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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  Great - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Brian Stamper - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I really like how well the car handles and performs. The only thing that i would like to see is that there be more performance upgrades for the new models because the older ones have a ton but the news have very little.

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  Good Ride - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Mitsu08 - September 21 - 5:50 am

  I have my Outlander for about 4 months. I was looking for a small SUV to change it for my Honda Civic. I found the Outlander for excellent price. Love the exteriors; interiors are ok. I have the base model and I love it. The outlander is good in gas, no problem with that, little change from my Honda. Has lot of space front and back seats. Little exterior noises, may bother sometimes. Overall is a good purchase, no regrets.

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  Solid car - very pleased - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Jane - September 20 - 12:13 am

  We purchased our car 1 year used with about 12000 miles on it. Weve been very happy with it. Like any car that is now 6 or so years old, it has a few rattles and such, but not many. It has not had any major issues (regular maintenance only), other than a known issue with the dash AC/Heat selector. Now I must switch from AC to heat from under the dash or pay to fix it (around $1500, so I wont do it). Mileage is right around 20mpg for mix of around town and highway. Its very comfortable to drive and ride in - we regularly make 8+ hour treks in the car and find it very comfy. The car has held up well over the years. Very happy with it.

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  great car - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By kopykopron - September 19 - 2:13 am

  I love the fact that I owne the only Galant GTS in my town, I have had this car on trips over 600 miles and less and have had the best ride i could get. The GTS turns heads every where I go, I would not trade the GTS for anything else out there at this time. This has to be one of the best decisions Ive made when buying a new car. It gives me the power as well as handling I want. Once you drive it you wont want anything else.

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  Strong truck - 2008 Mitsubishi Raider
  By smith - September 17 - 1:06 pm

  Purchases this truck less then a month ago. 1st fill up got 19 mpg, mostly highway with ac on. Acceleration is what I expected with a 6cyl, and the ride is very smooth, almost car like. Owned a Colorado previously, and this truck surpasses the Chevy in every category. Manual seat is still comfortable, and had no problem finding a good driving position. Get many looks and compliments, plus the $5500 rebate off of the invoice didnt hurt. Definitely do not regret this purchase..

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  WOW - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By KWL33181 - September 17 - 5:03 am

  I just purchased my 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT 6-speed, and WOW. It is extremely fast, and fun. Finding a dealer to give me the price I wanted was the hard part, but know it will be not getting too many tickets. I look forward to racing it in the SCCA, should be fun. It took me four weeks to get this car, hard to get all the options I wanted, but it was well worth the wait.

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  LOVE it! - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Rich - September 15 - 4:26 pm

  I simply love this car. After driving for over a year now (just slightly) I can honestly say I have only ONE gripe with the car, as many here already said: THE PAINT! It has to be one of the cheapest paints on the market. The second day after I bought it, I already had 4 or 5 chip marks on my hood. And of course, paint is not on warranty. People saying this car is bad in the winter simply dont know HOW to drive in the winter, or dont buy winter tires. I live in Quebec, and Ive had no problem what-so-ever in the winter. Also, my car eats Civic SIs for breakfast, on a straight line, AND in the curves. People saying otherwise are Honda fan-boys or Mitsu haters, that simple.

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  so far, so good - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Pirate-King - September 15 - 2:00 am

  like many others, I was NOT looking at the OUTLANDER...I was deciding between the PATHFINDER ( which is too expensive) and the FORRESTER ( which is too "soccer-mommy" for me ) But after driving the OULANDER, I was impressed, and bought it on the spot. Saved THOUSANDS over the aforementioned autos as well. EXCELLENT handling, and smooth, effortless shifting in sport mode. The stereo has a little less wattage and thump than I like, but that is being kinda petty. Overall, I would recommend this SUV to anyone ( UNLESS you intent to off-road..this is NOT the SUV for that!! )

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  Proud new owner - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By eric49er - September 15 - 12:40 am

  Bought an electric blue GTS with CVT. Looked at lots of cars (Scion xB, Kia Spectra 5, Honda Civic Si sedan, Saturn Aura, VW Rabbit) and just bought this one. I love the looks and all the features. I bought nav option with Music server. Still trying to figure it all out, but I really like it so far. One thing: MP3 CDs will not store in the MusicServer, but WAV files will store, you just have to type in the names of the track yourself.

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  WOW! - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
  By PhoenixFire - September 10 - 12:46 am

  I just bought my Lancer Ralliart one week ago and I just love it. It handles better than any other car I have driven. I love the unique look of the car. I love the sound of the muffler when I take off from a red light. I love the smooth quiet ride I get when I take my lancer out on the highway. The 6 speaker stereo system sounds amazing. There is so much room inside, sometimes I feel like I am drving an SUV or Pickup truck. I would recomend this car to anyone who goes to the beach, or fishing, or plays sports, or goes camping or to anyone who likes to drive a quality car. Mitsubishi did I great job with this car, its a real shame they had to take it off the line. I hope its brought back.