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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  Fun, Fast, and Turns Heads - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By BRIAN - August 30 - 11:10 am

  The 2007 Eclispe is the best car I have ever driven, at the ripe old age of 45. I love the handling, the sylish look, as well as the speed of a 4-banger! I feel young and get the young ladies looking!

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  What a car - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By mitsubishimot88 - August 28 - 10:10 pm

  Some people dont like this car because its a V6 and front wheel drive, but it doesnt matter what they think when Im passing Mustangs with their V8s. This car doesnt only look fast, it can back it up. If you dont regularly drive more than 1 person you should be fine, otherwise it might be an issue with the back legroom being absent. But the interior is great, displays all blue at night, has sunroof, 6 disc rockford phosgate system, displays the temp, cd track and time. Im very pleased with this car.

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  Eclipse Rules the Road - 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By vonlang - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I love this car! It is, by far, the best car I have ever owned. The GT V6 has plenty of pickup, while maintaining a very comfortable ride. After driving this car for about a month, I drove from L.A. to Phoenix. At one point during the drive I looked down to notice that I had just passed 90 mph, and I didnt even know it - thats how smooth the Eclipse rides. I love this car!

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  MrJLos - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By JLo - August 28 - 10:00 am

  An SUV that rides like a car

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  Well worth the moolah - 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Tsquared80 - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had nothing but fun in my 2003 silver GT since I picked it up over a year ago. The handling is nice and the comfort is incredible. I did a little shopping around and I knew when I test drove the Eclipse that that is what I wanted in a car. Everyone Ive spoken to likes the way it looks and the way it performs, including me, of course. It doesnt do too bad in the snow either. Winters in New England can be horrible, but the V-6 handles decently and has never been stuck in the snow.

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  WOO HOO - 2004 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Billyjobob - August 26 - 2:40 pm

  This is my first, but I love it already. Corners like a car, smooth ride, etc. Everything about it is awesome.

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  Outlander AWD SUV - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By jf - August 26 - 1:03 pm

  The Mitsubishi Outlander is a great mid-size SUV with lots of room inside. It is very comfortable and has a very nice radio system. The bass sounds very good for an SUV. It drives very well in the snow with its AWD. This is a very reliable vehicle when it comes to bad weather. Also, it drives very smoothly. It is not not bumpy. Its easy to control even for younger adults. Its not too big and not to small. The Sports-tronic tranmission is great too. It feels like youre driving a manual transmission when you get bored with the automatic.

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  Great value, overlooked SUV - 2006 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By djenkins - August 25 - 11:10 pm

  It is strange that this SUV crossover does not get better professional reviews. Everywhere I look on the net, the people who actually own one are very happy with it while pro editorial reviewers usally give mediocre reviews. It gives great value, luxury car level comfort and a modern, aggressive styling both in and out. I have the Limited version with leather. It really upgrades this entry level SUV to a luxury entry level and its double sunroofs are a nice feature. The 4-cyl. 2.4liter MIVEC engine gets the job done nicely and feels faster then it actually is. Its handling is tighter and more sport sedan-like than ALL of its competitors including the new RAV4. I tested all of them and this one is tops, I have no regrets.

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  Outstanding Car - 2003 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Huey - August 23 - 2:23 pm

  Absolutely loved it. It handled as well as my taurus (which cost about 3 grand more than my galant) the gas mileage could be a bit better, but not bad, im averaging about 20 city and 25 highway. The car is packed with features for the price. Cant be beaten. The front seats are very comfortable, the back can be a bit tight for adults, mainly for smaller children. Great acceleration, and great stopping time. Love the design. The "INFINITI" surround sound system is awesome, clear as a bell at full volume. headreasts are comfy, the fog lights are a nice feature to have, The transmisssion perfoms like a champ, great dependablility

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  What a great car! - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Dan - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car brand new almost 10 years ago. Right now the car is at 151k miles and still runs like new. Im constantly getting over 35 MPG. I use regular oil (change every 5k mile) and regular gas. The only issue I had at 105k miles was the spark plug cables which had to be replaced. Actually, I should still call it regular maintenance. All I can say buying a new car always pays off on the long run. Of course Mitsubishi deserves a lot of credit and now I understand better why the Mitosis services are struggling - these cars are not breaking down!