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 impressed - 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By gtarb0rder - March 8 - 2:13 am

  I bought this car a week ago using the "cash for clunkers" deal. I wanna add that the deal is a real pain but worth it. Ultimately this was an awesome buy, great car for the money. Its fun to drive, amazing looking, handles well, Im averaging 26 mpgs and the warranties are great. What I have to complain about it the rear spoiler, although adds to the aggressive look I love, its does become a pain when looking in my mirror. Also this car needs a 6th gear, but then again what car doesnt? Im so glad I got this over the Impreza, I just hope my opinion stays that way come winter.

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  2nd Mitsubishi Ihave owned - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Titan4 - March 6 - 10:00 am

  I really like this car. I owned the previous version (Mirage) They have made many improvements - More power, more room, sportier style. I would recommend this car to anyone who needs a good economical well made car.

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  Loved This Car - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By JEV - March 6 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased my Endevor after a very extensive search. I had look at a good many wagons and SUVs online as wellas driven a few. Even cars that were 7000 to 10000 dollars more left a lot to be desired. I am amazed that more web sites do not give justice to the quality of this vehicle. This worked out great for me because I was able to get a well above adverage SUV for much less than the so call best in class cars. I am sure that I will be laughing all the way to the bank. One more thing this car has a warranty that rivals the top of the line cars!

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  The Endeavor at Hall - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Terri L Hall - March 6 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle, look forward to EVERY trip I take. I am a VP of a large company travel somewhat out of town, if I can drive I volunteer too! Great vehicle, the sound system is great...no upgrade needed!

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  Mitsubishi Galant - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By carguru - March 5 - 7:33 am

  The Galant is amazing. I had a Nissan Altima before and the Galant is so much better. It rides and handles far better than any other car I drove in it class.

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  Best Car I Ever Had - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By flclewis - March 2 - 2:00 am

  I loved my 1999 Galant. I had over 100,000 miles at the time my car was totalled in an accident in August.

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  MANY improvements! - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Michele, FL - February 23 - 6:33 am

  I have been driving Mitsubishi cars since 1994. Most of those years I have driven the Eclipse. (2004 I had the Outlander XLT, nice SUV! But I did not like how an SUV is blown around on the highway by winds). I have NEVER had an engine problem with any of my Mistsubishis, but did have problems with the quality of the bodies (only in the Eclipse) and loose handeling. This years model has MANY improvements from those in the past! It has MANY more saftey features, like WINDOW airbags, as well as front and side airbags. This years body feels much more secure on the road, it is MUCH tighter. The body is of a higher quality also. It also has much more of a "sports car" feel and look. I have to say I love the car.

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  Best Mitsu Yet - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Ron - February 22 - 9:16 am

  Everybody turns their heads to look at it. Handling is excellent and the tech load is impressive. Two thumbs up for Mitsubishi.

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  Great Car for the Price - 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By M Schu - February 20 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for almost 3 years, and Ive really enjoyed driving it. It has good power and looks really nice. However, some components arent durable enough - at 42,000 miles the struts are already going bad. Occasionally, it doesnt shift as nicely as Id like. Plus, the rear window trim is peeling off, which looks bad. The resale value goes down quickly after you buy it new, so buy this if you want to keep it for awhile. But once you drive it, I bet youll want to keep it for awhile.

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  There should be more on the road!! - 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Ibrahim - February 19 - 6:36 am

  Was on the market for 3 row SUVs with good gas mileage. We wanted the 3rd row only few times a year when our extended family visits us, so we did not really care about the 3rd row leg room. Like others say, the value for money in this SUV is incredible. This is what I would pay for other sedans. Remember this is a efficient family hauler, not a sports car, nor is it a SUV loaded with unnecessary creature comforts. I am a hypermiler, and if are one, this is the SUV for you. I always clock 31 + mpg on the gallon when I drive. The CVT transmission is not designed for aggressive drivers, but for those who drive sensibly. When others drive my car with a heavy braking/ acceleration, they got 25-26 combined mpg. Road visibility is great, the safety features are also awesome. I have lived in the middle east where Mitsubishi Pajeros (Montero) are legendary. I see that Mitsubishi has integrated some of its class leading AWD (they call it is Super All Wheel Control) into this SUV. Other awesome factors (84 month 0% finance, 10 year powertrain warranty + lifetime powertrain warranty from dealer, etc) made this a no-brainer buy. Remember that this is a unique class in itself (bigger than the RAV4s/ Tuscon/ CRV/ Rogue) but smaller that the Highlanders/ Pathfinders/ Traverse; which is why some of the experts confuse themselves while reviewing this SUV).