2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Reviews

Though some were apprehensive about the future of Mitsubishi in Australia when it ceased local production and discontinued the Mitsubishi 380, the Japanese marque continues to thrive here.Mitsubishi Lancer has filled the slot left by the 380, and the Mitsubishi Magna before it, and though smaller than them, frequently meets the needs of those downsizing their family cars. Unless the kids are large teenagers Lancer owners tell us their cars are large enough suit their needs.Lancer’s body styling steers clear of the mainstream in this class and the Mitsubishi stylists have given it a heavily sculpted nose that slants forwards rather than backwards.A neat lower air dam and bold bonnet creases that flow into the A-pillars give it a neat and purposeful look. The angles of the tail-lights add to the stance. The squared off shape of the rear bumper and the way it tapers around visually shortens the overhang.Inside, the double-domed binnacle and deep dial cluster work well both from an aesthetic and ergonomic point of view. The dash trim has a soft touch that gives it a feeling of substance, again making it feel like a larger more upmarket car than it really is. Which is another feature that received positive comments from owners and backs up their statements that the Lancer can be used as a replacement for the Mitsubishi 380.The cabin has plenty of stowage areas for the bottles, mobile phones and assorted bits and pieces we all tend to carry around these days.The Lancer VRX that was our test car for the last week has the convenience of has Bluetooth, steering wheel controls and a smart key.The boot can take a handy amount of luggage and it can be expanded by flipping down the split-fold rear seats. These are fitted across the complete Lancer range. As well as the sedan we tested, Mitsubishi Lancer is also offered as a stylish hatchback. Though the hatch works well, many buyers are opting for the sedan.Stability and traction controls were specified by Mitsubishi Australia as standard in the Lancer for quite some time before they became mandatory in this country.Typically the Lancer’s engine will use about seven to nine litres per hundred kilometres on motorways and in gentle cruising on flattish roads. Around town this is likely to rise to nine to eleven litres per hundred. These are good numbers for a mid-sized family car with good interior volume.The manual gearbox felt a bit on the notchy side at first, but we found that we soon settled into its way of doing things and liked the sporting feeling. There's also the option of a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The latter can be an acquired taste, but once you’re used to its different operation most owners soon cease to notice its peculiarities.The Lancer sits confidently flat when you drive it around corners with a bit of verve. However, there is a less than compliant ride at times when you hit rough bush roads. The firmish suspension won’t please everybody so try to take one for a decent test drive on suitable roads to see what you think.Steering is well-weighted and responsive and driving enthusiasts will enjoy the experience in what is after all a practical family sedan.Those who love to drive will appreciate the control the suspension offers and, while you really wouldn't call it a sports sedan, it comes closer than you might expect.Mitsubishi’s Lancer is built to a high quality in Japan and has earned a well deserved reputation for flawless running for year after year. While not the most exciting car on the road it fills the needs of family car drivers. It is well priced and in this hard fought segment of the market it holds its own nicely.

Whether you can't afford a Lancer Evo X or just can't see $66,000 in it these days, there's a real-world alternative that saves 20 big ones and a fair bit of wear on your fillings.The Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart runs a milder version of the Evo's engine and its previous generation's all-wheel-drive system. It can't emulate the staggering cat-on-a-curtain dynamics of the Lancer flagship but it must be the best-value hot family car to be had.VALUEThis gets better the closer you look with $44,490 for the MY12 version plus $450 for metallic paint. Standard is brake assist system, nicer trims, eight spoke alloys and reversing sensors with a brilliant, class-leading rear mirror mounted camera.The $4000 luxury pack adds multi-media system, premium audio and leather. That's approaching Golf R money  but VW's service costs are wincingly steep. The Mitsu provides capped costs to 60,000km, five years roadside assist, a five-year/130,000km warranty and a whole decade's powertrain protection.As the bloke at the garage said: "Who guarantees a turbo for 10 years?" If value is peace of mind, Mitsubishi has the pack eating dust.TECHNOLOGYOne gearbox for the Ralliart, the six-speed TC-SST automated manual which transmits the four-cylinder turbo petrol's handy 177kW/343Nm to all four wheels. Flappy paddle tranny aside, there's nothing altogether new about its array but, as with so much about the "Lallirat" it is unexceptional but exceptionally effective.The AWD system lacks  the miraculous yaw sensors of the Evo X, getting instead a simpler rear differential. Again, it's surpassingly adequate.STYLING"Polarising" to be polite. The problem with so strident a design as the Lancer's is its propensity to age rapidly. Standing out is one thing, sticking out is another  see the Mazda3 in a few years. Some already see the near-five-year-old Lancer that way.Equally subjectively, I much prefer the sedan, though I'd pay money to de-option its whacking great boot spoiler. Open the door and it's hard to contradict the detractors. Slabby, plasticky, grey and grim, the perception of ordinariness is hardly dispelled by doors that slam with a hollow tinny report. Sorry, a near-$50,000 car without a fully adjustable steering column just ain't good enough.SAFETYThe five-star crash safety rating equals the best. The average airbag component plus one (equals seven) puts it ahead. With the best front-wheel-drives being so adept, you can argue that the perceived advantage of all-paw grip is marginal. For the greater part of the time, there's much to this argument. Then there might come a time when maximum traction is vital.DRIVINGIf your driving life is spent on track trying to surpass your previous lap time, or otherwise at 10/10ths, you could take issue with the Ralliart's weight and less than linear acceleration off the mark. All the torque turns up at 2500rpm and it's plain sailing thereafter. Left in normal, the SST seeks high gear as early as feasible, kicking down smartly under a decent prod.Flipping sport mode takes it down a couple of gears  this is too frenetic for anything other than those mystical mountain roads untroubled by law enforcement. Body control is a highlight, especially given a near 1600kg kerb weight.VERDICTAs close as you'll come to an affordable shopping trolley go-kart.Mitsubishi Lancer RalliartPrice: from $44,490Engine: four-cylinder turbo petrol, 177kW/343NmTransmission: six-speed TC-SST ManualSafety: Five-star crash ratingWarranty: 5 years/130,000km