If this 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer GT had even half of the advertising and dealer support that Honda gives the Civic, it’d be a best-seller. I was honestly surprised at this car — it lacks little in the performance and handling department: the 2.4-liter four is strong across the rev range, the tranny ratios are just right, steering and brakes responsive and the suspension keeps the car very stable, without beating you up over every bump.
Materials inside are basic, but the cloth seats are very supportive and the driving position is good for my 5-foot-10 frame, despite the lack of a telescoping steering column. Dash and door materials are soft-touch in most places and I think fits are good. Yes, it’s a noisy tin can, much like a Subaru Impreza WRX, and it lacks amenities like navigation, satellite radio and an MP3 plug (but that’s nothing that can’t be fixed — cheaper –in the after market). I applaud Mitsubishi for keeping it basic and focusing on simply making a good driving car.
The 2.4-liter is strong — relatively — and provides power throughout the rev range. It’ll spin the tires out of first, and give a chirp in second if you really goose it. The five-speed manual transmission is a good pairing for the car and engine.
The Lancer is the best-looking car in Mitsubishi’s portfolio by a long shot. The once proud brand was the home of the venerable Eclipse, 3000GT and a small handful of other fun cars. Now the Lancer is the last man standing. The aggressive front end still looks current, the big wing in the back says, exactly what you’d think it would and the wedge shape still feels sporty. I might ask for a set of bigger rims to fill out the wheel wells.
The looks are OK. Nothing special, but the front with the Evo-inspired grille is sporty. From that angle it is a bit different from its competitors. The cabin is loud and very basic. I would argue for almost $21,000 you should get a few options. Otherwise, a stripper sedan like this should be closer to $18k or $19k.
The chassis is tight enough, the body remains composed through turns, and the engine is better than average. Mitsubishi cars have a fun demeanor to them — I’ve blasted around a track in an Evolution — and I think people would like the drive character with more exposure and awareness. But in today’s competitive set, the interior and packaging make this car below average. Personally, I’d take an athletic, manual transmission four-door over a more premium cabin, but that’s not how most shoppers will feel.
I have to say that the interior is crummy. It looks outdated and the materials aren’t that good. I could handle the level of materials used if the styling was better. My biggest beef are the seats. The bottom felt completely flat to me, and I hate that. I like when seats have an incline from back to front. I feel like that really holds my bottom in place as well as gives my legs some good support. Truth be told, I always tilt the seat bottom back as far as possible when I get into a car. So I was frustrated when I couldn’t adjust the Lancer’s seats to better fit me.
