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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  First Car and an SUV - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Lily - December 8 - 12:33 pm

  I love the way the Mitsubishi Outlander handles on unpaved roads in good and bad weather, even in more than a foot of snow. It is roomy from front to back but could use a little more headroom, even when the seat is totally down. Also, its gas mileage could be better. It does zero to sixty in about 10 seconds which is sluggish in some situations but livable. It has a smooth ride at any speed. It is the first vehicle I purchased on my own and I wanted an SUV. I bought it used from a car rental company where it was well maintained. My maintence costs have been low. It is large enough for what I need and small enough that it is easy to park without taking up extra space. Sometimes it gets hidden behind other bigger SUVs in mall parking lots!

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  New Purchase - 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Sibs - December 8 - 2:00 am

  Narrowed choices to the Outlander or the Honda CRV. Drove both. Did not like the CRV at all. Good pep, but why anyone would put the hand brake on the dash is beyond me. Didnt like the dash layout at all. The headrest on the backseat of the CRV almost completely blocked your view when backing. Wife and I both have bad backs. The seats in the Outlander are great. We like the dash layout. The Outlander had almost everything we wanted as standard equipment. Salesman was great. Look forward to enjoying the Outlander.

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  Dukes review - 2005 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Alan Duke - December 7 - 6:43 am

  Car has smooth ride. Throttle reaction time is awesome. wide open interior. Gas mileage 26-28 mpg in town 29-31 highway. Awesome 6 disk 6 speaker stereo system. Handles well for small/midsized car. Big trunk space. Great head room. Ive owned galants since 92. Extremely dependable

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  Soured On Mitsubishi By This Car, Money Pit - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
  By pxabstraction - December 5 - 3:29 pm

  Bought this at 2 years old with 30,000Km. Now has 80,000Km, 5 years old and Im selling it. Pros: Good mileage, comfortable, everything still works. Cons: CVT autos are HORRIBLE. Transmission is lazy and car is gutless. Engine is noisy. Chewed through 3 sets of 18" tires. Transmission cooler had to be replaced at 80,000Km, $1,500, should have lasted years more. Rear suspension needed $1,000 of work last year, also should have lasted longer. TMPS system cannot be disabled, does not show which tire is down, cannot remember more than one set of tires, constant paint chips, awful service. Car is a lemon. Very displeased. Will not buy Mitsubishi again.

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  Great Ride and Handling for an SUV - 2006 Mitsubishi Endeavor
  By RICK - December 4 - 7:00 pm

  I love the way it handles on curving roads. It is a very soft ride, but no swaying. It handles great and has tons of room for my wifes antique shopping. The transmission is great, being able to shift yourself is nice, especially when going down mountain roads you can put it in 2nd gear and not ride the brake. It does not have a top heavy feel. Overall Mitsubishi did it right.

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  Great wagon - 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
  By mbm99 - December 4 - 11:43 am

  I just purchased this leftover, brand new 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart. I have no complaints at all after my first 600 miles. Its fuel economy could be better (23 city / 30 highway), for a 4-cylinder car, but its much better than the Dodge Durango that I tradedin for it. This is a much nicer vehicle than the Mazda3 or Toyota Matrix that I was considering before I found it.

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  Driven To Thrill! - 2006 Mitsubishi Galant
  By Eric M - December 1 - 11:20 am

  I purchased the car a few weeks ago, after checking out many others, it was between this and the Honda Civic LX sedan. I went with the Galant because I liked the exterior look better, it felt more solid on the road, its acceleration is better, and the warranty is awesome. Its been a thrill to drive so far! One minor problem is the glove box does not close quite flush on the left side and the service manager is telling me its normal. Of the twenty other various trims on the lot, not one is as out of whack as mine. Ill see if the GSM takes care of it, and I wont die if they dont, but expect better on a $20,000 car. Also, the silver console does reflect in the windshield, but it does not bother or distract me.

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  Better than expected - 2005 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Eric - November 29 - 4:43 am

  The Outlander has car-like handling with no bad manners. This vehicle is easy to drive, park and has good visability. I am very impressed with the quiet ride on the highway. There is no wind noise and the seats are comfortable. Its ride is stiff but very very solid. Its controls are simple. The 2.4L engine offers adequate power and is smooth. The transmission is also well matched to the engine and shifts smoothly, sport mode is great in town and with the cruise on it prevents downshifts. The stock 4 speaker stereo is average. The rear seats recline and that helps when installing a car seat. All Wheel Drive has no computer management like a Subaru but still helps in the snow. My truck has not had one problem in 25,000 miles.

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  The most fuel saving non hybrid go-kart ever! - 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By rooaru - November 28 - 12:37 pm

  I bought the 2015 Mirage in Oct and I do not regret it. Before buying it, reviewers, including Edmund really put the car down. I feel most of them were unfair with the reviews. This car is no louder, rougher, or less quality built compared to other subcompacts cars out there and I drove quite a bit before deciding on the Mirage. Yes it is a little loud when revving, yes it can be bumpy on a bad road, yes it is small and compact but at $13,000 base, its loaded enough and fun! I got it for a better price with some effort. Think of it as a Modern Geo Metro, better built!

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  Nice ride for the price. - 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander
  By Eric - November 26 - 11:06 am

  I enjoy the room for its size. Decent gas mileage. Comfortable ride and great sound system. I have sun and sound package. I just wish the DVD would work when driving if you desired. Overall been real pleased with the performance up to this point. I took it on vacation and avg about 25.7 mpg. With five people loaded down and still had room for nice comfortable ride. I would recommend the Outlander to anyone looking for a sporty look in a cute ute class. Its has more room than I expected and it looks much better than the RAV4 or CR-V. These two are good in this class, but I like the looks of the Outlander. So far the performance has been up to par.