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:

• 

  Great SUV - 2006 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Dano - March 16 - 10:00 am

  Performance has been great,comfort is very good, I have a very long torso and dont fit well in many cars and SUVs including Pathfinder. Could be a 9 or 10 with an adjustable up & Down Seat Fuel Economy could be better in light of premium only fuel. Great SUV drives like a car! The design is good the materials not as good (plastic interior) Exterior build great would be better than 5 if interior was better. Reliability has been great so far. Caution on the trans see below do the maintenance. I had been told to watch for trans issues. Probably would be eliminated with a bigger trans. EXT Design AWESOME A.W.D. and stability control Awesome 1st winter was very icy handled very well.

• 

  Great Price - Great Performance - 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
  By RicZ - March 13 - 11:30 am

  I bought the 2007 truck one year ago. I have never regretted it. What attracted me to this truck was the value. I compared all other 4 door trucks - none came close to the price. The nearest truck in its class was $8k more. Other than the Sirius radio, nothing fancy. Good fit and finish. Cloth seats are comfortable. Smooth and quiet ride. The low gear ratio gives it a gutsy feel. The 6 cylinders make the engine responsive - not enough to burn rubber, but confident to pass on the highway. The only downside is the gas mileage - not bad, but not good either. I average around 16-17 in the city and about 18-20 on the highway. Overall, Im very happy with the performance.

• 

  Pleasantly Surprised! - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By jnwafor - March 12 - 6:43 am

  Originally I was looking to purchase a Mazda CX-7; however, after doing a test drive and seeing its low fuel economy I was not impressed. Then I set my eyes on the Outlander. This car is dependable, GREAT fuel economy, I can get up to 30 mpg highway when traveling to work. (Cant get anywhere close to that with a Mazda). It has decent pick up with its standard V6 220 horsepower engine, I can definitely pass with no problem and keep up with fast lane traffic.

• 

  MY DIAMANTE - 1997 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By csw2312 - March 12 - 2:00 am

  My experiance with the Mitsubishi Diamante has been a good one, except for some minor problems.

• 

  What a machine! - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By tpnewland - March 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is simply awesome. Excellent acceleration, super handling, terrific ride, awesome styling. Was this thing made in Europe?

• 

  na - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By gstopa - March 12 - 2:00 am

  good all around suv. what I was looking for.

• 

  not performing up to par but classy look - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By JerDaStud - March 12 - 2:00 am

  My Galant LS is supposed to get 20city mpg and 26 highway mpg but consistently gets 16-18. Ive swithced to mid grade with no difference in fuel economy. The gauge is starnge too, it gets 100 miles or so from full - 3/4 tank; 80 or so from 3/4 to 1/2 and 40 from 1/2 to 1/4. It is also hard to find a comfortable temp sometimes...but the car is darn good looking, awesome interior design in the LS

• 

  2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor - Bakersfield - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By englishtoy - March 12 - 2:00 am

  I had a Montero Sport and this car has more room, power and class. The interior has all the amenities you could ask for with power seat, seat heaters, and 6 CD changer and the motor has power to spare. I have an octogenarian living with me and the access and rear seating are superb.

• 

  good car - 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By texaspumpkin - March 11 - 10:00 am

  When I got this car in 1/99 with only 11,000 miles on it, I was told by several people (including a mechanic) that it was going to be horrible purchase. Now over 80,000 miles later, it has really proven everyone wrong. It is still going strong after several long distance trips, a couple of years of alot of commuting, a little off road abuse, & my poor maintenance habits. Good 1st car, good for a young family.

• 

  Good Commuter - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Regalistic - March 11 - 10:00 am

  The Mirage DE Coupe is a fun ride in the city aswell as the country side. It is cool inside and out with a sporty look that seems to cost much more than the deal you can get with buying this car. A lot of bang for the buck!