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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  Im in love! - 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Laimer - November 4 - 2:00 am

  Trust me, this cars nice. The GT with 5 speed manual transmission rocks. You definately get the feel of a pricey sports car that doesnt break your bank account.

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  Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS 3.0 4A - 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By MJBurns - November 4 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive, handles well, great gas milage. Love the stero & 6 CD changer. Noisy car, always feels like an "air leak".

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  I like my sport - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By joni - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I think it takes all the bugs out of the bigger Montero, it may not have the size but it has a nice drive. My a/c works things time!! Gas milage is great, and its working fine off road. I love it, would buy anther, this is my 3rd, but my first Sport.

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  Junk. Junk. Junk. - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By cjones89 - November 3 - 5:23 am

  84k miles and already having tons of problems. Power steering pump leaking, Valve cover gaskets leaking, Lifters are ticking, Transmission acts strange, and Ive already had to replace pretty much every suspension part and now the AC is going. What next?? and I have always maintained it!! I bought it because the price was right and I love the style of the Montero. I should have bought an xterra or 4runner. I will never buy another Mitsubishi again!!!

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  Great gas mileage!!!! - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Wilhite - November 3 - 1:16 am

  This car gets great gas mileage! I get an average of 32.5 miles per gallon! My car is a V6 and it really packs a punch! Gets lots of compliments. Glad I purchased it!

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  Loving this lil car - 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By kmiller7779 - November 2 - 11:43 am

  I bought a 2015 Mirage a week ago and I absolutely love it. I have owned hybrids for the last 8 years and our other car is a 2006 Honda Insight, a true mileage champion. I have yet to be out on the highway with the Mirage, but city driving for me is consistently at 45-47 mpg. This is a fun car. I do not understand the harsh reviews as I think this car is a joy to drive. The seats are comfortable and the car handles nicely. When I went to the dealership, I was not planning to buy one of these cars. I did not think I would like it. I was pleasantly surprised upon arrival at how much more I liked the car in person. The dealership was well stocked and had every color the car

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  Sweet - 1996 Mitsubishi Galant
  By ahn - November 2 - 10:00 am

  With the 5 speed manual the car is very responsive. Can be a little uncomfortable on long hauls. For whatever reason we get water in the trunk when it rains and we are driving, not when it is just sitting, the seal is in good shape and I made adjustments to the lid but to no avail. The gas pedal can be uncomfortable, cruise control really helps in that aspect, we had one installed. The car performs better with higher octane gas, and in turn it gets better fuel mileage.

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  Great SUV - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By keeneking - November 2 - 10:00 am

  This has been a great family SUV. It stores a ton of baby stuff when we head to grandma & grandpas house. 20K now and not one problem. Owned a Mighty Max for 11 years and never had a problem so I would expect nothing less for the Montero Sport.

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  Pretty solid - 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By ohiodoug - November 1 - 1:35 pm

  I bought this car at the very end of 2012 after my previous car was totaled and I had to make a decision pretty quick. I really hadnt thought of a CUV, but this was advertised right at 19K as a leftover 2012. I really liked to storage and room in the front and rear, and the ride seemed comfortable. Overall a much better value than just a sedan for someone who needs to haul stuff from time to time. So far (19 months in) the reliability has been excellent. No problems at all! Fuel economy is about as advertised 23/28, with better city mileage than that under some circumstances. However, if your highway speeds get up much above 70mph, the economy seems to drop off sharply.

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  You better watch out! - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Mario - October 30 - 6:46 am

  This Outlander is exactly what you paid for, you saved a couple of grand over Honda and Toyota and you get cheap plastic all over, cheap tires and a wind noise inside once you hit 65. Over all solid, powerful and predictable vehicle. Almost forgot the carpet is the worst I have seen in a while. I own a 2003 CRV and let me tell you this one is a keeper, as soon as we are done paying for the outlander its out of here. Back to Honda it is not worth saving a couple of grand if you plan to keep your car for more than 10 years.