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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  OK Overall, But 3 Warranty Visits in 1yr - 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Tanya1921 - September 19 - 2:00 am

  Overall, the Outlander is great. Awesome sound system (stock), but the doors dont automatically lock, and I have taken it in 3x in a year for warranty repairs: molding on kick plate came off, A/C adapter stopped working, and excess glue on the windshield which was causing all the wiring to be exposed. My Hondas never had problems like this. It gets time consuming and my time is worth something. Paddle shifters are useless- no one really uses them in a 4 cylinder SUV. I have to yell at the bluetooth speaker to be heard.

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  My Galant - 2006 Mitsubishi Galant
  By dwight - September 18 - 2:53 am

  My ownership of this car has been geat. The Galant is fun to drive and very comfortable. When I have to accelorate I do not have to do it hard. Also, its great in stormy weather.

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  Buy One! - 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Diamante - September 16 - 2:00 am

  I purchased a new leftover 02 and paid 21K for it. I have had no problems and get 22 mpg in combination driving. I love the car and it looks better than any Acura/Lexus/Infinity. After all the Acura TL is just a Honda Accord, the Infinity I30 is just a Nissan Maxima and the Lexus ES300 is nothing more than a Toyota Camry. Why pay big money for a slightly fancier version of their run of the mill vehicles. The styling and the smooth ride of the Diamante, plus the fact that everybody and his brother doesnt own one, made the decision to buy easy for me.

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  Awesome Overall Car - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Steve - September 15 - 8:13 am

  The 2005 Mitsubishi Galant has all the features one would want without having a huge price tag to accompany it. I love driving it and everyone I know has been very impressed by the vehicle appearance inside and out.

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  Inexpensive but has design issues - 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
  By danb61 - September 14 - 6:26 pm

  The Pros-good looking, simple but functional interior, comfortable seating, 2WD/AWD/4WD simple switch, good visibility, AWD/4WD worked very well in snow, smooth 6 speed transmission, inexpensive, good visibility The Cons-gas mileage lower than advertised, drops dramatically over 60 mph, engine struggles at higher interstate speeds, excessive road noise, wonders on the interstate, large pillars are blind spots, A/C causes engine to drop to 400 rpm, idling rough, surges to 1500 rpm with A/C on and causes vehicle to accelerate, difficult starting, stong, outgassing new car smell

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  What a truck! - 1999 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By trexyo - September 14 - 10:00 am

  I have owned since new. Could never ask for a more dependable truck. Not one problem in 4 years. I have heard the Sports last well beyond 125,000 miles +. Comfortable, good gas mileage, pulls my bass boat with ease. I have no idea what these other people that have posts on this site are driving. Would recommend this truck to anyone I know and love!

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  Fun, but economical? - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By catfeeder - September 14 - 5:10 am

  Ive put about 4000 miles on my Lancer so far. It was a bit of an impulse buy, but Im happy and I have no regrets; Ill cover the few things I dont like. After driving stickshifts for years, I decided to go for an automatic. I knew Id lose some power and efficiency. The car is not particularly fast and Im OK with that, but for a slow car Im disappointed with the fuel economy. I expected high 20s or low 30s for MPG; I get low-mid 20s. One other complaint about the automatic is that its not decisive on its shifts. The shifts are not firm (sort of mushy) and if you mash the pedal down, the car has to think about it a bit longer than I care to wait for the downshift to occur.

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  A Serious Owners Review - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
  By Michael - September 13 - 3:46 pm

  I have had this truck for under a year. Within the first 2,000 miles after driving a 3 hour continuous ride the truck overheated - next I have been fighting with my dealer for 10 months to get the LOUD rattling of the poorly designed and poorly secured rubber bumper to be fixed. They say its the design and normal noise. If I paid all this money for a MAJOR loud rattle I would have gotten a cheap used car - under a year, also the molding around the wheel flares are ALL getting unglued. I am going to proceed with my lemon lawsuit (DO NOT PURCHASE ONE!)

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  Best Small Car Out There-2018 Mirage - 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Jake - September 12 - 9:51 pm

  ...For $10,000 ( out the door $10,900 with tax/license/title) you will NOT find a better deal than the 2018 5speed Mirage. I have had an 85 Honda CRX, an 89 Dodge Colt <( a Mitsubishi Mirage in Dodge nameplate), a 93 Geo Metro and currently own a 2012 Toyota Prius C. This 2018 Mirage is better than any of the early cars and has a similar feel to the Prius. It rides smoother, holds 60mph easily, has many electronic upgrades, and most importantly, the 3 cylinder engine has been around for decades and is as bulletproof as they come. The professional reviews that criticize this car remind me of Washington politicians who have completely lost touch with what the public really needs and wants. This is a solid, well equipped new car with a fantastic warranty and great reliability for $10,000 !! The Honda Fit has better reviews but also costs nearly twice as much similarly equipped. I have not had it long enough to comment on some things but I know from past experience that Mitsubishi make quality cars and these Mirages so far have an above average reliability record- better even than newer Honda Fits.If you like small cars please test drive this before buying!! I am NOT affiliated with Mitsubishi but do appreciate a great deal...

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  A VERY FUN CAR! - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By mp010101 - September 12 - 1:27 pm

  I have now put over 136,000 miles on this car. I drive the hell out of this car and treat it like a work truck, engine is great and one of the best 2.4s that was built during this time. I have kept up with my regular maintenance items (oil changes, brakes, transmission flushes, etc...) and the car has been great. Good acceleration and a responsive gas pedal compared to other cars. I know people with much newer cars in this category (Nissan versas corollas etc ) and this car is way more fun to drive. Looks like after a 136K miles i will have to change the catalytic converter. My goal is to try to get this car to 200k if it holds up.