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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  Good deal...except for... - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By MitsuDude - January 24 - 10:00 am

  4wd, torque and stability are superb. Ride comfort...the seats are better than youll find in most luxury vehicles. Unless you have a 3.5l engine, youll find the Montero Sport is severely underpowered. I have had numerous nagging electrical problems: -replaced headlamps (bulbs) 6 times -replaced right headlamp -replaced front parkign lamps -replaced all brake lamps -replaced taillamps -4wd switch malfunctioned, replaced -interior lighting shorted, repaired -antenna needed replacing I have had to replace brake pads more often than I would like. The chrome grille began to peel, but my dealer replaced it for free.

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  A Great Car - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Smilie - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I love my car and the mileage that I have put on it proves it.When I bought the car it only had 8K on it, 17 months later I am almost at 43K.My friends love the car, the smooth drive and the sleek look.It has more of a sporty look than a family sedan.

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  THE BEST BUY - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By HARRISSON987 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  COMFORT, TECHNOLOGY AND STYLE FOR LESS

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  Joined The Club! - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Nort Johnson - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the 2004 Eddeavor in May of 2003 and for a month and a half I didnt see another one anywhere! In a town as big as Chicago thats unusual.I bought the Limited loaded! Black with saddle brown enterior. For a mid size SUV it handles extreamly well.Off road it has been an unexpected workhorse.Everywhere I go people stop me and ask if they can check it out. For a while I felt like I was in some kind of elite club. Its easy to keep clean,the sound system is nothing short of perfect.Breaking is on a dime.The suspension off road and on is great.I feel like I belong to special club.Im one happy Endeavor owner!

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  Fun to Drive!!! - 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By sunnyray - January 22 - 3:35 am

  I absolutely love this car! Ive had 2 Hondas & a Jeep and by far I like this much better! You get all the little extras etc. heated seats, blue tooth, keyless entry and start for much less than Honda. It looks so great and smart to drive! Make sure you get the larger wheels and 4wd for all the difference in the world! We just had a major snow storm and this cuv handled better than any suv Ive ever driven! Thanks to Mitsb for an affordable and awesome cuv! handled better than any suv Ive ever had (my last one was a jeep) I love my new small crossover and it is a blast to drive! You will love it too!

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  Going strong - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By shep - January 21 - 2:03 pm

  I bought this in 2003 with 28k miles. Always get regular service done on this car and I now have 104k miles on it. The car has held up well and it still looks great compared to others on the road. I plan to keep it going as long as I can unless something major turns up. Its been reliable and is still fun to drive.

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  2000 Eclipse, High Quality and Fun to Drive! - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Me Me - January 20 - 10:26 pm

  I have driven this Eclipse for six years and have never had any major problems. I love it! It is so fun to drive! The SportTronic is great, since there is no clutch to deal with! The Infinity sound system is the BEST! It has such high quality sound! This is a great sports car. I highly recommend it!

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  This truck is awesome! - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By blackb13 - January 20 - 12:50 pm

  Mitsubishi hit the nail on the head with this one. I test drove the competition: the CX-7, RAV4, CR-V, Murano, Santa Fe and Tribeca. Nothing came close for features, quality, and price. The Murano and Tribeca had slightly more front legroom, but aside from the small details, I couldnt justify the price. The CX-7 was OK (no BT feature), but couldnt justify the premium fuel requirement. Honda and Toyota werent willing to deal at all (nasty attitude). Hyundai had no features and poor gas mileage. Our Outlander came loaded with HIDs, LED tails, Navigation, Bluetooth, heated leather seats, and a 5yr/60k bumper to bumper, 10yr/100k powertrain warranty. FYI, you can get beige or black leather depending on color.

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  Returning to an Old Friend - 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
  By David T - January 19 - 2:10 pm

  The last truck I owned was a 1997 Dodge Dakota. I was in the market to buy one again, the size always seemed perfect, but I dont like the styling of the new Dakota. So I took a look at the Raider, which is its structural twin, even assembled at the same plant. The handling has been improved vastly, and the new version is even lighter then my previous. 1997 Dakota weighed in at 5,480 lbs w/ V-8 & std. cab and Raider is 4,287 lbs w/ V-6 and extended cab. Being 1,200 lbs lighter and only 20 HP short of my last, it accelerated very nice, and the economy is better, although like all of us Id like to see it a little better. Maybe they can bring the 5-speed auto to the V-6 next year.

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  Smooth Move - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Lance A Lot - January 17 - 10:00 am

  I got this car after a lot of research into reliabilty and safety, but the 0/0/0 for a year is one of the main reasons I got it. So far i have had ZERO problems with this car, and think it was a pretty good deal for the 14,400 I paid (xtra: keyless entry, plus whatever else I needed to get keyless entry). The handling is good for a boring sedan, and the engine is the smoothest I have ever driven. The clutch is also good but 1st is too sensitive. Good power output at the higher end. Excellent saftey rating. That is probably why I ended up going for it, too, since I have a young daughter.