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:

• 

  My Montero - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Deelo - June 11 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my Montero for 15 months now and im unpleased with its performance and resale value. This vehicle is seriously underpowered and tends to be tipsy. Ill never buy another Montero!

• 

  o.k. rather have an acura - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By rmlf1 - June 11 - 2:00 am

  had to get this car because of the triple zero deal, i dont hate it but dont love it either. blind spots in rear quarter are the worst ive seen, the great infinity 7 speaker sound package is not as loud as i like(i can max it out and still be comfortable).i am 59" and my head almost skims the roof, when sunroof is open, my hair blows in my eyes(i HATE that).and no quick take offs at all, slow acceleration, if i hadnt needed a car so badly at the time and they hadnt offered the triple zero deal, i probably wouldve gotten the acura.

• 

  FUN FUN FUN!!! - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By 300c_kid - June 9 - 8:06 pm

  I love my 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT! What a FUN car! I traded in my old Eclipse for the new one. I love the engine and way it sounds. The manual transmission is a joy. The suspension handles excellently and absorbs bumps. The car is finished immaculately inside and out. Mitsubishi used great materials. I recommend it to all my friends. It feels like such a much more expensive car! It should have AWD, but one gets used to the FWD configuration. Its gas mileage is pretty good. I got the V6 with a manual transmission and am getting around 20 mpg driving it hard! I love the sound of the engine...I hardly ever turn on the radio. I have no complaints at all. I am estremely happy with my Eclipse!

• 

  Vehicle Rating - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Cahill - June 5 - 10:00 am

  Steering is my only complaint. Seems a little spongy on the highway.

• 

  A JOY TO DRIVE - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero
  By CARBUFF - June 5 - 10:00 am

  I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD ENJOY DRIVING A CAR SO MUCH...THE ONLY NEGATIVE IVE FOUND IS THAT MY WIFE GETS TO DRIVE IT MORE THAN I DO. GREAT ON ROAD TRIPS AND FUN IN TOWN, THE MOST ENJOYABLE VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. A DEFINITE KEEPER FOR YEARS TO COME!!

• 

  Happy so far - 2009 Mitsubishi Galant
  By RocGalant - June 5 - 8:33 am

  I bought this car w/ 16mi. on the odo. And put just under 2k to so far. I really like the front grille and tail lights for 09. Im about 61" and it fits me perfectly. I had a 02 Eclipse and 00 Linc Continental. This Galant is perfectly wedged between those cars in terms of performance, ride quality, features, gas mileage and size. The Galant gets me from A to B with good sound from the 140w system, decent pep when passing hwys, great safety features.

• 

  NEW OUTLANDER SPORT 2.4 Litre - 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By crofoot50 - June 2 - 4:55 am

  just picked up my brand-new 2015 outlander GT sport with the 2.4 L engine and the paddle shifters . the power this vehicle has for an all-wheel-drive model is amazing I cant tell you enough how great this car is to drive need to stop down and try it out what a difference from the original vehicles they have been complaining about with the small underpowered 2.0 motor . I just got it and cannot stop smiling get to your dealer and road test one with the paddle shifters. The only complaint I have is the real window visibility in the rearview mirror is kind of hard to see very small rear hatch window.

• 

  Reliability Is It - 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Raleigh - June 1 - 8:53 am

  This is my 3rd Mitsubishi. Ive enjoyed all of them. They have all been very reliable. Ive never had any problems with any of them that have been major. The Montero Sport is a under powered but still fun to drive. I love the body style and the feel of the vehicle. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone who wanted to look good and have fun.

• 

  Perfect for Our Young Family! - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By crosstrack21 - June 1 - 6:20 am

  Weve been looking for something our two year old would enjoy as much as my wife and I would. And we found it. My wife loves the sunroof, and I love the sound system (subwoofer is my favorite part!). Our daughter sits high enough to finally see out of the window and I have peace of mind with the Anti-skid control and enough airbags for any situation. The gas mileage is great for an SUV, but obviously not as good as our Nissan Altima. The XLS model is worth the extra money! We love this SUV! It has the best warranty available and the customer service is extremely pleasant.

• 

  Mitsubishi - 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By soaks - May 31 - 6:45 pm

  Ok this will be brief and to the point. 1. 2006 Eclipse 2. 2006 Spyder 3. 2009 Spyder 4. 2011Spyder 5. 2011 Lancer 6. 2011 Outlander Sport ES 7. 2013 Outlander Sport SE No issues what so ever