“People were writing us off 18 months ago,” says Larry Futers, director of national marketing for Mitsubishi. While the company, which suffered both from product ennui and bad corporate PR, languished in the bottom five brands for year-over-year growth in 2005, it’s leading the industry in 2007.

So the company brought its dog and pony – or, rather, Colt – show to town recently to keep that good momentum rolling, bringing with it a clutch of European and Asian models to which they can gauge reaction, and hopefully build some buzz. But first, back to the corporate stuff.

It would seem one very good – and very fast – reason the company is beginning to gather what they in Hollywood call “heat” in Canada is the imminent arrival of its tuner-favourite Lancer Evolution, which goes into production in December as an ’08 model. Futers says “a lot” of people are already putting down deposits, and the price hasn’t even been announced yet. It’s price point the company is counting on to lure buyers away from its core competitor, the Sti; Futers says the Evo will come in 5-10% cheaper.

Personally, I’ve thought Mitsu slightly misses the mark when it comes to pricing, generally slotting themselves in just under their fellow Japanese imports when they should be closer to the Koreans, but they’re obviously doing something right, with May sales up more than 50% from last May. Futers says it has a lot to do with equipment; the Lancer, for example, comes with paddle shifters, 18-in. wheels and a six-speed automatic but is still five to seven per cent cheaper than its competition without those features.

“On our website, 40% of questions we get asked are about Evo, and we haven’t spent a dime on marketing yet,” Futers says. It’s that kind heat that made companies like Body Shop and Starbucks, without their having to advertise at all. Word of mouth goes a long way.

The president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Koji Soga, says the company expects 17,000 sales in Canada this year; 20,000 next year, and 30,000 by 2010-11, which will come with one or two new models. (Execs never talk about future product and Mitsubishi was no exception. Futers would only talk about a new Ralliart for ’08 and a Lancer Sportback for ’09.)

The company’s “core” brand values (essential to building brand recognition – who thinks of Volvo without thinking “safety” or Toyota without thinking “resale value”?) are, they say, athleticism, durability and reliability. In my experience, the company has hit the mark a few times, but missed it almost as often and lacks a consistent family feel throughout its lineup – something that seems to be changing.

Dealer expansion (the goal is 75, up from 62, by the end of the year and 90 by 2008) and a planned parts/delivery centre for Canada are also at the top of Soga’s priorities.

It’s no accident that one of the new colours for the 2008 Eclipse Spyder is Optimist Green.

But it’s the vehicles you really want to hear about it, isn’t it?

There were two vehicles – a direct injection diesel five-door Colt from Europe and a minivan, the Grandis, a European-built model from Japan. I didn't get to drive it (there was only one of each vehicle, and a swarm of interested journalists) but from all accounts the Grandis would do well against, say, the Mazda5. Most of the journalists I spoke to, especially those from Quebec, thought the Colt would be a welcome addition to the lineup. Mitsubishi reps certainly seemed to the think the B-segment was the one to get into.

I did drive the Colt CZT, a European three-door turbo hatchback, and it stood out for me as the pick of the litter. Quick, nimble, and much more sophisticated than the two I’ll get to in a moment, it featured some interesting design touches, particularly inside. The seats in all these models were uniformly supportive and comfortable, and the back seat in this one was not only roomy but also surprisingly easy to get into for a small three-door. A turbocharged hot hatch with an aggressive stance and good composure? Great brakes too. What’s not to like? I would love to get my hands on the CZC, a cabrio version.

The i, a copy editor’s nightmare, was a four-door, 660-cc model from Japan most obviously compared to the Smart. So, compared to the Smart, it was just as cute, and far more comfortable (there are those great seats again!) but the brakes verged on downright scary – languid and relaxed are not adjectives you want to be inspired to apply to brakes. The back end was a bit rattly and there was significant body roll; I expected its mid-rear engine placement to add up to better stability.

The last vehicle I tried was an L200/Triton from Thailand, a futuristic-looking pickup. I loved the look of it, the colour, and again the great seating, but it was the strangest vehicle I’ve driven in a long time. Huge lean and a big, floaty feeling contrasted sharply with what was actually a pretty rough ride. It was like a Cadillac from the '70s, if they’d had sport suspension. The funky interior matched the exterior, and the folks at Mitsu seem to have particular way with blue. The spec sheet we got says it had the standard 3.5-litre V-6, but it felt (and sounded) more like the optional 3.2-litre diesel four. It was difficult to get the revs up, and the torque was less than I’d expect from a diesel. There was lots of space in the cabin, even for rear-seat passengers.

If there’s a thread to be picked up amongst all of them, on the plus side it’s imaginative design, sporty feel and very comfortable, well-designed seating. On the downside, it’s a lack of family resemblance, and rides neither exhilaratingly sporty nor comfortably luxe. The Colt was the standout – if they bring it, buyers will come.