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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  Like any other car... - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By gnnusa - October 4 - 2:00 am

  ...the Lancer 2003 has its own pluses and minuses. The only two things that make this great car an average car are - power and fuel economy. The display of power especially with auto- tran is abysmal. Fuel economy as compared to Honda Civic or even my old Saturn is poor.

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  Great car for the money - 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Tonymarsol - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Engine, Transmission very smooth. Rides very nice and quiet. Handles well. Comfortable car all around on long trips. Like the sterio and moonroof. Should have brighter dash lighting.

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  Need more power - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero
  By chadski - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Good vehicle but underpowered. The transmission needs to be quicker in response time in downshifting

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  evaluation - 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By john kiff - September 30 - 10:00 am

  i bought this car from a mega dealer,it was second hand former rental vehicle. the price was right. i was inpressedwith the styling, inside and outside. a demonstration drive sold me. i have driven this vehicle 20000 miles,including two trips to fla. it has performed flawlessly. i have no fault to find, easely the best car i have ever owned.

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  Objective Review of 02 ES - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Rel - September 30 - 10:00 am

  Overall one of the best deals you will find on a used car. The ES,LS,and GTZ models all have power locks windows etc

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  gas hog - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By gas hog - September 30 - 10:00 am

  I have a 2004 awd ls model. over all great suv. A little disapointed in the performance in snow!felt it did not get very good traction when in a turn, it had a tendency to loose tracion and slide very easy. This automobile gets rotten fuel economy and I am still trying to figure out why a v6 engine needs to run on 91 octane or higher? Big disapointment here with high test in the midwest at 2.26a gal.

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  Tommys Red Rider Outlander GT - 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Tom Colosimo - September 28 - 7:52 pm

  Dont believe everything you read! The Mitsubishi Outlander is NOT a piece of crap! Ive got 6K miles on mine and love it! I burn regular unleaded and get an avg. of 23 MPGs! Ive tried a couple tanks of premium and get the same MPGs and performance! The vehicle is solid in snow traction, acceleration, quietness, steering, etc. I love the LED headlights and tail lights - you dont get that on a 2016 XLE Rav4! I did test drive a LOT of 2015 CUVs before I bought this model. I recently drove a 2016 Rav4 and did not like the bumpy ride, noisy interior, poor acceleration and LACK OF TOWING! AND the price for a 4 cylinder vs. my V6 was ALMOST the same with the same options I have!! I think Mitsubishi messed up there marketing and some of their models over the past 10 years or so but this car is NOT bad! I had a Mazda for 12 years before this and there is no comparison to that vehicle with the smooth shifting 6 speed the Outlander has and power over that Mazda that had a 200 HP V6. So.....try it out before you buy something else!

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  So Far So Good - 2000 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Facts - September 27 - 10:00 am

  Bought my Galant used with 12,000 miles. I have to say, for the price I cant complain too much. Quick acceleration for a 4 cylinder. Brakes wore out pretty fast. The car gives a little electric shock from time to time as the door is touched when exiting. Passenger door sometimes doesnt unlock. Cruise Control malfunctioned, Dealership fixed it under warranty. During the daytime it is hard to determine if the AC is on, due to AC indicator light being colored neon green (someone was not thinking at all on this one).

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  Very reliable car! - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By multicarowner234 - September 26 - 3:36 am

  Bought it new in 2000 and now it has 135,000 miles on it and still runs great! This car is very reliable and dependable! But it is very boring to drive. Performance is ok, I am a many V8 car owner. Acceleration is good from 0-40 after that it is slow. Feels unsafe above 80 MPH. Brake rotors suck! Vibrations in steering wheel especially above 50 mph. Lots of road noise. Very, very boring. I guess Im just used to V8s.

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  love it - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By trol1374 - September 25 - 4:16 pm

  I knew about the low armrest in center and on door. However, I still loved the car. Nice sporty look and feel. The car drives great. The gas mileage could be slightly better, but all is still good. The GTS vs the ES drive is night and day. The ES motor feels like it is winding up and going to snap, the GTS sounds great while accelerating. If you get that sweet spot on where to rest your arm, then you will enjoy the car. Knobs are well laid out.