer, etc.) and liked the Endeavor better than them all. Wasnt crazy about the looks of the boom box dash at first, but after a few weeks you dont even notice it. This is a great car for a tall person, and its got good back seat room for kids. People complain about poor gas mileage, but hey, I knew what I was getting into when I bought it. Only complaint is the seat fabric on the LS- its already becoming very worn after only three months. All in all, a great vehicle for the price.

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  Love it! - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By ksampsel - September 13 - 1:16 am

  I purchased the GTS model with the 5 speed manual, with the sun and sound package, and the navi and tech options. Handles great, stereo system is awesome (Rockford), lots of features for your money. You do hear a lot of road noise and engine noise. I think they need a quieter engine. It sounds like its knocking. They took away from the quality of the interior for all of the electronic features. I love this car, though, its fun to drive. As far as power I thinks it performs well. I was doing 60 from traffic light to traffic light without realizing it.

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  I LOve My Montero Sport - 2004 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Down to earth - September 10 - 5:50 pm

  After almost 6 yrs of owning it, I cant get rid of it I LOVE my car! This car grows on you, very faithful and it just looks prettier and prettier when it gets old! Hmm ! Unfortunate that it is NOT build anymore, I think I would buy myself a 2nd one. The others Endeavour and Outlander are just not the same never will be, its another car.