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 to drive, great on gas, looks good!! - 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Ninjafish158 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  This is a really fun car to drive. Looks really nice and fun to modify. The engine has some kick after massaged a bit with intake and exhaust. The interior is great, has a cockpit like feel. The shelves...I mean seats in the back have very little practicality. Three passengers means you will be hugging the steering wheel. Decent trunk space for such a tiny car. Handles well but horrible in snow. Spectacular gas mileage especially on the highway. On my drive home from school I can go 250 miles on a little more than half tank. Have had couple problems here and there. Nothing too expensive to fix though. Overall a fun car to drive and looks great.

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  Paint problems - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By bruce - May 19 - 1:53 am

  While I am generally happy with the 2008 Outlander with regards to performance and comfort, I am very unhappy about the paint on the exterior. This car is not even 6 months old and it looks like every kid in the neighborhood has been throwing rocks at it. There also is a body shape design flaw that allows road debris to sand blast the front of the rear wheel fender. Mitsubishi has disappointed me with their attitude of "too bad, so sad" when I bring the subject of paint durability up with them. I would not buy another Mitsubishi because of this.

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  I Love my Sporty Galant! - 2002 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Meeksups - May 18 - 5:06 pm

  I got my 2002 red Mitsubishi Galant ES used for $9,999 with just under 15,000 miles on it back in 2003. I fell in love with the side profile and spoiler. This is my second car (my first was a 1990 Mazda MX-6). I would say most of these reviews are accurate. This is an excellent used car to buy. The only problem Ive encountered required a new front oxygen sensor. Otherwise its mechanically sound. Despite my inexperience with cars, I feel this car handles very well. The acceleration is pretty decent too. I cant wait to throw some moderately flashy 18" rims on it to make it really stand out. As far as the inside is concerned, yes the back seat is a little cramped, but its fine with me because Im the driver..hehe.

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  Paint chips - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Jacki Monnat - May 14 - 10:03 am

  After 6 weeks of owning the car and 3,000 miles I noticed Paint chips on the side in front of the rear tires. I took it to the dealer and they took pictures and sent them to Mitsubishi and they said they wouldnt cover it that it was my fault. The front tires kick off stones causing a sandblasting to the side of the car. They said they didnt make mud flaps for them yet. It gets worse everyday. I see more people are having the same problem. I am now filling out paper work for the attorney General.

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  Painful Like-affair - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By 20vcq - May 13 - 8:43 pm

  I want so much to like this vehicle. Drives well under 140 kmph and gets very floaty and a little twitchy over that. AWD is not up to quality and useability of either Subaru or Audi - not by a long way. But its o.k. Road noise is higher than I would have expected and clangy doors are a disapointing sound. The auto transmission is my biggest disappointment. 6 speeds and paddle shifters are cool but the constant downshifting and that annoying 400 rpm drop after every downshift makes long trips less than as enjoyable.

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  Safe- but dont pay too much! - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Jess - May 12 - 7:23 am

  Ive yet to even have this car a full year and have had nothing but bad luck with it! The brakes are terrible and went a month after buying the car and the tires are terrible during the winter. The vacuum for the A/C broke and while it is simple to fix, it is located under the dashboard which means a huge labor cost. Ive had two accidents; the first was a front end collision with a neon, with a lot of damage, but the car ran beautifully after it was fixed until the second; someone hit me in a parking garage and completely damaged my front suspension.

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  Best Kept Secret - 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By JayWa - May 9 - 4:50 am

  My Outlander marks the end of a long search to replace my 1995 Aurora. It stomps the Toyota Rav4 and Honda CR-V on looks, warranty and practicality; it is more driveable and gets better mileage than the Dodge Dakota; and it has more usable storage than the Dodge Magnum with much better visibility. Performance is not what I enjoyed with the Auroras V-8, but the Outlander has acceptable zip (on regular gas) and gets better mileage - almost 22 mpg on my daily in-town/Interstate commute. The 650-watt stereo and 10-inch subwoofer are fun to show off, but if you arent into rap then I would suggest you stick with the standard system and use the extra $$ to take this on a vacation.

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  After 2 months of shopping around - 2002 Mitsubishi Montero
  By Dennis - May 4 - 2:00 am

  Very nice interior. Excellent paint job ( I got a blue montero Ltd.). Huge sunroof. Very comfy front seats. Feets in my garage ( same size as wifes Nissan Maxima) Good sound system. Foog lights work realy good. Good visability. 0-0-0 financing for a year have sealed my deal. I have bought it for $300 over invoice after 2 weeks of negotiating ( however paid $500 for running boards) Good acceleration for SUV (you dont expect it to accelerate like a spots car ... do you?) One more thing - you dont see it on every corner like some of the "cute looking SUVs".

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  Wicked Awesome Eclipse - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By garyf2132 - May 2 - 11:22 pm

  I purchased a 2006 Eclipse GS Automatic with only 60,000 miles on it just last week. It came equipped with the Rockford Fosgate premium stereo system with subwoofer. Im in love with this car literally. Its a real head turner. Acceleration is fantastic especially when pulling onto the highway or changing lanes, plenty of power to zoom around. The blue colored dash lights are a wicked cool feature. The bucket seats give it that extra sporty feel. The stereo system doesnt come with an AUX input jack unfortunately but I purchased an OEM Mitsubishi cable online so I will install it myself into the rear of the stereo system. Overall I love this car & wouldnt trade it for anything.

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  Mitsubishis are underated - 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante
  By Nelson Nicholas - May 1 - 2:00 am

  Bestkept secret. Glad not to see them all over the road. Much better ride than rated. Stylish interior. Incredible sound system. Best bang for the buck. Mitsu didnt market them properly. Why pay much more for Lexus 300.