Japanese or German - I gave up my Star/quest for the Crossfire. The Starion / Conquest was a fun car so is the Crossfire. Which is better? They are peers - each has their strong points and weaknesses, I just enjoy the ride. Mitsubishi or Mercedes they are both fun to drive. Yes, the Crossfire has a faster top end than the Mitsubishi, but since I'm not willing to subsidize the local governments through which I drive, I DON'T CARE!
If you enjoy driving the car, that's all that matters. If you can look forward to your next road trip, the car is a WINNER.