Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Mitsubishi Lancer 2007 and earlier
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Look: car looks very sporty with all the standard add-ons such as skirts, dams ans spoilers, the 16 inch alloys are also better looking in person, the only draw back I found is that the front end may remind many of the Pontiac Sunfire which for me is not a good thing.
Overall score: 7/10
Inside: nothing too fancy but sporty enough as well, the seats are excellent, very supportive and comfortable, one of the best I ever sat in, the dash has the titanium look but still uses enough, if not too much, plastic, the gear shifter is leather wrapped and sporty, I do wish that the steering wheel wasn't as bland. The white gauges do add a nice sporty touch as well. Very roomy up front, I'm 6'3" inches, 220 lbs and had plenty of leg and head room (that's with a sunroof), the back seat is also above average, I sat "behind myself" and had no problems with legroom but my head did brush up on the ceiling.
Overall Score: 8/10
The Drive: I took the car out on side streets and briefly on the highway. The car as a very sporty exhaust note which is definitely a plus, with 162 horsepower and 162 ft-lbs torque it pulls along very nicely off the line and on the highway, I think most will be find the power to be plenty, I can actually compare the power with my 98 Prelude (off the line anyways), I am curious to see an official 0-60, I suspect mid to high 7s, the engine, however,didn't seem to be as happy in the upper rev range but still acceptable. The 5 speed transmission is awesome, as many already know, it is taking right out of the Evo so do expect crisp short throws. Handling was also great, the sport suspension lets you take the curves with ease and confidence, the 16 inch tires are up to the task as well. I was, however, wishing for a little less steering assistance.
Overall Score: 9/10
So overall this car is definitely still in the running to be parked in my garage, I am also strongly considering the new Mazda3, on paper, these 2 cars are very similar (price, performance) so once I drive one I'll cast my judgement. I did see a 3 in person and the one thing it has over the Lancer is the interior, it is very upscale and much more sportier than the Lancer, we'll just have to see.
Overall a very nicely done car that certainly has looks going for it. It won't get me out of my Subaru but if someone gave one to us with the stipulation it had to be kept and driven it would definitely have miles going on it.
i enjoyed your review of the ralliart.
i saw one at the dealership when my friend bought his outlander about 2 weeks ago,
and i even took home a brochure to read.
i thought it looked really good.
a lancer yes, but in a different flavor.
kind of a watered down evo.
a friend of mine is looking at new cars...
i gave him the lancer brochure and pointed
to the ralliart pictures.
he seems really interested.
i hope he buys one.
the car seems to have a really nice overall package.
Also do you know if Mitsu got a new designer to design their cars the last few years. In the 80's & 90 they sort of stayed with the same styling theme. Now they have a brand new styling theme. You are one of the few hardcore Mitdubishi Fans that I will probably know in my lifetime so you might know might know the answer to my question.
glad the lancer in ralliart guise is finally making performance gains in comparos.
(the evo of course is a totally different animal).
as far as reliability, i can tell you that in my family, there has always been at least 1 mitsu
with a toyota, a honda or a nissan.
i personally have owned 2 mitsubishi's...both galants.
and i can tell you that they are extremely reliable. no problems in the several years i had them (7th and 8th generation galants).
from our experience, they are just as good as the toyota's and the honda's we have had.
a lot of my friends own/drive mitsubishi's
too and they are all happy owners.
my girlfriend currently drives an endeavor.
i guess, mitsubishi is really a small player
in a market dominated by bigwigs.
it doesn't seem to get the following nor the praise it oftentimes deserves.
we have 2 mitsubishi's (both lancers) that have outlived our other 2 cars - a nissan sentra
and a toyota corolla.
and we still currently have a mitsu lancer alongside a camry and a civic.
i personally prefer getting behind the wheel of the lancer - it's not as common/popular/garden variety if you will as the other 2.
and its just as refined, just as reliable,
and even a little more fun to drive than the other cars.
it perhaps could use a little better interior materials and design...but i could live with that.
they are well put together and that i think should matter more.
boy that was long.
What they really need to do is to bring the Evo over here, right now because (I believe) of some bumper issue, it can't be sold here, it wouldn't be a big seller but at least it would help to put them on the map in the performance arena. Anyways, bbf65, if you take a ralliart for a spin don't forget to post your impressions, I will be looking soon (in a few months) at changing my ride so the more info I have the easier my decision will be.
NO issues aside from a loose weatherstripping.
sales dude informed me of new additional incentive for current mitsu owners....another 3000 off on Diamantes. 1000 off extra on lancers.
showed me an ad for a 29k list Diamante for like 19,000.
new 03 OZ rally lancer for 11999.
I wanted to test drive the Lancer Ralliart, but they didn't have one. Took out an OZ rally and really liked the car.....very nice small car. Excellent steering. Good room. Nice shifter (throw is too long). Good plastic in black. Great commuter....I need ABS though....why no ABS with the OZ? lamo.
can't wait for the ralliart. wish the wagon had a stick.
MT listed a 0-60 of 6.9 for the ralliart.....what is the OZ 0-60 I actually thought it was close to the SVT focus in acceleration. I mistakenly started in 3 going up a steep hill and still didn't stall the car...good torque but revved well too.
The steering and ride were good. I would have liked steering a bit quicker and the ride a tad mnore firm. But really for 12 grand (after loyalty rebate) I ain't gonna gripe one iota. A lot of punk teenagers drving this car are getting a decent ride. I wish my high school car was that good.
Good sised comfortable compact car. Would be a great car for college kid road trips.
Now I gotta test the Ralliart. Mits, why NO 5sp wagon!?!?!?!?!
But your right for the price, at 12 grand for the OZ you can't complain, it's a sweet deal you getting alot of bang for the buck for sure!! The non-5 speed issue with the wagon might end up costing some valuable customers for Mitsu, from what I've heard here and others, there's a strong interest for the car but the lack of a manual is turning many away.
On another note reg, I believe I've seen your posts on the Mazda 3 board correct? And you took one out for a ride right? I'm curious to see what you think after you drive the Ralliart. I drove both (Ralliart & MZ 3 GT (2.3)) cars (manual) and I'm still not sure which way to lean, they offer a very similar package and practicality for roughly the same price, I think it may come down to a little more refinement (Mazda) versus a little more fun-to-drive with the Mitsu, I also tend to think that when I'm ready to do the plunge I will be able to negotiate a better deal with the Mitsu since they are way less popular up here, right now the 3 is getting WAY more exposure than the Ralliart which I'm sure will translate into WAY more sales, in the end, it will probably come down between these 2 (although I feel like I'm the only one comparing them head to head), I guess I'm waiting to see more data and personal reviews before making a final decision.
this article says ABS is available on Canadian OZ rallys........
"The availability of optional safety equipment like side airbags and ABS brakes make the LS and OZ models a good choice. Standard equipment on the OZ includes air conditioning, a 6-speaker CD player, power mirrors and windows, remote entry, cruise control and auto-off headlights."
http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/roadtest,view,Mitsubishi.spy?- artid=13272&pg=2
"More importantly, the OZ model lets buyers opt for stand-alone ABS and is the only 2003 Lancer that offers an optional power sunroof."
here in the US from what I am told, ABS is not available on the OZ rally......
as far as the 3, yes I took an automatic 3 sedan out and was very impressed. However, I do agree with Car and Driver magainze in that something has been lost going from the nimble cartlike Protege to the miniLexus3. The 3 is quite piece, but its quite the price too. Right now proteges are DIRT CHEAP.
But something about the OZ struck me. That is why the Ralliart has piqued my interest. Motor Trend has a comparo this month and puts the Ralliart right up there with the Focus SVT....which I have also driven and am way impressed with. The Ralliart was faster...0-60 in 6.9. My old Taurus SHO from 89 did a 0-60 in like 6.8, so if the Ralliart is in any way as quick as that car.....FUN FUN FUN.
The thing about the Lancer is that its actually pretty spacious and the OZ / Ralliarts are trimmed nicely. I am 6'1 and hefty and I felt well accomodated in that car. I really like the SVT Focus and Protege interiors as well. The Mazda3 interior is pretty nice too.
Revised Focus for 05, no SVT available, but there will be an 'ST' available with the new motor shared with Protege.
The Lancer has the compact market covered well though.....bottom end Es, LS, OZ, Ralliart, Evo.
The new beak helps a lot.
They will lose many sales by not having a Ralliart wagon with stick.
http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/longterm/02lancer.shtml
lotsa good comments here
Thanks for the Motorweek link, long-term tests are always a good thing when you're shopping for a car, they give you a good idea of what to expect after a few miles on the odometer.
As for roominess in the Lancers, I agree with your comment, I'm 6'3 (220lbs - now but that may be different after the holidays) and I had no problems fitting in the car, front or back, although a pinch more rear headroom would of been appreciated, for some inexplicable reason (someone can maybe shed some light into this), the Ralliart actually has slightly more interior room than the other Lancers (especially front headroom).
I did read that MT comparison (I have a post on this) and yes a 6.9 0-60 and quarter-mile run under 15 is quite amazing, I almost doubting these results since cars with more power and torque are not getting these numbers (Sentra Spec-V as an example). I need to seem more test results before I can assume that this one was done legitimately. I was expecting more high 7's maybe even low 8's but if MT is correct than, yes, that's alot of mmmph for the buck!!! (my 98 Prelude couldn't even match these numbers)
I took out an SHO (92 & 5 spd) a few years back, man what an engine!!!!!
big snow here today. ABS kicked in at least 3 times. Again, another reminder of why it is of absolute neccessity. Why mits left it off the option list is inexcusable.
I think 2002 offered it.....
Ingtonge, is your Lancer an OZ?
The car ran like a Swiss watch and gave no mechanical or electrical problems. It never used a drop of oil. The lack of any squeaks and rattles was amazing and so was the rock solid structure. My only real complaints were the weak stereo, uncomfortable front seats, slightly blurry red gauges that weren't bright enough, and a wandery feeling to the steering (the slightest crown would effect the steering quite a bit). The front brakes should have lasted longer too.
Overall though, the Lancer is a great car. I was sad to leave her sitting at the dealer so far from home. I hope the Diamante lives up to the high standards she set. I highly recommend this car to anyone who wants a reliable sporty looking economy sedan with amazing room and a nice ride. And now that the 2.4 engine has been installed, this car easily outclasses and outperforms the Civic and Corolla.
Be interested in knowing what makes the Lancer OZ, Ralliart, or Evo so inappropriate for someone like me, 35 y.o. with a new kid, wants a fun to drive car with some utility.
It seems as though its socially unacceptable for someone like me to drive a car with a spoiler and fancy gauges.
thoughts?
I would, however, make a general comment. I have to laugh at all the people driving cars that are all show and no go. I have a lot more respect for a car I see on the street that is not flashy, but I know is a performer. This is especially true if the car is a "sleeper" or what some call a "Q-Ship", in other words a car that does not look fast or flamboyant but can tear it up so to speak. For instance, the Dodge SRT-4 without the rear goofy wing would be one--looks like a rental Neon but flies. The SVT Contour gets respect from me too, very subdued, no 4 foot useless wing, average sized wheels, but a hoot to drive. The WRX wagon too, and others.
There was a great article in the magazine "Grassroots Motorsports" not too long ago, where they equipped a car with different size wheels and measured the acceleration times. With the same test car, every time the wheel size went up, the acceleration time of the car went down. The stock car with the smallest wheels were the quickest. It turns out, that the bigger wheels and tires are heavier, and not only does the engine need to haul that weight to speed, it has to rotate it as well, and hence 1 lb added to a wheel is about, if I remember correctly, like adding 1.7 lbs to the car in direct weight. Therefore, I have to laugh at all these huge wheels on cars, as they make it perform significantly worse than stock in most cases. Big wings that add weight to the car are useless as well, even worse than useless, since they degrade performance versus stock. Unless you are driving at speeds well over what most cars with ridiculous wings can attain anyway, they are a negative from a performance standpoint.
I applaud Mitsu for coming out with a more basic edition of the Lancer EVO, without AC, big wing, power windows, and other weight-adding items. If I see one of those on the road, I'll have some respect for that driver for using their head.
Anyway, just my 2c in response to your query. Be as old as you like and drive whatever you want, as long as there is some substance not just "style" in your ride. I think the OZ Lancer is pretty ridiculous, all show no go, and I laugh when I see one on the road. However, the Ralliart on the other hand, is cool on a budget with at least an acceptable level of substance under the skin. I think a Lancer Ralliart driver made a good decision. Sportback, even cooler, but alas, no stick, and I have yet to see a 4-cyl car that is automatic with any level of real performance. An Audi S4 V8 tiptronic, maybe...enough grunt to have an autobox and still kick butt. A Sportback, please. Give us the stick!
The Ralliart fills the hole between the OZ and Evo. Would love to drive one. Wish it had about 20 more hp.
No doubt the OZ is an OK car, but there are a lot of OK cars on the market that are decent but not outstanding. I think the Ralliart comes closer to true goodness than the OZ which in my mind comes closer to slightly-above-averageness ( sorry for the coined word there ). I wouldn't mind the mediocrity, except for the look which tries to be something it isn't. I guess it's the trying to be look like something it can't back up that makes the car unattractive to me. The Railliart can back up the look to some extent, while not being overly flashy--still tasteful.
The OZ reminds me of the Corolla S. Add some body kit components and alloy wheels and you have the "sport" model. Yeah, right. At least a Focus SVT has extensive mods to make the car a better driver. Likewise a WRX or even a 2.5RS Impreza, SRT, Jetta 1.8T with Sport Pkg, Civic Si. Ralliart Lancer has many real upgrades that add to the pkg too, and at significant savings over an EVO, and a better package than the average sub-$20k ride. Thumbs up.
let us in on your observations every once in a while.
my friend is seriously looking at one.
i told him it's one of the best kept secrets in all of automobiledom.
it's on the top of his list.
enjoy your new ride.
I may have to go test drive one soon!
http://www.SantaMonicaMitsubishi.net
I know one dealer doesn't represent the whole lot, but I complained to Mitsubishi Motors as well with no response. I guess if they want to let their dealers commit straight out fraud, it's their business.
The Elantra has some good point/s.
1. Powerful engine (I think it is rated at 135 or 140 HP) ... and the power is available even at lower RPMs.
2. Roomer trunk
3. Price is lower
Otherwise, I think the Lancer has advantages - some more clearly than others -
1. Engine is smoother - more quiet.
2. Transmission is smoother.
3. Overall fit and finish of interior and exterior is much better. I have a beige interior on my ES... which gives it a more upscale feel.
4. The driving position, ergonomics of HVAC is clearly superior. Nothing is obscured - although I wish the radio controls were bigger.
5. Road noise is probably the same but the engine of the Lancer was more quiet - leading to an overall more pleasant drive.
On my mileage with the Lancer, I have gone up as high as 36 mpg - at 60-65 mph. I average 33-34 mpg usually at 60-70 mph with occasional 75 mph jaunts.
Handling - The Elantra had better stock tires than my ES. There was also more grip on the roads during curves. It felt more heavy and solid as a result.
Brake Performance - Did not notice any difference.
The glaring thing for me though was the controls. The car (2003 - 20K ) was newer than my ES but it felt like it was 5 years old after touching all the interior materials. The Elantra reminded of a taxicab. I rode taxis a lot in my travels to Asia - and the interior just feels that way - the HVAC, door panels, gears, display etc. When I looked under the hood and boot, you definetly feel a clunking thud all over.
But engine wise, the power was definitely quite welcomed.
lngtonge saw it pretty clearly, if you buy for quite a bit less and drive it most of it's useful life then you are ahead even though resale may be a little less. If you want to trade every 2 years then it isn't so much you are looking at the wrong car but that you are looking at cars in the wrong way.