Better batten down the hatches, kids.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution -- G-r-r-r-! -- has hit town and it's on the prowl against all comers, including BMWs, Subaru WRX STi, VW R32 Golf. One of the hottest street cars ever, and long a legendary piece of road machinery, this latest all-wheel-drive Evo is a piece of work. It's powered by a 291 horsepower turbocharged four- cylinder engine that will get you to 60 in 5.2 seconds while getting 16/22 miles per gallon.

This next generation of the Evo comes in two versions -- the entry level (if you can call it that) GSR comes with a traditional manual transmission, while the top of the line Evolution MR has the twin clutch "sportronic" shift transmission, which can be operated by two steering-wheel-mounted paddles to provide lightning quick manual shifting.

Other equipment on the Evo includes seven air bags including driver knee protection, Brembo brakes, Recaro seat stability control and other bits and pieces.

The Evo will cost you plenty, though: Base price is around $33,000, but given the demand, there's likely to be a stiff premium added on by the dealer.

But, don't despair -- the Lancer GTS is almost as fun, in my book -- and a lot cheaper. For the base price of $18,490, you get side curtain air bags, front crumple zones, an alarm system, paddle shifters, rack-and-pinion power steering, sport-tuned suspension, air conditioning, automatic climate control, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power everything, halogen headlights, rear-wing spoiler, alloy wheels and more.

Power comes from a 2.0-liter, 152-horsepower four-cylinder engine that is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway. The estimated annual fuel bill is $1,658 based on 15,000 miles of driving at $2.80 a gallon.

This is a very expensive-looking sports sedan, with hints of Acura's TSX and TL models from the side. The rest is all Mitsubishi, with a menacing front-end look that boasts this car means business.

Inside, there's a cockpit-style interior with a dashboard dominated by two huge round gauges. If you order the CVT transmission, you get paddle shifters, which vastly increase the fun factor in this car with almost instantaneous shifting that you really can feel and enjoy.

Some of the graphics and displays with the navigation and audio systems are complicated and rather confusing, so allow yourself some time to get used to it.

My main criticism of the GTS, however, is that it does not have traction control or stability control as standard equipment, and that puts it at a competitive disadvantage, to say nothing of a safety protection disadvantage, in my book.

On the positive side, the GTS ranks as one of the most fun-to-drive compacts around. It takes off like a shot and corners without any signs of excessive body lean. The brakes are up to the task, too.

Strictly from a value, fun and style perspective, the Mitsubishi Lancer GTS is hard to beat.

There are some other products at Mitsubishi you don't want to miss, including the Outlander, a product many people miss because of its relatively small advertising campaign.

But the good news is that people are beginning to catch on about this car. I'm seeing far more new Outlanders on the streets than I did with the old model -- and having test driven one, I think I know why. It handles beautifully and has stable driving characteristics. This is no tinny, shaky little SUV. It also has a lavish interior and lots more room than the previous model.

Another reason for its popularity, I suspect, is a bolder, more assertive look. The previous generation looked an awful lot like other SUVs. Another advantage to the new Outlander is that it's unusually well-equipped at a price that matches or beats most of the competition.

Prices start at $21,370 for a well-equipped ES version that includes active skid and traction control, air conditioning, AM/FM CD, side impact air bags, curtain side air bags, anti-lock brakes, cruise control, keyless entry and power windows, locks and mirrors.

All Outlanders have as standard equipment advanced dual front air bag supplemental restraint system, side curtain air bags, ABS with electronic brake force distribution and tire pressure monitoring system.

Sixteen-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth cell-phone-ready switch, drivers's seatback pocket and roof rails distinguish the LS.

The XLS has bigger alloy wheels, automatic climate control, fog lights, Sportronic magnesium steering wheel shifter paddles and under-floor stowable compact third-row seats.

The second-row seats recline with a 60/40 split fold and a 3.15-inch slide range.

This year, there's a new base engine for the Outlander: a 2.4-liter, 168-horsepower four-cylinder engine. Fuel mileage figures are unavailable.