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:

• 

  2003 Mitsubishi ES Galant - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By nd4spd - August 29 - 11:20 am

  I bought 2003 Mitsu ES 4 door in 2004. It is almost 4 years and never had any single problem. It is fun to drive this car and it is picking up good when you press the gas pedal.

• 

  Really fun to drive - 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By MrLoopy - August 28 - 6:10 am

  Had the car for three weeks now. The car feels much more like a sports car then a small SUV! The suspension is very tight (as the reviews say) but I think this makes it feel like a low slung sportster. The seats are comfortable. Just love the way it drives. It is a small SUV though (we came from a Jeep Grand Cherokee) but has nice styling. Has enough power for fast acceleration. Very happy with the car so far.

• 

  Had mine for 6 years now. - 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By John Carvajal - August 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought my GSX new back in 1998. I made some modifications over the years to the exhaust and intake. Strut tower braces front and rear help to cure the cars roll during high speed cornering. There are differences in the 4G63 engine from the 1G to the 2G, mainly the turbo and intake manifold. The GSX is the best model because of the AWD and 4G63 engine. The non turbo models have to deal with a Dodge Neon engine that is very troublesome. As with any car, follow the maintenance schedule religiously and you wont have a problem. Ive used synthetic oil since it came home, and Ive had no valve issues or oil squirter blockage that causes the 4G63 valve click.

• 

  one-year review - 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Rongmu - August 27 - 2:00 am

  good choice of Mini-SUV

• 

  Outstanding Performance - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By bluemidnight - August 26 - 6:53 am

  I traded in my 2002 Galant ES 4 cyl for the 2005 Galant LS V6 and was instantly happy with the performance and acceleration. Its power drivers seat is a great plus, although it should have a memory preset. I am extremely disappointed with the fuel economy, I am only getting about 12-15 mpg city and about 19-22 highway. I dont slam on the gas pedal, by am usually casual while driving to / from work. Maybe the car still isnt broken in yet with only about 3,000 miles driven so far. The interior design appealing, but the cheap plastic on top of the dash and doors is not easy to clean. What drew me to this car was the bold design. Its reliability has been satisfactory so far. The build inside and out seems solid.

• 

  Overall A Good Buy - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By joey45 - August 21 - 2:51 pm

  This is a fun car to drive and a headturner for sure. I have 62K on the car and have had virtually no problems except one big problem. My breaks became spongy after 50K. Since it was past the 5 year warrenty I had to pay for the repairs myself. Bleeding the breaks worked for a few months, then the problem came back. Next, it was thought to be the master cylinder, that was replaced and then the problem came back after a few months. Now all thats left is the booster, which may be faulty. So overall this problem is going to end up costing me over $800. Also outside trim/molding for this car is HORRBle. It was worn out after only 6 1/2 years. Cost to fix? $925

• 

  Hair of the 4-time World Champion - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By love2run - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Im really sorry I dont have enough time to drive my car (cause I drive a truck all over the country).But every time I get in, I feel like this is the car I allways wanted. Comfortable and supportive seats, good power, very direct steering - Mitsubishi did great job with this sport compact.

• 

  My 2003 Eclipse GTS - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By rmitch86 - August 18 - 10:18 am

  I owned a 2001 GS for a few years i inherited it from my parents when they traded up i loved it. When that car was rear ended and totalled in december i purchased a 2003 eclipse GTS gun metal grey. It has 74k and running great. My 01 got up to 212k and was running like a champ. Just do your sched maint. and keep an eye on problem areas. Both have been 5 speed and the feel of the clutch and the way the shifter pops into place is great. Very fun car to drive especially in the summer with the windows down and sunroof open. as long as you take car of the car and keep up with it the eclipse will treat you right. even stock its a head turner.

• 

  Great Car, but - 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By fmad - August 10 - 4:36 pm

  I had the chance to own this car for five months before it was wrecked. I was pleased. The LS series is extremely comfortable, three people easily fit in the back, and I receive nothing but compliments on the car. Standard, the car comes with eight premium speakers, which deliver great sound. The body looks stylish and the front has a downward curve that makes the car unique. In the winter on a cold start, the car would make an awful clicking noise that could be heard 1/2 a block away. I hear this also happens to the same year Galants. The noise does die out once it gets heated up. Even after new breaks and pads I couldnt help to hear an awful clutch when breaking normally. This didnt happen all the time.

• 

  Rocket #2 - 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By tashaluv2 - August 8 - 8:08 pm

  Just bought the 05 last week it has the slap shifter its nice but our 98 is more fun,the downside is the Cost for basic Mait I Pd $260.00 for O2 sensors x 3 yep theres 3 & spark plugs & wires are gonna cost a bit & will be a job & Dealer charges 325.00 & Dont loose ur Keys esp the Spare ours came w 1 key & I was told 1 key was $300.00 but if U buy one online & only need Dealer to prog it cost is $50.00 Ouch I miss goin & havin one made for few bucks Geeze