Are Mitsubishis Reliable? Mitsubishi Reliability by Model
Mitsubishi reliability varies significantly by model year. Among the 6 Mitsubishi models analyzed, the Lancer Sportback has the fewest flagged years at 0, while the Outlander has the most at 5. The sharpest single-year spike belongs to the Outlander, whose worst year logged up to 8.5× its own median complaint rate. Because complaint totals are not adjusted for vehicle sales, this analysis identifies strong and weak years within each model — it does not rank Mitsubishi models against one another.
Analysis by CarWhere Research · Updated August 28, 2026 · Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of July 2026 · How we rate model years · Download the dataset (CSV)
2,965 NHTSA complaints
model years flagged on federal data
Mirage and Lancer Sportback
Mitsubishi problem areas by service-bulletin volume
The vehicle systems drawing the most federal service-bulletin (TSB) filings across the 6 Mitsubishi models we analyze — a volume signal of where the manufacturer issues the most fix guidance. These are TSB counts by NHTSA component category, not owner-complaint counts.
Mitsubishi reliability by model
| Model | Complaints | Years to avoid | Best years | Worst year vs. its avg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 1,248 | 2011, 2015, 2016, 2022 and 2023 | — | 8.5× |
| Mitsubishi Outlander Sport | 870 | 2015 and 2016 | 2018 and 2021 | 4.2× |
| Mitsubishi Lancer | 454 | 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 | 2012 and 2014 | 3.2× |
| Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | 240 | 2008 and 2010 | — | 2.3× |
| Mitsubishi Mirage | 134 | None | — | — |
| Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback | 19 | None | — | — |
Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA owner complaints), not adjusted for sales volume. A model year is flagged when its severity-weighted complaint rate is among the highest within that model's own history — never a comparison against other brands. Follow any model for its full year-by-year verdict. Full methodology.
Where Mitsubishi owners report the most trouble
Mitsubishi Outlander: 5 model years flagged to avoid (2011, 2015, 2016, 2022 and 2023) — the worst logged up to 8.5× the model's own median severity-weighted complaint rate. See the year-by-year verdict →
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: 2 model years flagged to avoid (2015 and 2016) — the worst logged up to 4.2× the model's own median severity-weighted complaint rate. See the year-by-year verdict →
Mitsubishi Lancer: 4 model years flagged to avoid (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011) — the worst logged up to 3.2× the model's own median severity-weighted complaint rate. See the year-by-year verdict →
Cleanest Mitsubishi records: the Mirage and Lancer Sportback carry no model year flagged to avoid in the current federal data.
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FAQ
Are Mitsubishis reliable?
Mitsubishi reliability varies sharply by model year, not by badge. Among the 6 most-documented Mitsubishi models, 4 carry at least one model year we flag to avoid on NHTSA complaint and recall data — the Lancer Sportback has the fewest flagged years (0) and the Outlander the most (5). These are raw federal complaint counts, not adjusted for how many vehicles Mitsubishi sold, so they can't be read as a single cross-brand reliability score — use the per-model, per-year verdicts below.
Which Mitsubishi model years should I avoid?
The Mitsubishi models carrying the most flagged years are the Outlander (5 flagged years: 2011, 2015, 2016, 2022 and 2023); the Lancer (4 flagged years: 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011); the Outlander Sport (2 flagged years: 2015 and 2016). A flag means that model year's severity-weighted complaint rate is among the highest within that model's own history — it is not a comparison against other models or brands. See each model's page for the full year-by-year verdict.
Which Mitsubishi models have the fewest flagged years?
Among Mitsubishi models with enough federal complaint history to rate, the Mirage and Lancer Sportback carry no model year flagged to avoid. That is not a cross-model reliability ranking — complaint counts are not sales-adjusted — and a thin record is never counted as a clean one: model years with too little data rate "insufficient" instead.
How do I check a specific Mitsubishi before buying?
Start with the free Mitsubishi window sticker lookup at carwhere.com/window-sticker/mitsubishi to confirm the exact trim and factory options, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year plus a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — the public NHTSA owner-complaints data and safety recall campaigns — across the 6 most-documented Mitsubishi models and every model year on record for each. Retrieved July 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered, so they cannot be read as a single cross-brand reliability ranking; each model year's verdict compares it only against the rest of that model's own history. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Suggested citation
CarWhere Research. "Mitsubishi Reliability by Model & Year: NHTSA Complaint and Recall Analysis." Based on 2,965 NHTSA owner complaints across 6 Mitsubishi models, model years 2008–2025. Updated August 28, 2026. https://www.carwhere.com/research/reliability/mitsubishi
This dataset is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with attribution to CarWhere Research and a link to this page.
Download the dataset (CSV) — per-model complaint totals, flagged years and verdict counts for every brand we cover (version 2026-08-28).