Mitsubishi Motors Reviews

Pros

I had a pretty good experience working at MMC. The working environment was good, with real warmth, even at the senior management level.

MMC has outstanding engineers; really brilliant guys that can make some incredible product.

Working for a Mitsubishi Group company means access to a host of "sister" companies around Japan and a certain amount of cachet (despite the blemishes on the MMC brand name).

Overall I still feel good about the company, even after leaving.

Cons

Despite many steps forward, MMC remains a slow-moving and heavily siloed company, with many layers of bureaucratic red tape at all levels. This can be frustrating for entrepreneurial types.

Even when you find a visionary manager who allows you to create something new within the company, your co-workers (who are accustomed to the usual bureaucratic two-step) may not support you.

Despite the Mitsubishi name, MMC is a relatively small company. Unfortunately, where it could be a nimble player in a segment populated by goliaths, it is as slow and stodgy as its parent (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries).

Advice to Senior Management

Work on better coordination between engineers, marketing and sales. Look to Honda as a good example of "leading with engineering" while still staying in touch with the customer.

Alternatively, scale back emphasis on B2C and focus on licensing, OEM and "supply" deals as a way to grow revenue. MMC is terrible at marketing -- why force it?

Pros

Good benefits
They have managed to stay afloat
Flexible work schedule

Cons

Lower than average pay
Extensive micromanagement
Some poorly chosen assignees and managers - Not all are bad. However some of the assignees are brought in from Japan to "manage" departments in which they know zero about. This typically results in micromanagement. Instead of the managers learning the ways of the group and learning the responsibilities and assignments, they come up with more forms, charts, status reports and quotas for you to meet. Other assignees are brought in without regard to their leadership skills and English speaking capabilities. Which can be a detriment to team building and communication.
American staff work is treated sometimes just as suggestive rather than what is best, no matter how much experience you have in a particular matter.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire more experts in the field and put more leadership in the US staff. Give the customers what they want instead of trying to just cut costs. Invest in research and tooling to produce new exciting vehicles at the Illinois plant. The way forward is to produce exciting cars that gain back respect to the Mitsubishi name. People used to be proud to say they owned and Eclipse (Turbo and AWD, just like what is popular on cars today). What happened to that particular model is an example of what not to do in the future.

Mitsubishi still has a number of models that can complete but you can not afford to let them fall behind the pack. There has to be year to year improvements in styling and performance across the board. There needs to be a Lancer Ralliart without the super expensive TCSST trans, (i.e 5 or 6 speed manual). That would make it way more affordable and able to compete better price wise with the WRX and Mazdaspeed 3.

EV research is great but realistically electric cars are not going to save the company.

Where is a competitor for the Accord/Fusion/etc? The Galant of the early 2000's looked better (and scored better in comparison tests) than the one that practically no one knows exists today. Why is the Colt and Colt Ralliart not being sold here?... It can get 40mpg combined 150hp turbo and is only 2400 lbs, is blast to drive and has styling to match. This car would run circles around the Honda Fit and others.

Bottom line is you need to keep people interested in the brand and slowly gain back the reputation what we had years ago. I have faith long term we can do it but do not forget what the customer really wants.

Pros

Automotive industry has a history of paying well and having good benefits.

Cons

Current economy and state of Auto Industry

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your customers.

Pros

Mangement does communicate well with employees on the current state of the company and market. It does not try to come across overly optimistic.

Cons

Extremely competitive area of business. Company has trouble creating a unique identity under which to market it's vehicles.

Advice to Senior Management

Look towards a company like Subaru in determining how Mitsubishi can create a niche it can win in.