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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  Excellent - 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By Kevin Perkins - January 6 - 5:30 pm

  The car handles beutifully and is very powerful. The accelleration is overwhelming and it looks phenominal. I have had this car for two months and notice a difference from my last car.

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  The Galant has Come a Long Way - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By StanBear - January 1 - 1:00 am

  I must let everyone know how far Mitsubishi has come in this evolution. Having owned two of the previous style Galants (99 and 02) as well as Maximas, etc, I feel qualified to make a judgment. The big thing they finally got right was the room. This car has a fantastic roomy back seat, even more so than Maxima in past. Beyond that the quality is up to snuff, and the driving experience is terrific even though only the 4-cyl. engine. I enjoy driving it more that our 2004 Cadillac DeVille DTS. Though the 4-cyl is slightly on the noisy side, it is the best of breed. There is always enough torque and power available (better than the 89 Maxima V6). The car moves out so easily its hard to believe, even on passing.

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  More Power - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Desprate For Power - December 28 - 12:00 pm

  Okay there is the DE Lancer the ES Lancer and the GTS, I own the GTS and I just dont see the point, because it looks just like the others. I have the CVT transmission which makes the 0-60 an astonishing 11.7 seconds. It is extremely underpowered and overpriced for that power, you can get the same car in the DE or the ES. you can order the same accessories as well. The car weighs 3100 lbs, and puts 139 hp to the wheels. I put rims on my GTS and it looks amazing, but needless to say wouldnt they all. I would also say get it without the spoiler if you ever hope to see out of the rear window. It is a great car I can say that!

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  Great Car - 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By mitsubishiGTdriver - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for 3 years and bought it with 73,000 miles on it. It now has 148,000 miles on it. The v6 is torquey but still good on fuel. The manual transmission shifts smooth but has a direct feel. It leans a bit more than Id like in sharper turns but never feels unsafe. Ive never had to do any major repairs to this car. Only thing that broke was the EGR solenoid. A $40 part from the dealer. Very fun to drive and easy to to long trips in. I drive it 100 miles round trip everyday. I average about 28.5 mpg.

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  Fantastic Car!!! - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By keatz85 - December 28 - 5:54 am

  After my first car, a Pontiac that gave me nothing but trouble, I wanted to get a foreign car that was dependable and affordable. The Mirage hit a home run. Drove it for 7 years and 122,000 miles. Barely put any money into it except for normal maintenance. Parts starting wearing out more around 170k miles but what do you expect? Liked this Mitsubishi so much I decided to upgrade to a newer Galant. So far its awesome as well. This cars value is one of the best, if not the best. If you can find one with 100k miles or so, id say youre good to go for several years.

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  2004 Mitsubishi Outlander - 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By 456654456654123321 - December 25 - 4:23 am

  We bought our Outlander new in 04. We have had 2 problems. 1, the power port stopped working. Replaced fuse and no good. 2. It stalls every now in then, and then it starts up fine. A few weeks later, it will stall and then be fine. Other than that, it has been a pretty good vehicle. We have been from TN to FL, TN to ME probably 20 times and the Outlander goes fine. If I could change one thing it would be the suspension. I think it needs to be a little beefier. With a heavy load, the front end gets light and it feels top heavy. Would I buy another one? Me no, my wife yes. I enjoy a bigger vehicle, but for the "soccer mom" it is fine.

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  I love this car - 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By Mcdonald - December 24 - 2:00 am

  Hi guys i just wanted to let yall know that i love my lancer it was my first car and ill def. get anotherone in a couple of years this is a great car for city traveling. MATT

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  Sharp Looking and Comfortable - 2006 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By walter - December 16 - 2:13 pm

  My 2006 Mitsubishi Outlander handles like a car, it takes corners nicely. The body looks like a mix of a BMW and a Lexus. The anti-lock brakes are a plus. Its mileage should be a little better though since its only a 4-cyl. It still has good pep driving in the manual way. The cargo area should be a little deeper and the back seats should lay flat. The storage in the dash needs to change, it needs to slant it so everything doesnt fly out when you take off. Overall, this is a very nice value for the money. Its sharp looking and handles well.

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  Not Perfect But Nice - 1999 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Lil J - December 16 - 10:00 am

  I originally bought this car with the intent to trade it in within two years. 3 years later...still driving it with no immediate desire to trade. It has a smooth ride with just enough power and stylish looks. Did have a few minor problems but the dealership I brought from has a great service department and they always take of any problems I have plus provide a rental car. I think for the money this car is the best deal you can get. It definitely forced Toyota, Honda, and Nissan to go back to the drawing board after the Galant was rated best mid size sedan in 1999. Definitely buy an extended warranty though.

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  2007 GS Automatic, sun and sound package - 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse
  By justinr321 - December 14 - 6:36 pm

  Bought the car back in November. Traded in a 07 Mustang for it and Im glad I did. The car is pretty peppy for an inline 4 and gets great gas mileage (I usually averaged about 30 mpg). It has a cool design and interesting interior. Its also pretty comfortable as well. I did, however, wreck mine about 3 weeks ago and totaled it. It held up very well but the airbags didnt deploy, strangely enough. Overall, I liked the car and would recommend it for someone who is looking for an affordable, sporty car that gets good gas mileage.