Japanese brands sell very well in the U.S., and in many cases outperform American competitors like Ford and Chevrolet. Toyota paved the way for other Japanese companies to market here thanks to the Corona, and these brands grew into household names. Mitsubishi used to be part of this number, but in the past few years, it’s faded away until it’s no longer the powerhouse it once was.

Mitsubishi is the least popular Japanese brand

There are currently five major Japanese automakers who have made a name for themselves in the U.S. These include Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and Nissan. Mitsubishi is also another Japanese automaker, but it’s lost much of its appeal.

When someone questioned why Mitsubishi has fallen behind the competition, one Quora user pointed out that it is not as simple as delivering a basic reason. 

Some points listed include selling to high-risk customers with bad credit in the 90s, failing to update vehicles or introduce new models, cutting beloved vehicles, and failing to garner positive attention from critics.

Currently, the only vehicle really selling for the Mitsubishi is the Outlander. Other vehicles are sitting on the lots, and here’s why.

Lack of marketing means people don’t see the cars

When is the last time you’ve seen a commercial for a Mitsubishi vehicle? There certainly aren’t many out there, and Mitsubishi doesn’t seem to be invested in putting out ads. For many people, it’s a forgotten brand.

If Mitsubishi put more effort and money into brand awareness, it may make a difference. If nothing else, it would remind people that the Japanese brand is still around, and didn’t fade away in the late 80s and early 90s. The Japanese automaker isn’t putting itself out there, and to be quite frank, very few other people are either.

Thanks to the lack of visibility, most YouTubers, car critics, and auto bloggers aren’t posting that much about Mitsubishi. For one, it doesn’t get as many views. For two, there’s not much to say, considering Mitsubishi has very few cars in the lineup. This has done little to help sway buyers into buying Mitsubishi vehicles.

Subpar products keep potential owners looking elsewhere

Mitsubishi doesn’t have the same reputation for reliability has other companies like Toyota and Honda. This isn’t a death sentence though. For example, Kia used to get slammed for offering vehicles that were inferior in quality as well. Now, Kia designs upscale vehicles for a price that is still affordable, and it’s working. Mitsubishi isn’t doing that.

Mitsubishi continues to sell affordable vehicles, but the quality is not there. In a recent YouTube video, Ben Hardy stated that he believes many buyers are ignoring what the Mitsubishi offers in favor of vehicles that offer better quality and more features.

The supply chain issues are fading

The chip shortage isn’t exactly over, but it’s far better than it was just two years ago. More automakers are adding cars to their lots, and buyers are eager to purchase. This is bad for Mitsubishi.

During the Pandemic, Mitsubishi was one of the few automakers who had vehicles left, thanks to the fact that it’s not that popular. With no other options on the market, the lack of cars forced many buyers to purchase a Mitsubishi whether or not they wanted one.

Used cars weren’t even an option during that time because people were snapping them up as well, so Mitsubishi benefitted from being one of the few automakers with cars left.

Now that things are turning around, Mitsubishi is seeing its customers flee to more popular brands like Toyota. It may not be over for Mitsubishi. If it can advertise more, invest in new technology, and give consumers a product they want, then it could turn it around. So far, it doesn’t seem like Mitsubishi will do that, however.