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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  My New Car - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By shennie - November 18 - 10:00 am

  This is my first brand new car and I love it!!!! The Lancer is fun to drive looks sporty and at the same time still give the feeling of safety and comfort.

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  Love it!!!!!!!! - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Nibseysgirl - November 17 - 8:16 pm

  I bought my Galant right b4 Christmas this past year...My present to me...YAHOO. Its the first "new" car I have had...I am so glad I got it. Have had no issues to speak of except that the windshield washer reservoir is broken (big whole in the bottom..didnt know that till I went to put fluid in...good thing its CHEAP...watered the ground) I have literally had to do nothing to this car since I bought it but replace worn windshield wipers and put gas in it. I think this is the smoothest nicest car I have driven. I love it...

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  2004 Mitsubishi Galant ES - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Joe Cowan - November 15 - 4:20 am

  This is my second Galant ES. The first was a 2001 that I drove for 3 touble free years. I particularly like the free roadside service, free maintenance and customer service. One of my sisters-in-law drove the car and thought (my 4-cyl) was a V6. Even teenagers who hardly notice such things have commented how smooth the ride is. I just giggle and keep on enjoying the ride, the Infinity 6 disc in-dash, six speaker stereo and the admiring comments from others. I am probably a Mitsubishi customer for life.

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  My Car - 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By NicoleH - November 13 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4th car in three and a half years and I wish I would have bought it sooner. I LOVE MY CAR!! Even though its a 4 cy. it drives like a 6 and the supertronic transmission is great. I highly recommend it to anyone.

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  Tremendous buy - and would buy again! - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Sero - November 13 - 5:53 am

  I purchased the GT new in 2003, and had to get the 5-speed manual transmission. Even though its a V-6, my 5-year average MPG is 27.5! Having lived in Erie, PA and Cleveland, the heavy build and FWD helps get through snow. This car is not only a great looking car, but wonderful to drive - particularly through the hills of Eastern Ohio and Western PA. If it wasnt for kids on the way, Id keep this great auto or upgrade to a newer model. I HIGHLY recommend anyone considering a nice sporty car to get an Eclipse for the fun and value.

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  I love my Anime Supershuttle - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By ultrarad - November 12 - 12:36 am

  I purchased my new Outlander out of state and recently drove it back to Texas. This little trek gave me a terrific opportunity to quickly become accustomed to this cars innate abilities. Once home, I cant believe I didnt purchase this car sooner. Everything about this car is exciting - the design, the way it drives, the technology - I simply dont have enough time to play with it all. If you are searching for an off-brand CUV/SUV that has driving personality, utility AND techno-enhanced design, then the Outlander should be at the top of your list. Go on, be different and check out an automobile that has inherent off-roading qualities perfected through years of Dakar rally challenges.

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  10 years later - 2005 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Christina - November 11 - 10:47 am

  I bought this car brand new off the lot in 2005. Within the first couple of years I had to have it repainted twice because it was already rusting. I had the bushings, control arms, tierods, and brakes replaced pretty much every year Ive owned this thing, since the first year I bought it. I dont mistreat my car or drive it rough because Im too paranoid something will go wrong with it. At 7 years the motor blew and the dealership refused to honor the warranty, despite it having 93,000 miles on it (well under warranty). The transmission was bad after the first year. The radiator had to be replaced after 8 years, even though it leaked since the first year I got it. The dealership wouldnt cover anything with my 10 year/100,000 mile warranty except the bushings. My window motor died after 9 years. The rear window windshield wiper died after 3 years. I feel Im replacing the lights every 6 months, and at $35 a light, it adds up real quick. Ive pretty much replaced every single thing on this car since the year I bought it, without any help from the dealership or warranty. Now its paid off, you better believe Im going to drive the hell out of it for another 10 years because Ive rebuilt the whole thing. I paid $27,000 for this car, and I refuse to let it go out of sheer stubbornness, and not wanting to have to buy another car. BUT, I sure as heck will NEVER buy another one again. Wasnt ever worth the money. And I didnt even get the nice packaged one, its just plain jane boring. I wouldnt recommend this car to anyone. Its hard to find parts for it, and everything costs a ridiculous amount.

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  Evo What? - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Scott - November 9 - 11:26 am

  Welcome to the land of the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart! This sport sedan rocks my world, and the aftermarket parts selection is quickly adding up with amazing manufacturers such as RRM (roadracemotorsports.com). Everything about this car screams fun! Wether you are flying through the gears with the shifter that came directly from the Evo parts bin, or hugging through hair pins on a local twisty road, you are sure to enjoy every minute of driving this car.

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  2001 GS Eclipse-not a car of quality - 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By dorothea71 - November 9 - 2:00 am

  This is a sporty looking car and that is all that is sporty about it. I find it to drive more like an underpowered sedan. If you are used to a quality car you will be very disappointed with ths car. I drove an Acura Integra before and I miss the quality and supurb handling. I am disappointed with the interior quality and things like the doors never shutting quite right (the dealership just cant seem to fix them) and many other little annoying things. Beware also if you buy these cars new they come with 20,000 mile tires, so you will be spending the money to replace them shortly. The car is hot looking, but overall I am very dissatisfied.

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  It all fell apart! - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By ahinde - November 7 - 1:30 pm

  I really liked my 2003 outlander when I bought in in 2004, but soon after that I found it had many problems. Every summer water fills inside my air conditioner and causes it to short out causing a new blower motor to be replaced. This wasnt all covered by warranty and they could never figure out why it would do this. Also my entire suspension has been changed and only a year later its already squeaking. Also our temp dial doesnt rotate freely anymore, the cable designed badly and has been replaced once already. There are also numerous issues with this model and Mitsubishi wont do recalls on. Overall I would not purchase another one!