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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  A Midsize car with a SubCompact interior - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By MMask76 - May 29 - 10:00 am

  If your 57" or below, then this car might work for you. Im over 6 and I feel extremely unsafe driving this vehicle. It is extremely uncomfortable (legroom and headroom is at a minimum), the performance is extremely poor (VERY loose steering for starters as well as NO pickup in the 4 cyl.), and as time goes on it will get more and more unreliable (has stalled on me already and has 11,000 miles). The sticker price on the LS with the leather package is approx. $23,000. My suggestion is to take that money and go buy yourself a VolksWagon Passat, or Nissan Maxima, or Toyota Camry, or any other car in the Galants class.

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  Bad buy - 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By Erica - May 6 - 10:00 am

  Its a pretty SUV, but thats about it. I had problems with the disc brakes and the computer went out within the first 12,000 miles. It lags between second and third gear. Resale value depreciates faster than I can make the payments. Ill never buy another Mitshubishi automobile.

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  Argh! - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By TheNamesLisa - April 4 - 2:00 am

  After owning a trouble-free Nissan Sentra for 8 yrs, this car is very disappointing. I only got rid of the Nissan because it wouldnt pass my states emission test. Rides like a dump truck, has no "get up and go", has surprisingly poor fuel economy & is very noisy (lots of air noise coming from the windows). This problem became more apparent after my son shut all four fingers in the door at the top & his only response was a calm "oh...my hand is shut in the door." But Im stuck with it for the next 5 years, since I owe more on it than its worth. Also found out that it had been wrecked. Live & learn. Spend $15 & get a Carfax report before you buy.

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  Most disappointing Mitsubishi - 2008 Mitsubishi Raider
  By fraggledrock - January 3 - 10:09 pm

  I was a devoted Mitsubishi owner because my Mighty Max served me so well for 15 years & over 200K miles until it was totaled. I bought a 2008 Raider expecting the same durability & have never been so wrong! At 62K miles the Raider has major mechanical issues - bearing failure in the rear differential. To make matters worse the component isnt repairable & requires complete component replacement. Unlike most 2008 models from Mitsubishi, these units do not have a 10 year 100,000 mile power train warranty a clear statement of no confidence by the manufacturer.

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  Expensive to maintain - 2004 Mitsubishi Galant
  By bakerhemlock - December 23 - 5:59 am

  Worst car I have owned. Lets see: - A/c condenser went out - 2 window motor/regulators replaced. - Check engine light multiple times. for one, needed spark plugs, tuning etc - check engine P0401 gas cap, valve replaced - timing belts recommended change at 60k. way too early it seems imho - need new struts - power steering acts funny in rainy weather

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  Odor & AC design issues - 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By Danny Thompson - November 10 - 10:23 pm

  We have had an on going issue with a "rotten egg odor" with this vehicle. I took it to the dealer during warranty to review this problem and was given a standard read out that the problem is caused by 2% alcohol found in all grades of gas. This appears to be a problem with Mitsubishi vehicles. With onset of hot weather and running the AC, I noticed that the carpet under the drivers side was wet. I took the Endeavor to service and was informed that in order to clear a clogged AC line it would be necessary to remove the entire dash at a cost of $1,240.00. I am clearly paying a high price for a design fault in the manufacturing of your car.

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  Big Mistake - 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By never again - September 30 - 2:36 am

  Worst mistake I made, uncomfortable ride, too much road noise, just generally unhappy with the car. Didnt want to be upside down on a trade, so I kept it. Lots of little annoying problems, that I was not used to dealing with in other cars purchase. Due to road noise would rent a car if going over 100 miles. Just bought 2010 Acura. Ill never go back.

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  Dangerous at all speeds - 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By CPTKILLER - August 3 - 10:00 am

  The car is basically similar to all Mitsubishis in that they copy everyone else (I worked for Mitsubishi Forklift). Design is weak. Emergency handling is extremely dangerous. I was in a near head on wreck. I got passed that OK but the subsequent poor handling caused a roll over. My daughter also sold hers recently because of other problems.

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  Tiny, Cheap interior and Overpriced - 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
  By SurfinJohn - June 29 - 2:00 am

  Tilt wheel may work for some, Im 64" and its an effort to get past it. The outside mirrors are VERY narrow. The center brake light was tacked on for US versions on the upper part of the rear window...blocking the most important part of rear viewing. The engine crawls, vibrates and screams on its way up to speed. The stereos mounted so low that I fumbled with the controls instead of taking my eyes off the road long enough to actually look at the display. The interior materials were fine, for a $8,000 Hundai. VERY CHEAP looking and feeling. Poor seating, no lateral support. Pass on this one and dont look back, sport.

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  Bad Apple - 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By fairytail - June 23 - 2:00 am

  I expected a lot from this car and got nothing. I am so unsatisfied, I cant wait to get rid of it. Its a good car when the roads are dry, but when it rains I lose my traction control and anti lock brakes. I have had problem after problem with this car, the windshield leaks, the whole braking system doesnt work properly and the car makes unknown noises.