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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  long term review - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By tezza - January 12 - 11:13 am

  I have owned this car since new, putting 135,000 miles on it. Mitsubishis are fun to drive because they are a light car, not over engineered. My Galant gets very good gas mileage, about 28 mpg (I do 80 percent highway miles and 20 percent rural driving with few stop lights). Quality and reliability is probably a little bit below Honda and Toyota, however the cost of the vehicle new is below the other brands, and used Mitsubishis are fairly inexpensive. The two bugaboos with this car is the brakes - the rotors warp and there is really no solution so just drive it with warped rotors - and the dealers which are far and few between. If you can find a local mechanic that is good youll be fine.

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  Luxury Buy at Great Price - 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By MR. ED - January 11 - 8:06 am

  The 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante LS is an excellent car. It is great to drive and handles well. Its too bad they discontinued the model. The interior is excellent and the eight speaker Infinity system sounds great. I love it.

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  Eclipse - gone bad - 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By tech2k - January 11 - 2:00 am

  With only 78000 miles and great care this car just cost me $2000 for head gasket and valve repair. The shop stated that the design was flawed and a known issue with Mitsubishi.

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  Solid SUV - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero
  By REMITCHELL - January 11 - 2:00 am

  I just purchased this SUV after 6 months of research. After test driving almost all equivelent SUVs I found this one to come out on top in all catagories with the exception of its underpowered motor. The interior is laid out nicely but I am not a big fan of wood grain interiors. That is a personal preference so if you like that sort of thing this SUV has plenty to offer. I highly endorse this vehicle to anyone.

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  Depreciation, buyer beware! - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By AbnRanger - January 11 - 2:00 am

  Ill never buy another Mitsubishi! I traded into the Montero Sport with around 2K negative equity thinking I could absorb the 2K over time. Boy was I wrong! Ive watched the Montero decline in value below HALF of what I owe. These Montero Sports have little trade-in value...they got me hook-line- and-sinker! I have no out for a trade, I owe over 10K more than the retail value. Ill drive the damn thing till its paid for, then Ill donate it to a military target range!

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  Highly Overrated! - 2007 Mitsubishi Galant
  By smogtek - January 10 - 3:20 am

  I cant help but wonder if these positive consumer reviews are being posted by mitsubishi dealers themselves. This car is a dog A nightmare to park for a sedan! its as wide as a truck or a van with huge blind spots at the rear flanks. Important controls that would be regularly adjusted on a road trip are not illuminated at night. The front windshield has a nasty glare reflecting the chrome accents from the dashboard (too many chrome accents)you need sunglasses to protect your eyes from interior glare. I test drove this car at night or I would have caught this major design flaw and passed. The majority of interior space in this car is all in the rear seating area. Cannot recommend this car!

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  Great car - 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By christopher - January 10 - 1:13 am

  Great car. Bought this car new, had it about 7 1/2 years; car has never had any major repairs, just regular maint. I have never even had a tune up and it has over 150,000 miles. Gets average 25 miles to a gallon; on highway only about 27. Its been a great car.

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  People stop me everywhere about my car! - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By SherriRhiannon - January 9 - 9:26 am

  I get stopped by strangers everywhere so they can tell me how much they like my car! It looks like and sports car and drives like one! The new body style is gorgeous and original. The interior is made for the driver, not the passengers, no room for a backseat passenger.

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  underpowered - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By elewsader - January 8 - 3:33 pm

  This car has been overly reliable but utterly boring, weve had this car since new and its rarely had any issues which has been great, but I regret not getting the 3.5 liter as this has no power when you put people in the car, its designed for people under 510 since proper posture for anyone taller requires you to hunch over to see out the windows, you also need to squeeze into the doors, theres not enough cup holders, no ample storage. I know these are popular for off-road use and thats the only thing theyd be good for, its uncomfortable and shouldnt be allowed to transport more than three small adults.

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  This is the Best Car Ever - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By azshygirl21 - January 8 - 11:43 am

  My 1999 Mitsubishi Galant has a really smooth, yet tight ride. It gets great gas mileage and is a really classy car. The interior is really comfortable and nice. Ive enjoyed mine very much.