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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  2007 Raider 4WD Double Cab (3.7) - 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
  By Rik - July 21 - 8:20 pm

  Ive now had this truck for over two years and have used it both as a truck and for transportation. Ive had no problems with it. As a matter of fact it is a well built truck with a great design inside and out. I would like a bit more performance (power and fuel economy) and recently installed the K&N filter. Im curious if adding a performance cat back system would help.

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  Beter Gas Mileage - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Wa1ne45 - July 14 - 10:00 am

  It is a great vehicle. I would have like a GPS system and better gas mileage.

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  Mediocre Galant - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant
  By galantinDM - July 13 - 2:00 am

  Weve put approximately 35000 miles on our 2001 Galant. Weve enjoyed driving the car however, the build of the car is cheap. it dents or dings if you barely touch it which is difficult to avoid when you park in a parking ramp everyday. we love everything else. its a little small for us but that is because my husband is 66" tall. Not very many cars are built for a man that size!!!

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  Hot Cha Cha - 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Howie Gustafson - July 11 - 10:53 am

  This is a great and fun car to drive. I set up a high performance air filter and love the sound. It really can push you back in the seat.

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  So Far, I Love It! - 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
  By IMDHulk - July 9 - 11:20 am

  To anyone out there who is not sure about the Raider...I am a believer in it! I have come across a few bad reports of Raiders but for me, overall its the baddest truck on my block for sure! It has handsome styling, a smooth ride, and a nice sound system. Its everything that I was looking for and the price was decent for me also. I got it for $23,000 with a lot of extras on it. So far I am definitely in love with it, and I hope others feel the same way.

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  great! - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By unc25 - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I dont understand the problems that people have with their mirages...I have owned two and im only 17!!! I had a white 95 and nothing went wrong except the tranny went on me and had that replaced!! I just recently got a 2000 de sedan and other than it being an auto I have no qualms about it!! Maybe if you people would change your oil and fluids regularly and do routine maintanence then you shouldnt have very many problems with your car. Oh you do need wider tires!! They help out alot on the roads!! I went and got some 17x7s and man it handles just fine besides the body roll which can be fixed with strut bars upper lower/ front rear!

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  SO FAR SO GOOD~ - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By smartautoguy - July 7 - 5:31 am

  dove to 78k, bought around 56k still runs strong and 3.8V6 pulls like a muscle car traction control works very nice on rainy day!

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  The cheaper evo - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By the man colin morgan - July 6 - 10:46 am

  This is the only Lancer in the out of all trim to have a 2.4 L engine displacement. Not even the evo is packed that tight. The engine is out of one of Mitsubishis SUVs and is a tough cookie to crack although it has evo parts it front wheel drive. I have mine fitted with a magnaflow performance 2.25 inch exhaust tail turbo, waist gate, blow off and piping with a custom intake. Rrm cold air intake and intercooler. Tien BASIC coil overs. Irotors performance brakes and rotors. This car although not handling as good as an evo has potential to be quicker in a quarter mile. It very responsive and I would recommend it to anyone with a hope to race

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  Best bang for the buck! - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Mr. D - July 3 - 12:30 pm

  I purchased the Monetero after testing practically every full-size SUV. I was relocating from NV to OK and wanted a vehicle that had 4WD for the more inclement weather. Popped out the door for a hair over $30K (a steal when compared with competitors) and headed down the road. The vehicle is quiet and very comfortable on the open road. I have hit black ice in this vehicle and if she was going to flip then she would have. Price, curb appeal, and features make her a nice purchase.

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  Nice Car - 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Brj - July 1 - 10:00 am

  This is a very nice vehicle and drives really smooth with cvt. I read a lot of reviews about the car being down on power, but I think the cvt transmission is just that smooth that it doesnt feel the way some vehicles feel when you get on the gas, cant even feel it shift sometimes.The car has plenty of power for (normal) driving and not for those looking to go drag racing or something like that. this car was actually built in japan so the quality will be there unlike some vehicles that have a Japanese but built in some other country. The car is pretty good on gas and if your driving mostly hwy you should see about 33 or 34 mpg hwy. I plan to put in a k&n air filter to get even better mpg.