Mitsubishi

Pete impulse-purchased this extremely rare Tommi Makinen Edition Mitsubishi Evolution VI sight unseen, so the question is: did he make a good buy or a bad buy?

Mitsubishi's sales took a dive in 2025 -- both overall and in the fourth quarter.

Looking for a project car for the new year? Try this 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT.

It sure seems like Mitsubishi engineers want the company to bring back the Lancer Evolution.

Mitsubishi engineers are expressing their desire to bring back the Lancer Evolution and suggested that the company hasn’t entirely abandoned the notion. However, there seems to be some debate about whether it would be a true-to-form, sport compact inspired by the world of rallying or some electrified passenger car carrying the Evo name.

We have a Mitsubishi recall.

Even though most never leave the pavement, rugged SUVs are some of the most desirable vehicles on the market today. Mitsubishi knows that, or at least recently remembered it, and may be doing something to jump (back) on the bandwagon. The iconic Montero may be on its way back, as recent spy shots captured a new off-road SUV that looks an awful lot like the beloved model.

The Mitsubishi Outlander is getting an update for the 2026 model year that will bring a mild-hybrid powertrain to the SUV. The automaker said the change will increase fuel economy while keeping costs at a reasonable level, and it will help the brand lower its average fleet emissions ratings.

Sometimes, the cars featured here need some work. This 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse is one of those.

We haven't too many Dodge Stealths/Mitsubishi 3000GTs in this feature, but we do have a 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 for you today.

Badge engineering, using one basic vehicle design for an array of models from different brands, carried the American auto industry for decades, and it’s still a thing today in many segments. Nissan and Mitsubishi are trying their luck with the practice, starting with a new Mitsubishi crossover based on the Nissan Leaf in 2026.

I will not make any Fast and Furious references with this right-hand-drive 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V GSR, besides that one, I promise.

Still, I could see Dom racing against one of these -- darn it, I broke my rule already.

Responding to the ever-changing tariff tax landscape in America, the crew at Mitsubishi has – for the moment – halted the shipping of additional inventory to dealers in this country.

Today we're going old-school with a car I lusted after when I was still a wee lad -- this 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4. These cars, and their platform-mate, the Dodge Stealth, looked cool as heck back during the grunge years.

Today we're bringing you a car from a time when I was still in high school. Now I feel old, thanks to this 1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.

It seems a tripartite of price issues, demand problems, and a hamstrung product catalog have spurred a number of Mitsubishi dealers to bend the ear of its North American CEO.

Mitsubishi often feels like a forgotten brand in the U.S., but its Outlander PHEV is a solid SUV. The automaker is rolling out updates to the best-selling plug-in hybrid in Europe that bring a larger battery pack, but the changes oddly haven’t made it to the U.S.-bound variant for the 2025 model year.

When the Australian government debuted its Motor Industry Development Plan in mid-1984, it believed the solution for the nation's automotive industry woes was at hand. Through streamlining and becoming more cost effective, the plan intended to cut the number of domestically produced vehicles in half, close down underutilized production facilities, and reduce import caps and tariffs on foreign vehicles. The plan also forced domestic Australian and Japanese automakers to work together to create badge engineered vehicles. Ford, Holden, Nissan, and Toyota were all victims of the plan as the manufacturers with the largest footprint on Australian soil. The very same year, Nissan and Holden were the first pairing to debut an exciting new badge engineered vehicle!

Picture it, 1984. The world is filled with Malaise era automobiles, neon colors, and a hot new TV show called Miami Vice just debuted on NBC. The Australian automotive market is in turmoil, suffering from inefficiency, oversupply, import restrictions, and tariffs of around 60 percent. What’s a government to do? Force every manufacturer’s hand, that’s what!

You may have forgotten about Mitsubishi, but the company is still out there selling cars.

Not only that, but it has plans for new models.

Mitsubishi might not end up joining the Honda-Nissan merger, but it’s not giving up on life just yet. The automaker recently announced its first mass-market electric vehicle* for the U.S. market, which is due in 2026.

Honda and Nissan have gone public with their plans to merge, making many wonder if Nissan’s alliance partner, Mitsubishi, would go along for the ride. Recent reporting suggests that it will not be a part of the new deal, though it has denied making a final decision.

Today we bring you a relative rarity -- this 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT.

Today we bring you a 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer GT that accompanies some slightly confusing ad copy.

Building on a model which was completely overhauled for 2022, designers at Mitsubishi have gifted the Outlander some meaningful upgrades.

Those mods include Bilstein shocks, Weathertech mats, a catback exhaust, upgraded downpipe and intercooler, upgraded clutch, and much more.

Mitsubishi revealed a boxy, three-row concept at the Philippine International Motor Show this week, stating that the car would eventually spawn a production model intended for global sale. While this means slotting the vehicle into lineups that are already biased toward crossovers, the company has enjoyed decent success doing this in the past.

Small, affordable cars are almost completely gone from the U.S. market. One of the cheapest, the Mitsubishi Mirage, is getting the ax after the 2024 model year, leaving only a couple of others for budget buyers to choose from. The automaker confirmed to Car and Driver that it would discontinue the car, noting that there would not be a 2025 model.

Honda and Nissan are reportedly interested in formally creating the EV and software alliance the duo hinted at earlier this year, with Mitsubishi apparently asking if it can come along for the ride.

Nissan and Honda signed a memorandum of understanding in March that confirmed the companies were actively considering joining forces on the development of electric vehicles and automotive software. That partnership now seems closer than ever, with sources claiming that Mitsubishi (34 percent of which is owned by Nissan) may also be getting in on the action.

Mitsubishi and Nissan have been part of an alliance with Renault for years now, but the two are now reportedly considering teaming up with Honda as well. Nikkei Asia reported that Mitsubishi wants in on the existing partnership between Honda and Nissan, saying the trio would focus on “automotive software platforms, core components related to EVs, and complementary products.”

Today we serve up a mostly unmodified 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X.

As I search for interesting pieces of automotive history in the car graveyards of the land, I look for odometers showing impressively high final readings. My definition of "impressive" varies by manufacturer, so Honda and Toyota products now need at least 400,000 miles to meet that threshold.

With automakers having lost the plot in terms of new-vehicle pricing and dealers still tacking on markups, there are loads of people in need of cheap, reliable transportation. While you may not believe it, there are still models to be had for under $20,000 (USD). But your choices are effectively limited to the soon-to-be-discontinued Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage, begging the question of which one should you buy before they’re gone.

Perhaps answering at least some of the questions we all have about VinFast and its long-term plans in this country, owner Vingroup announced this morning it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi to explore providing after-sales services in international markets. Mitsu will also establish a working group to collect used cooking oil.

Wait, what?

Mitsubishi has said it plans to revive the brand in the United States. The stated strategy involves expanding its lineup and retail locations. While this is probably very exciting to those who recall driving any model equipped with the 4G63 engine, it might be wise to temper expectations. The changes being floated are relatively modest, with this being the first step in what could eventually become something bigger for the brand.

That said, the company appears to be serious about setting things right inside America and may actually be in a unique position to pull this off.

Mitsubishi has felt like a fading brand for years, but the automaker recently announced a new product roadmap that gives us all a good reason to be hopeful. Among promising one new or completely refreshed vehicle every year between 2026 and 2030, Mitsubishi teased a van that looks an awful lot like a futuristic Delica.

Today we're bringing you a 2011 Mitsubishi Evo MR that might need a bit of work.

Is today's question of the day a shameless attempt to tie the Mitsubishi Eclipse to the actual eclipse? Sure, why not. But that doesn't mean it's not true -- myself and at least one other TTAC'er miss the hell out of that car.

Nissan and Mitsubishi have long existed side-by-side in the weird tri-automaker alliance that also includes the French company Renault. Even so, the two have never collaborated on a vehicle for the U.S. market, though that could be about to change. Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida announced that the pair would share vehicle tech and design knowledge to create a handful of new vehicles for American buyers.

When you think of performance Mitsubishis, the Outlander PHEV is almost certainly not what comes to mind. Each time I drive one I’m surprised at how good it is, specifically its handling. A seven-passenger PHEV crossover shouldn’t handle this well. I’d previously driven it on closed tarmac and dirt courses. Each time I’d leave both the autocross and track and think—why is this so fun? It shouldn’t be this fun.

Today we dig deep and bring you a Mitsubishi. A 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT, to be precise.

Mitsubishi began selling cars with its own branding in the United States in late 1982, introducing three car models and a pickup as 1983 models. We had an extensive range of Mitsubishi models to choose from for quite a while, including a credible luxury sedan known as the Diamante, but those days are long gone. Today's Junkyard Find is one of the very last Diamantes sold here, now residing in a Denver car graveyard.

There are fewer cheap new cars on the market than ever, it seems, and the picture looks worse with the death of the Mitsubishi Mirage.

Despite fuel prices and an economy that seems poised to bolster the sale of value-focused cars, the United States is losing another one. Mitsubishi is reportedly discontinuing the Mirage by 2025.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Triton has made its global debut and everyone is already talking about how the midsize pickup might perform in our truck-heavy market. Though it could be argued that the vehicle was never intended to accommodate our needs and therefore has no business coming here.

Assembly of the Triton (also known as the L200) has been focused on Thailand and Brazil for over a decade because those are its most important markets. That was kept in mind when developing the new model, as it comes with a 2.4-liter diesel engine and drum brakes at the rear.

Mitsubishi is still around and kicking, and its 2024 lineup is getting a few updates to help it stay afloat among a sea of better-known rivals. The automaker recently announced the updates for the new model year, and while none are earth-shattering, there’s reason to be hopeful for the brand and its future.

The strategic partnership between France’s Renault and Japan’s Nissan has been a tenuous alliance throughout most of its history. However, the duo is attempting – once again – to tweak the nature of their complicated relationship in the hopes it produces better cooperation and reduced animosity. 

It’s no secret that low-margin small cars aren’t the darlings of automakers. After all, why offer machines which eke out a few bucks when fat profits are waiting to be scooped by crossovers and SUVs? Nevertheless, some models remain – though if Mitsubishi’s home market website is accurate, the pool is about to shrink by one.

Standing in the lobby at Mitsubishi’s suburban Nashville headquarters last week, I looked out the window and saw Nissan’s own HQ just down the street. Even though Mitsubishi tells me that it’s just a coincidence that the two offices are that close to one another, the two companies are part of a larger alliance that also involves Renault. Even if it’s not intentional, one can feel the corporate synergy.

I've spent a decent chunk of my day getting to rainy Nashville so that tomorrow I can drive the next Mitsubishi Outlander. So, naturally, I am thinking about the brand and its struggles.

It’s been nearly three years since The Grand Tour switched its format away from the elaborate traveling tent and to its all-special format. On Friday, Amazon released the fifth such special, and the first “post pandemic” episode (their term, not mine). In “A Scandi Flick,” the familiar trio heads across Scandinavia in three rally-inspired all-wheel drive sedans. It’s certainly not the show’s worst work, but it’s far from the best. You’ll need to suspend disbelief and leave your thinking skills in another room.

We return to our Abandoned History coverage of Daewoo Motors in the early part of the Sixties. Korea was a newly independent nation still in the process of building its economy after many decades of Japanese occupation. The new Korean government seemingly relied on two tenets in its earliest years: Centralized control and openness to bribes. 

Both those factors were at play when the government handed the production of all passenger cars to a single company, Saenara Motors. Via a huge loan and technical assistance from Nissan, Saenara built Korea’s first car, the Saenara (Datsun) Bluebird via knock-down kits assembled in South Korea. But once the government noticed there was too much capital flowing out of the country, they banned Saenara from buying more kits from Japan. The scraps of bankrupt Saenara were picked up by another company, Shinjin.

In a captive import enterprise that began in 1979, Dodge sold Mitsubishi’s compact pickup (aka Mighty Max in North America) to compete with the likes of the Ford (Mazda) Courier and the Chevrolet (Isuzu) LUV. Badged as the Ram 50, the truck was sold through two generations, 1979-1986 and 1987-1994. By the Nineties, the second-gen was showing its age, and Dodge decided it would rather focus on its own midsize truck, the Dakota.

But there was another captive import that arrived at the very same time as the second edition of the Ram 50. Say hello to the Raider.

Dodge’s import truck story began in 1979, when the Mitsubishi Forte (or L200) arrived on North American shores, rebadged as the Dodge D-50 and Plymouth Arrow. A captive import like the Colt, the durable Dodge D-50 (later Ram 50) proved itself a solid entrant into the compact pickup truck market. What proved unpopular was the Plymouth Arrow, which did not make it past its initial 1979-1982 outing. The Ram 50 was refreshed in 1982 but was certainly due for replacement in 1987 when the second generation arrived.

Recently on Abandoned History, we learned about the Colt, a captive import Dodge/Plymouth/Eagle/AMC/Renault sold courtesy of a badge swap on some compact cars from Mitsubishi. During that series’ tenure, one of our readers had a great idea: A separate Abandoned History discussion of the captive import trucks and SUVs in the Dodge portfolio. The time has come!

We arrive at the end of our Dodge Colt journey today. Colt started in 1971 as a cooperative program to provide Mitsubishi with a sales outlet in North America, and Chrysler with a compact and fuel-efficient car it didn’t have to design or build. Over the years the Colt evolved with the needs of the consumer and branched out into several different body styles.

Eventually, the tides shifted. Mitsubishi established their own dealerships in the United States (but not Canada) and started selling identical cars as were on Dodge/Plymouth dealer lots. Then, as Eagle came into being it also needed product to sell. Chrysler turned Eagle into its de facto outlet for imports and Mitsubishi cooperative products: Colts of regular and wagon persuasion became Eagles called Vista and Summit, in addition to their Dodge and Plymouth twins.

Last time we left our tale it was the dawn of 1993, and Colts were badged at Eagle dealers as a new generation of Summit. The Vista Wagon name was dead, now called Summit Wagon. Dodge, Plymouth, and Eagle dealers had an exciting new Colt as well! But it didn’t last long.

Last time on our Diamante coverage, we learned about the near-luxury sedan’s somewhat delayed introduction to America. In the two-year translation from a Japanese market car to an American one, Diamante lost the majority of its interesting and advanced tech features and adopted a cheaper suspension design. Today we’ll find out what happened when Mitsubishi pitched the new and de-contented Diamante against the Lexus ES 300.

Today is the third installment in our coverage of the Mitsubishi Diamante, the Diamond Star brand’s only luxury offering ever sold in the North American market. Part I introduced us to the Diamante via the Sigma. That fancy hardtop Galant gave way to the Diamante in 1992, based on an extended length Galant platform. The second-generation hardtop sedan and its wagon counterpart were finished for 1995 on dealer lots, though fleet buyers (which fleets though?) had a Diamante available to them in 1996. In 1997, Mitsubishi was back with an all-new Diamante and aimed even higher than it had before.