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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  best car ever - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By karen1958us - November 28 - 10:00 am

  drives like $30000 but for under$20000

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  A couple more ponies - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By T Man - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I have the 2003 modle grey in color and I love driving it. It handles like a dream and when you get up and going you dont even feel your true speed so the cruse is very handy.

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  Beautiful Car! - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By CandiGirli2128 - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I have not had this car very long but i love it already! It is perfect for anyone that loves to drive luxury cars without the luxury car price!!

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  A Winner! - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Jamis - November 28 - 10:00 am

  After purchasing my Lancer OZ i realized that it isnt that bad driving a sedan. i am more of a truck girl. the Lancer performs excellent on both highway and city streets and with fuel prices soaring the Lancer is just an all around winner!!

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  great car - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By bano4 - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I have looked at all the midsized SUVs for the last year, and the Endever is the best!

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  Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon - 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By macpower - November 26 - 10:00 am

  Toothless because it feels a underpowered at first. Then you start to play with the paddle shifters and mold the performance to your liking. Now you have a really fun ride. Peak torque at 41-4200 rpm means you almost have a turbo-feel when you think the motors starting to bog down. My wife and I are 6 tall and the interior boasts a lot of legroom. The drivers side has a slight height adjustment too. I stuck an ipod in the cup holder and wanted a small slot so I could access the A/V rcas in the console. I thought there should be a small slot for the wires to hang through - and there was one - right where I wanted it! Thats the best part of this car. A lot of thought went into everything!

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  Happy customer - 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Greg - November 25 - 7:30 pm

  The outlander has exceeded all my expectations. I chose it for the technology features like the navigation, music server, sound system, and backup camera. None of the competitors had anything even close in its price range. Driving is smooth, quiet, yet powerful.

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  My Mitsubishi Galant - 2007 Mitsubishi Galant
  By TripleKings - November 24 - 1:16 am

  I have driven the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Corolla, as well as the Nissan Altima. For the overall driving experience/price/service my Mitsubishi Galant wins. I recently traded a 2004 for a new 2007 model and I could not be any happier. I never had any problems with the 2004, I just wanted a new vehicle. It has plenty of room, runs smooth and fast, and gets good gas mileage. It is all about the money and for the money - well go drive one for yourself and see.

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  My Wifes car - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By sillejohnr - November 22 - 2:00 am

  I am truley happy with the Endeavor that we own. My wife is really happy which makes the whole house happy.

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  I LOVE IT - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By April/MarshalHornsby - November 22 - 2:00 am

  I HAVE DROVE A LOT OF SUVS AND NO ONE COMPARES TO THE ENDEAVOR.