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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  My Lancer - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Cleveland, OH - June 16 - 3:16 pm

  I bought this car used with 33,000 miles on it in June of 2004. It is now the end of 2009. The first 100,000 miles were okay, I had two recalls that I had to get taken care of and its a good thing my mechanic is honest and told me it was a recall to call the dealership, one of the parts alone was almost $1000. Well, now the last six months Ive had the entire front end replaced, ignition coil, alternator, and the catalytic converter replaced. The parts on this car are outrageous. I will not buy a Mitsubishi again. I bought a foreign car figuring I wouldnt need to replace these things before 150,000. Due to the cost of parts I might actually buy an American car!!

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  Dont hesitate on this one.... - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By NoMore Fords - June 16 - 10:00 am

  I traded my POS 01 Mustang GT in for this car after Ford refused to fix my transmission with 6800 mi. This car is great. Refined, elegant, and sporty. The GTSs variable induction V6 is strong and with the tranny in sport mode the acceleration is felt. The car feels slow sometimes because the engine is so smooth and quiet but then you realize you are doing 85 or 90mph. Noticed some vibration at the steering wheel when at speed, some torque steer, a rattle on the passenger side and the passenger seat shakes some. I will have the dealership look into these. Other than that great car.

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  Great compact SUV and great value! - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By cooljw - June 15 - 9:20 am

  I considered all the other vehicles in this class including the RAV4 and CR-V before choosing the Outlander. The Outlander clearly has the others beat on style and utility. The Outlander makes the CR-V and RAV4 look boring. Plus you can get it better equipped for thousands less than the competition. The long warranty provides great peace of mind. The handling is quite sporty with little body lean when cornering. The 4 cylinder provides plenty of power for me with good fuel economy and I can use the paddle shifters if I need to downshift quickly. Overall I am very pleased with this vehicle and might just be a Mitsubishi convert considering its the first one Ive ever owned.

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  Good price, good car - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Juiceman - June 12 - 10:00 am

  Coming out of an infiniti G35 it is hard to brag about this car but it did what I wanted, lowered my payment and got a car I could live with at a good price. 5 year 60K bumper to bumper, 10 yr 100K powertrain and 3 yr 45K free service at no additional cost Dealership is close to home, car looks good, interior is alittle low end but you get what you pay for. LArge interior and pretty quiet ride. Great family car. Do not worry about how I treat it as it is a cheap car. This was actually cheaper than a civic!

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  Like my Mitsubishis - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Debtei - June 12 - 10:00 am

  This is the third mitsubishi I have had and I love it. It is a very comfortable ride. I just wish that there wasnt that cheap plastic in the interior of the vehicle on the doors. It handles well in inclement weather. I am having some trouble with the airconditoner now. It is leaking inside on the passenger side. Also the switch for the ABS brakes had to be replaced at 8200 miles.

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  Brilliant little car - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By crazehen - June 12 - 2:56 am

  To be a successful economy car, the vehicle in question has to have two things going for it; reliability and fuel economy. With that said, the Lancer is by far the best car Ive ever owned. Its been reliable as a rock and the engine can take a serious beating. Itll get 26 miles per gallon with your foot welded to the floor, and 35 while driving Miss Daisy across the country. Need I say more? Why not. On top of those things, its also roomy, comfortable, the stereo sounds great, the A/C will freeze your hands off and the heater makes Hell seem cold. I took this car on a 3,500 mile journey across the country and it didnt give me any trouble. A bold claim for a 12 year old 165k mile car.

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  CVT will be an issue. - 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By tourqemada - June 11 - 7:33 am

  About 30k on the 2011 Lancer now, the CVT tranny is noisy and jerky when cold, like it is slipping and catching. The power steering is making an unpleasant noise now as well. The headliner makes a buzzing noise when the road is smooth, worse when there are bumps in the road. We have noticed from A-holes in parking lots that there are no protective side moldings on the doors so we have a couple nasty dings in them now. There is a huge delay when operating the HVAC controls, dangerous when you are trying to clear the fog from the windshield. We have found that there are times when the car turns over but does not start right away, takes a few tries. Our last 2001 Lancer was better imo.

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  2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Chris - June 10 - 6:16 pm

  This vehicle gets everyones attention. Im stopped all the time and even asked if they can photograph my Eclipse because its so sporty and appealing.

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  Awesome Suv - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By GREAT SUV - June 9 - 4:00 am

  Went in to actually buy a kia sportage and test drove the 2007 outlander 4 door 4wd and loved it, best decision I could of made. Reliable, fun to drive, lots of space and the back opens up from the top and the tail gate comes down, great stereo system, the only thing I can say is the gas is not as good as the paper said on the window. It gets about 22-23 miles to the gallon not 25-30 like it says. Comfortable when you have others with you and just a all around great vehicle. I do not see many of these on the road but I bet they catch on this year!

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  Value - 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By MDS LV - June 7 - 10:00 am

  This is the second LS I have had. The car just plain delivers. BMW comfort, performance and quality at bargin prices. Only draw back is poor blue book for some reason. In any case dealer made my trade in work with incentives etc. I love the car.