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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  Superb Vehicle for the class - 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Dino - October 21 - 2:00 am

  A nice car to own. Smooth driving experience for long distance. Good music system. More features for the price in this class.

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  What Resale Value??????? - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By ejmickens - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I have no complaints about the actual car itself, except maybe the leg room in the front seat. My complaint is the way this car depreciates. I am currently about $8000 upside down. Who wants to try and buy a new car when you are facing those kinds of numbers. And as a former Honda owner this is the one thing that will make me go back to Honda. In addition I made the mistake of getting into a smart buy (aka: we tricked you - low car note now, pay out the rear later) so I will have to pay for wear and tear as well as mileage if I dont get out of the car soon.

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  Driving a Road Less Traveled... - 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Bennett - October 19 - 5:50 pm

  Bought AWD Outlander GT at Chicagoland dealership (live in MI... vehicle STILL very difficult to find here in upper-level trims)... at first underwhelmed by Rally Red color- first choice was Quartz Brown with lighter interior- but Im coming around to appreciate this classic "mid-life-crisis" colored vehicle. Looks fantastic in overcast skies: for some reason brings out its subtleties and various hues. Mileage is WAY better than expected(about 2500 miles on it already). My commute is long- 95 miles each way- across varieties of roads, including city stop-and-go, 2-lane highways(55mph) and freeways (70mph). Averaging on trip computer mpg 27-29!!! Also love its gadgetry, tailgate/storage.

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  Built for ME! - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero
  By mdp - October 18 - 10:13 pm

  This SUV is the most fun auto Ive ever owned! I love the interior styling and comfort. People ask me about it all the time. I tell them Id rather have this than spend 80k for a few more bells and whistles on a Lexus, its just as nice inside! It has plenty of pep and I have hauled trailers full of stuff.

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  EXCELLENT CAR - 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Sparky - October 9 - 6:00 pm

  Awsome Car. I was a little skeptical about buying a 4 cyl but it proved me wrong. The amount of perk that the engine has just satisfies me enough! I got the Automatic/Tiptronic with the sun and sound package. Excellent car, excellent design, excellent....EVERYTHING!

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  Love Love - 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By JLarsen - October 9 - 10:00 am

  Yes the Diamante is a well kept secret.....It drives great and is an enjoyable car! - Lots of pick-up on the Hiways! Wish you would spend soem time driving it - it is not to popular as you dont see many - but if people would just take it for a test drive ...They would LOVE it it is a geat little luxury car!!!Wonderful car to drive it is so ZIPPY!!!!!

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  I love it.. - 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By beep1998 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. It just seems to be just what we wanted.

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  Mitsubishi ES Lancer Automatic - 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By d2k2 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  Lively acceleration, roomy interior compare to its class. Better looking than Civic, Corrola, Sentra and the likes. Nice fit and finish, smooth transmission. Very good stereo, overall a well made car. Price for a used one can not be beat compare to the over price Honda

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  So much more for the money - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By jhc003 - October 7 - 1:06 am

  Just purchased a new 2007 Mitsu Outlander XLS AWD and so far I am very happy with the decision. This car has a number of great features and is very stylish inside and out. Drove a Honda CR-V and some others but this seemed like the best way to go. Standard V6 blows away the competition and I also like the drive selector switch that lets you control 2WD, on demand AWD and full time AWD. Ive been getting great gas mileage on mixed driving (Ive even averaged over 27 mpg on my regular commute just the other day). Have felt some swaying with heavier winds which did surprise me. This SUV feels like a mid sized SUV in terms of interior space and with the V6 but gets the gas mileage of a compact.

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  Perfect Sports Car for the Money - 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By INDIANA - October 6 - 2:56 pm

  Great little car. No complaints. The interior is a lot nicer than the last three Chevys I owned. Limited view when looking over your shoulder, but not a big problem. After all, this is a sports car. Seems to be easy to get in and out of. Well laid out dash and controls. VERY comfortable seating.