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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  Eclipse GT 5 sp mt - 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By rx8rotary04 - December 24 - 11:45 pm

  this was my first 5 sp mt car. it was a blast to drive for a first semi sports car. the handling was fantastic as well as the power (for what it is). a buddy of mine has the same car with not many major issues but i on the other hand got the lemon of all eclipses. bad belt bad motor mount bad tranny mount bad ebrake cable and many other things. before i sold it something would clunk and make the whole car feel as if it was about to fall into pieces but no one could figure out what it was so i had to sell the car and take a huge loss.

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  ...A great bargain overall - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By California - December 18 - 12:33 am

  I had a choice: pay a 16k balloon payment to keep my beloved 4-runner (with 96k miles) after its lease was up, or pay another $1500 and get a brand new montero with no miles. To most it would be a no-brainer, but the day I turned in my 4-rnr, my eyes got a little watery. 6 years and 110k mi. Later, I still think fondly of the Toyota, but if you have to "settle" for another Japanese brand, I have to recommend the montero. With the exception of replacing the steering column at 60k (right when the warranty ran out) I have not had any Major problems with this vehicle. Yes, the gas mileage sucks, but this truck is now a valued family member, & Ill miss it when I find a diesel car that suits me.

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  3rd gen not the way to go - 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By strong bad - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Grant it I think this car, looks beautiful, but being the last "sports" coupe mitsubishi made they really should have put a little more effort into it. The quality of materials that have been used are very dissapointing, the glove box that doesnt properly latch, 6 spoke GT rims bending, and 5 spd transmission problems. These items were the most of my troubles some others being acceptable; rear spoiler blocking to much rear view, cup holder not allowing to shift, hatch to heavy for release to function properly.

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  First Month of Use - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
  By Jim Anthony - November 27 - 4:03 am

  My 2006 Mitsubishi Raiders gas mileage during the first month and half has been terrible, approximately 13mpg. the interior is very bad, lots of plastic. The ride is okay, but has a lot of bounce and the truck likes to roll on railroad tracks and hard bumps. I would not recommend it for the serious off-road person.

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  Hot car, bad mechanics - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By flowerstar333 - September 20 - 8:57 am

  This is my first car. I bought it at 79k miles used. 6 thousand miles later, weve put $6000 from the day I got it. Dealer sold it with the wrong transmission in it. That was 4000. Something with the steering wasnt right and a few other things that costed 1000. For a few months it was ok. During the summer when I turned it on, it just died after a few seconds. That hasnt happened since. I noticed a creaking sound to the right. It had a worn upper engine mount and transmission mount and a oil gasket leak which all costed 1200 to fix. I wouldnt suggest this for a first especially if you only have a min wage job! Its so much fun to drive but is that really worth all my money?

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  Poor Paint Job - 2007 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Help - August 24 - 5:13 pm

  I bought this car in Oct. 2007 just before the winter. I noticed what looked like salt in front of the rear tires. When spring came and i washed the car, i noticed it was actually paint that was missing. The dealership contacted mitsubishi and submitted photos. They said it was due to "road wear" so they would not repaint my car even though it was only 6 months old. Shouldnt they use paint on their cars that can stand up to road wear? I have filed a complaint with the review board but havent heard back yet. When i see another Galant in a parking lot, i always look and there is the same problem to some degree in the same place. I havent owned the car for a year and it is rusting

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  Some problems - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Laura - August 21 - 11:33 pm

  Ive had this car for two years and I do put a lot of miles on it annually. It ran great initially, but since I hit 90,000 miles Ive had to put about $2,000 in to repairs. front and rear axle, exhaust system, break pads and shoes 3-4 times in the last two years, transmission, etc. It is also extremely loud, the external noise I can hear with the windows rolled up is kind of ridiculous. It is extremely comfortable to sit in and fun to drive but not worth it anymore. Also, as I work in a city and have to parallel park, my car gets bumped around a lot be less contentious drivers. The thing dents as easily as a soda can! Theres a dent from someone having leaned against it!

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  Problems after Problems after Problems - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By keno - July 18 - 5:00 pm

  Bought the outlander with trailer hitch. 1 year later, trailer hitch adapter caught on fire! Why? Third party part was installed instead of original part. Went to dealer to ask for repairs to be done and to be de-damaged, answer = No! Called Mitsubishi motors Canada told the story, show pictures, answer = sorry, cant help! If the original part would have been installed, it would have been covered under the warranty but since it was a third party part, only 1 year or 20 000km or warranty! Thanks to the dealer for having installed a third party part and thanks for all the problems. In 1st year, went +/- 10-12 times to dealer for electronic.

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  Wandering steering - 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
  By donnie - July 17 - 9:50 am

  Car is nice and looks great but it bounces all over the road. Feels like the struts are weak and its really hard to keep the car going straight down the road. Im taking it to the dealer lets see if they do anything.

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  More noise than a toddler toy! - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By bayd - July 16 - 8:18 pm

  I bought my endeavor used in 2010 with 90,000 miles, for more room. Heater blower motor immediately started to scream. Replacing it was a nightmare. Ended up having to go to machine shop to modify the new motor, just so that I could have heat in the winter. AC doesnt work at all. Needs a whole new compressor. Tires, breaks and bearings all needed to be replaced. And tires for this bad boy are SPENDY! Ive had the thing almost a year and spent more than $3k on it. Now I have to get a minivan and am screwed because resale of these is so low. Used to have a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder, and that was my all time favorite car!