Mitsubishi introduced the fourth generation of the Mirage-based Colt in 1992, and while its sibling was doing well, the Colt had some troubles.
While the subcompact hatchbacks were doing well on the market, Colt struggled to survive. It had all the attributes to succeed, but it lacked the look that could make it sell like hotcakes. Its bland styling and not very inspired marketing decisions led to slow sales, at least for the three-door hatchback version as it was sold in Europe. In other parts of the world, its siblings Mirage and Lancer were just fine.

The bio-design era was not yet started, but Mitsubishi noticed the new trend and asked its designers to make a vehicle with more rounded lines and soft shapes. They managed to do that, but it was too early. Its semi-elliptic headlights and short hood were not, yet, very appreciated in Europe at those times. That’s why Opel/Vauxhall Astra (F-generation) outsold it, and the same went for other brands. It only came in a three-door version, and that was a huge mistake on a market where the hatchbacks were the choice of young families. In the back, the trunk was adequate for the car’s size, and the 50/50 split-folding rear seats could increase the luggage area.

Under the hood, Mitsubishi offered a decent engine choice for the Colt. There were three gasoline units to chose from. They were either fuel-efficient (such as the 1.3-liter) or punchy (the 1.8-liter GTI).