I just bought a 2024 SEL fully loaded with the 2.4L last month. I don't like that the powertrain is rather weak for the displacement, however this block is known to be very durable with little maintenance. Also, maintenance is relatively simple for the average joe on these Mitsu cars, so that's a big plus for guys like me who don't plan on getting rid of them in 3-5 years. The other thing is that body roll on curved freeway exit ramps is very concerning. I'm thinking that a front strut tower bar made for a lancer ought to help with that. I do like the front bucket seats which have very good thigh support. I also really like the front end design. The added visibility from the factory fog lights surprised me, because most OEM factory fog/driving lights are not designed with proper optics in mind. Mitsu clearly did their homework here on that.
I seriously considered the Mazda CX-5 before settling on the Mitsu, but the exterior front end looks flimsy, there's no factory fog light option, and the interior dashboard looks way too busy for me. I like the plain understated dash of the Mitsu way better, which has the infotainment system integrated into the center of the dashboard below the center vents for better aesthetics than the general norm of having it ridiculously sticking out from the top and obscuring the driver view through the windshield.
I thought about the Crosstrek also, but all the HVAC controls on the touchscreen display makes me a little nervous. I like the simplicity of having those completely separated from the infotainment system.