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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Road Test

Here's a bit of irony for you: it is not “evolution” that produced the newLancer, but revolution. No itty bitty increments were taken in the process of creating it, like the many generations of Lancer Evolution, but big jumps forward. Then again, it's the same everywhere you look in the automotive industry today. If the statement made isn't yelled from the mountaintops, few will take the time to stop and take notice. For instance, Volkswagen revolutionized the way the budget end of the industry viewed, designed, and built interiors with the jump from third to fourth generation Golf. Prior to that, no one asked about soft touch plastics, not at least at its price point. Another strong example is Mazda, which turned around its staid, boring image with the 3 (and 6, and so on, so forth). Today the Japanese brand is the antithesis of boring, especially with those turbocharged Mazdaspeeds zipping about and kids on street corners whispering “zoom zoom”. And while the gentle process of evolution helped the blindingly quick Lancer Evolution sprout wings, fins and other lightweight aerodynamic

A solid performer in the compact segment, no matter the model selected. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

extremities, the regular Lancer needed much more help.

Besides the cultish Evolution model and, to a lesser extent the Ralliart,the Lancer was simply a car that occupied the bottom position of the Mitsubishi product range. It was a difficult car to fault if one's needs consisted of cheap transportation from point A-to-B, but that's about it. Its interior was spacious but grim to sit in, and besides the three different grilles it has sported since its introduction that surely did wonders for its resale value, you could practically fall asleep looking at it. Globally, customers purchased it in troves, mind you, because it was a simple, straightforward vehicle, didn't look like a van and had a great warranty. But times they are a'changing

Base car rides on 16-inch wheels, and has a proper multi-link rear suspension. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

and peoples' interests in compact cars have grown. Simply said, covering the basics for a small car just isn't good enough anymore, especially when other brands are trying so hard to differentiate themselves.

Strength is not one of the usual fortes of compactcars, but the new Lancer goes against the grain putting rigidity as a top priority. The GS platform that it rides on was co-developed with Chrysler Group, and has already sired the Caliber/Compass/Patriot triplets, plus Mitsubishi's own Outlander seven-seat crossover, and so it was engineered from the start to be beefy in order to serve as a base for the physics-defying Evolution model that arrives next year. The old Lancer wasn't a weak vehicle, but the new car makes it look like a wet tissue, boasting a 56-percent improvement in torsional rigidity and

That paddle is made from real magnesium... not even Audis have that. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

a 50-percent improvement in bending rigidity. That means that every Lancer, including the most basic DE model, is stronger than the high-performance Evolution.

All in all, the Lancer is about the same length as it was before, which Mitsubishi saw as no problem considering the old Lancer was already one of the largest in its class. In fact, it has shrunk a fraction of an inch in that particular direction, but everywhere else the Lancer has grown, specifically in length and wheelbase, which endows the car with significantly better road-holding and interior volume.

All this talk of physical strength probably won't interest the average car buyer, butthe expected top score ratings in crash tests will, and so will its airbag count which includes curtain and driver's knee airbags as standard. More relevantly is the way that it looks; it's one of those cars that's instantly recognizable. More

INVECS-III CVT isn't as clever as all of those letters make it out to be. But it's better than the Caliber's. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

and more compacts are pushing boundaries in design. Take for example the Caliber, which looks like a little SUV. Honda's Civic, which despite being just about everywhere, looks like a rocket ship. The Lancer still appears like a regular four-door sedan, but it's aggressive and mean with a forward-tilted nose that was inspired by jet fighters and sharks. It's taller than it was before too, but to the credit of the designers it doesn't have the over-inflated, bubble look that can be seen on cars like the Corolla or the Mazda3. Rounding it out are a pair of angled, thin slit tail lamps that hint at the bezels of an Alfa Romeo. I find it particularly pleasing how the Lancer's design works well on all the models, from the GTS to the base model. Even with simple alloy wheels and virtually no plastic body cladding, the Lancer refuses to look boring in any way, and therefore skips to the top of my list of good looking compact cars.

So far, Mitsubishi's smallest

Integrated stereo looks great, sounds great too with the Rockford Fosgate speakers and sub. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

North American entry has made a good first impression, which pleasinglycontinues with the interior. Mitsubishis aren't exactly known for their lavish cabins, and their designs can be a little questionable at times too (Endeavor, anyone?), but the new Lancer rates very highly with us. Besides the doors shutting with a solid “whump”, the materials that trim the seats, the steering wheel and other areas please the haptics. It's very Mazda3-like in the way that the dashboard and head unit are integrated together, and the silver finish trim breaks up the darkness of the charcoal-themed interior quite well. On the GTS model, driver and passenger sit in sports bucket seats that have improved bolstering. The GTS also has a couple of clever options up its sleeve, which include the FAST Key system (proximity sensing remote), and the Sun and Sound package, which bundles a power sunroof with a ruddy powerful Rockford Fosgate sound system, complete with an SPL-grade “Punch” subwoofer stuffed into the trunk.

Strong and robust are also

The interior is a huge leap forward. This is the base DE model pictured. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

adjectives that are applicable to theLancer's engine. All Lancers are available with a single powerplant, the 2.0-liter displacement GEMA “World Engine” that was developed in collaboration with DCX and Hyundai, but its head and camshaft are specific to the Lancer. It makes an impressive 152 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque, which, if you're out comparing base-level products amongst its competitors, delivers the most bang for the buck. Being made from aluminum rather than cast iron, the new inline-four delivers a weight savings of about 60 pounds, even though it's nearly identical in displacement to the old one. Besides being a gigantic leap forward in output, the MIVEC variable valve timing-equipped engine gives much of the Lancer range a distinct power advantage over base level competitors. The engine can get a little loud when making haste, and when wringing the final few revs out it borderlines on intrusively boomy; unexpected given its well behaved nature under normal circumstances.

The majority of the time I spent behind the wheel of the Lancer was in the GTSmodel, with the five-speed manual gearbox. The transmission

Fully dressed with 18-inch wheels, and spoilers galore, the Lancer GTS looks the business. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

itself has a short throw and a pleasing mechanical action fitted with triple-cone synchronizers to make engaging first and second gear easy. The near weightless clutch presents ups and downs, mind you, as its near nonexistent weight makes dealing with stop and go traffic very easy, but it doesn't give off much in the way of feel, which can make modulating it a bit difficult. The gearing on the five-speed manual is short; cruising at 60 mph means the engine is turning over at just under 3,000 rpm. Instead of offering an automatic transmission, Mitsubishi has opted to trod down the CVT path, the first time it's done so in North America. The INVECS-III (Intelligent and Innovative Vehicle Electronic Control System... what a mouthful!), which is expected to be a popular buy for the Lancer, puts emphasis on economy rather than performance, although it does attempt to learn driving styles to better please the driver. Step on the throttle and it calculates the optimal ratio, but while it crunches the numbers there's still a disproportional relation between engine revs and the actual vehicle speed, otherwise known as the rubber band effect. Overall, it sits middle ground between the Caliber and the Sentra, if you're curious.

The Lancer is far from bland, even at this angle, and in the base DE trim. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

On the GTS model, the CVT comes fitted with a pair of authentic magnesiumalloy paddles which allow the driver to flick up and down through its six artificially created ratios. The tink-tink sound of fingernails against the metallic arms will bring a smile to your face, and since they're mounted to the column instead of the steering wheel, they're easily found even when attacking corners at full tilt. Mitsubishi claims that the combination of the Sport manual mode and the CVT is the closest thing they've got to Volkswagen's sublime DSG gearbox, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a substitute to the manual. The upshifts on the CVT are acceptably quick and hesitation-free, and when comparing the automatic mode to the manual mode, acceleration seems quicker due to the linear nature of the engine's power delivery. But still, the Lancer is not exactly what I'd call a quick car. The engine never feels as powerful as its 152 pony output suggests, which might come down to the bulkier frame that carries it around. I'm not sufficiently convinced to put my money down on the INVECS-III CVT over the stick, but I will admit that it's a big improvement over the old Lancer and its four-speed automatic, which had no manual mode at all. Of course it should be said that, despite TV ads to the contrary, not all

Is that a hint of Alfa Romeo I see in the taillights? (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Lancer buyers are interested in EVO levels of performance, so the CVT should work marvelously for most peoples' daily duties.

So it's clear that the range-topper might have more bark than bite, but any concerns over its performance credentials changedabout five minutes into the drive when we hit some curves. The Lancer has a deliberateness and a composure through the bends that makes Mitsubishi's claims of body rigidity absolutely believable. It's an excellent platform that can more than handle the high-output turbo and all-wheel drive system that will transform this car into an Evolution. Even on low-profile 18-inch wheels, the Lancer is not only capable in the corners but remains surprisingly comfortable, the suspension tuning possessing a good balance between sportiness and refinement. However, some of the chuckability and nimbleness of the old Ralliart has been traded off, in particular the initial turn-in which is neither as crisp nor as eager. Mind you, I had to keep reminding myself that this is not the pinnacle of Lancer performance either, but rather it's just another model. More impressive were the brakes. On the GTS they're sourced from the bigger, heavier Outlander that provides excellent stopping power on its own, let alone in the comparatively lightweight Lancer. ABS is standard on the GTS and ES, but it's an option on the DE. The greater maturity of the new

So, they weren't lying - the Lancer really does look like the Concept Sportback... (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Lancer is also appreciable on the comfort-oriented ES and DE trim levels, both of which have more supple rides than before.

Mitsubishi's major investment in the Lancer has resulted in a truly first-ratecompact car not only in image, but in quality too. The brand's (justified) high hopes for this new car are portrayed by the rapid growth of the Lancer family in the near future. Next to arrive will be the beloved cargo hauler, the Sportback wagon, followed by the Evolution, a turbocharged, all-wheel drive, street legal rally car. There's lots of ground to fill in between the Lancer GTS and almighty Evo, however, which is scheduled to arrive during the spring of next year. The Ralliart will make a return featuring a 2.4-liter engine that should give the Lancer fodder against the 200-horsepower compact crowd. Recent discoveries have also unfurled plans of a GSX model, which picks up where the old third-generation Eclipse left off. According to those in the know, this is the car that will gun the Subaru Impreza WRX down, with a turbocharged version of the Lancer's 2.0-liter inline-four boasting 250 horsepower, plus all-wheel drive. But even before these new models come to fruition, the current Lancer range is a big step forward in just about every way imaginable, and in the process, making it a better car than its rivals. Survival of the fittest ... isn't that what evolution is all about?


Specifications (Lancer):

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