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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  Great Car for the Money - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Tiger - June 28 - 5:34 pm

  It wont be the fast car at the traffic light. But it is a good family SUV (or CUV),

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  sport - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By pcyh - June 28 - 10:00 am

  The lady of the house loved the styling of this thing, my only issue with her buying any new vehicle was it must be capable of towing our boat of 3,000 plus pounds. So since she loved the styling of this suv, and it would tow this boat better than my ford taurus, i signed for it.

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  Love it - 2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Gary - June 27 - 6:40 am

  I find my Endeavor to be cavernous inside, mid sized outside and a good looking reliable vehicle in between.

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  So far really good - 2006 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By geneo - June 26 - 8:56 pm

  Bought our endeavor used last spring and it has turned out to be a really nice SUV for us. Havent run it in the snow yet but it has a nice ride, good performance, decent mileage, and is overall a good car.

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  2005 Mitsubishi Galant - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By mrtestcell - June 26 - 3:53 pm

  This is a fun and smooth car to drive. I had a 2003 Galant that I traded in for this one and there is no comparison. A full size person can now fit in the back seat comfortably. The 3.8 V6 rocks the house too, in comparison to the 2.4L 4 cylinder. Overall Mitsubishi did a great job redesigning this vehicle but it is oddly similar to the new Honda Accord, which I also have. Looks like a little industrial espionage by somebody.

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  this is a car not a suv! - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Terry Pritchard - June 26 - 10:00 am

  Wife had to have this one.She loved its unique style. I must say this has been a great car. What a joy to drive- excellent styling inside with superb comfort. If Consumers says it is so unstable why does it win so many off road races?

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  2005 mitsubishi galant - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By courtney richter - June 26 - 10:00 am

  it is great it is nice for family and friends safe and neat

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  Not impressed - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Amanda - June 26 - 9:20 am

  If you live where there is snow, do not get this car! It tends to get stuck, even on the roads. It does not get any traction to get started, just wants to veer all over the road. Also, when trying to stop on slippery roads, it pulls the car hard left or right. I went from a 2007 Civic SI to a 2009 Lancer GTS, the Civic had tons more power and got tons better gas mileage. Very upset with the whole car. The seats are extremely uncomfortable when taking a trip longer than 30 minutes also.

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  Very Happy - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Jennifer - June 24 - 11:43 am

  I love this car. I have had it for three years. I have 147,000 miles on it and runs great. My husband and I own an auto repair shop, and rarely see Mitsubishis. My Galant died one time on me - the belt broke and the car shut down to prevent overheating. I had a Mitsubishi before and they have features no one else has such as headers, easy access in engine compartment (especially for an import), three low gears (vs. 2) if manually shifting (extra power to pass, etc.). I am going to keep this car for many more years. I cant complain about the lack of items that were obviously not part of the vehicle when bought - heated seats, no light in back seat, bigger back seat,etc. Yes, dealers are hard to find and provide bad service. But I am biased against all dealers. Go Independent.

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  Id rather drive this than a Camry... - 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By RStudley - June 24 - 10:00 am

  Bought an 02 Diamante ES new for a couple reasons... I owned a 97 Diamante - a good comfortable ride. I also like that I dont see myself coming and going - its sort of a poor mans exclusive ride. I like the power, but fun-to-drive quotient is not high - it wanders like a puppy, and has a bit too much body lean. Even so, it is competent and well behaved (at least in normal driving). The real reason I bought it was price, and unbeatable financing. It also came with a 100K mile warranty, and auto alarm... Summary - not bad if your thing is to get "there" in relative comfort and style.