Mitsubishi may be very aggressive but there's a big difference between trying hard and actually succeeding. I hope they do succeed here but the jury is still out on that. They've been selling cars in Canada for over 4 years and they're only now bringing a couple of promising new products in the Lancer and Outlander.
Hyundai went far longer than four years before selling anything good in North America. Some people would probably say they didn't offer anything particularly groundbreaking until the recently redesigned Sonata... year 2000 was a big shift for Hyundai after more than a decade of selling cars here, at any rate. Give Mitsu some slack.
As for the Lancer: I adore the looks, spoiler included. The DE trim, sans spoiler, is boring to look at from the back. The rest of the car is gorgeous, though, and I love the aggressive front end.
I had the opportunity to drive one recently, and while I don't have much to compare to since I've not driven the Civic, Corolla, or Mazda3, I came away impressed. It's a fun car to drive, and seems like it would satisfy those wishing for a more engaged drive than the Corolla (for example). I can't say I would buy one without having tested the competition, but I certainly can say I wouldn't rule out a Lancer. The warranty is very attractive, too.
I'm eagerly anticipating the Ralliart version. According to the salesman I talked to, it's due "next month", and will be priced between $32 000 and $38 000 depending on options. Apparently Nav will be offered on the Ralliart, too, which struck me as odd, since IIRC it's only available on the top-line EVO right now...
