An excellent car with a beautiful exterior and interior. The exterior is the kind of timeless styling that will look good long after the competition goes out of style, and it is unique and gets a lot of positive comments. The interior is very attractive, with first-rate materials and a warm, luxurious look. I like the large glovebox and large two-tiered center console storage.

As of this review, I have owned my Diamante for four years and 29,000 miles and have found reliability to be excellent. No defects at all. All body parts are perfectly aligned. Underhood service access is excellent.

The ride is very smooth and quiet, receiving many compliments from passengers. The leather seats are very comfortable. I can drive for hours without getting tired. All controls are easy to find and use. Handling is very competent. The car is fun to drive energetically. Acceleration is very strong and immediate. The engine/transmission combination is excellent, with power at any speed and shifts that are always where they should be.

I get 20 MPG in town and 28 MPG on the highway. This is what I would expect for the Diamante's power and weight class.

The trunk is very large with a low liftover. There is no pass-through, but that has not been a problem. I can (and do, often) carry 8-foot long boards in the passenger compartment by reclining the passenger seatback and sliding the board in from the front door, over the seatback and to the rear window shelf.

The stereo is first-rate, with very good imaging and sound quality.

Mitsubishi only imports about 10,000 Diamante's a year, so advertising is not cost-effective. This keeps the Diamante relatively unknown, but also keeps the price low. Instead of spending big bucks on advertising, Mitsubishi will offer rebates that make the Diamante an ever better value.

This car delivers the ride, handling, acceleration and overall performance that you expect from a luxury car. You never grow tired of its interior or exterior looks. You get ample interior storage and a large trunk. Build quality is excellent.

You should test drive a Diamante before buying any luxury car. You will be amazed at how good it is.

I have had no problems and know many other Diamante owners that have gotten over 180,000 miles without a problem. I am active on automotive web forums and have noted several Diamante owners mentioning warped rotors. I have done extensive research and have found that this is not a problem common to the Diamante. It is a problem that can happen with any car and is caused by overtorqueing of wheel lug nuts. I have written a comprehensive article on this at http://www.geocities.com/diamanteowner/article2.htm

I don't care much for the Goodyear Eagle GA tires. They have to be balanced on a force variance machine due to sidewall stiffness variations. I will change to Michelins or Bridgestones when these wear out. At the current wear rate, the Goodyears will easily reach 50,000 miles - not bad.

I have had excellent luck with Mitsubishi as a car company. I owned the Diamante predecessor (87 Galant) and it was the best car I ever owned. No mechanical problems for 12 years and 110,000 miles. Never needed an alignment and the rotors were never resurfaced. My wife had an 89 Galant with 80,000 miles and never had a problem. She now has a 2002 Diamante of her own! No mid-sized or luxury car I have test driven or rented comes close to the Diamante in overall comfort and performance.

Amount Paid (US$): 26,800
Condition: New
Model Year: 1999
Model and Options: Premium Package (similar to LS in other Diamante years)