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Mitsubishi Lancer 2007 and earlier
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Comments
an ugly nose job for 2004!
boost to 160hp on the Lancer Ralliart.
~alpha
I would have a Lancer in a second if they made the driver's seat more comfortable and upgraded the power.
The Sandman :-)
I saw the EVO in the March 03 issue of Car and Driver (it's on the cover). I HATE the front end, it looks too gapingly open for my taste.
The Lancer has a smooth ride and reasonably good handling. The steering is too light though and the ride can be a tad soft at times. Exterior paint quality is very good as the silver paint has a pearlescent high quality shine to it, but it could be thicker since it does chip on the front of the hood. Exterior panel gaps are tight and look pretty uniform. The hood is very heavy. The doors close with an expensive sounding solid thunk. Interior quality is good. Plastics look and feel good, especially the soft-touch plastic on the top of the dash and door panels. Rattles have been nonexistent. The white faced gauges look great (as does the brushed aluminum trim that thankfully lacks the fake too bright look of other cars)during the day and are easily readable. However, the red guage lighting isn't quite bright and clear enough at night. I would prefer the guages to be soft blue like the HVAC and radio controls. Wind noise at high speed is well subdued and the car overall is very quiet (with the exception of the tires that are beginning to become loud). The engine is very smooth and quiet, although it does sound a little buzzy when you rev it. The automatic transmission is unbelievably smooth shifting and has snappy pep off the line. It can be a little slow to downshift at times, but the shifts are never harsh. The brakes are ok in stopping power and the pedal has a nice firm feel to it. I haven't encountered any warped rotor problems like I did on the Diamante. Fuel economy has exceeded EPA estimates. The stereo sounds weak and muddy, definitely caused by cheap speakers, and the stereo preset buttons squeak when pushed. Driver seat comfort isn't the greatest but it is livable. Interior room is great front and rear, especially rear legroom, and the trunk is adequately sized. I still think the Lancer OZ looks sporty and elegant at the same time. It just looks good to me. It isn't boring nor weird, but it catches attention all the same and I constantly get comments on it looking like a mini Infiniti. The reliability has been excellent so far. I think thats all I can think to say about the Lancer. I highly recommend this car to anyone.
My Aerio has a very different set of advantages and disadvantages. The Aerio SX is extremely roomy and versatile. Head room is amazing, as is rear seat legroom and cargo space. You sit high in a commanding view of the road and visibility all around is excellent (visibility is also good in the Lancer thanks to its low door sills, high seating position, and upright, large rear window). The seats are very comfortable front and rear. Exterior styling is very unique and I have begun to get good comments on it, although most have said its "cute" and most of the comments came from women. Interior styling is odd but very functional. The radio is up nice and high where it is easily seen and accessed. The radio is high quality and produces very good sound quality. The standard 6 disc in-dash changer is a nice touch as is the outside temp gauge. The digital gauges are bright, easily readable, and look good. They also don't infringe on your forward visibility. Interior plastic is hard but it at least looks well finished (with the exception of the inside door handles). The doors close with a tinny sound effect. The engine is gruffer sounding than the Lancer's and is also rougher. It is quite a bit louder when pushed as well. Power at first felt lackluster for its rated 145 hp, but the engine has loosened up and now feels pretty peppy, especially up to 4k rpms. Fuel economy is good in the city but it doesn't improve much on the highway. Wind noise is noticeable above 60 mph, but the tires are quiet. The ride is well-controlled and has a European firmness to it, which lends good handling, much better than you would expect considering its tall, narrow stance. However, the ride can be harsh over certain sharp bumps and the body does lean. Steering is nicely weighted and has good feedback, although it is slower to respond than the Lancer's. The 5 speed manual has a nice direct feel to its shifts and for the most part it operates smoothly (reverse can be tricky to get into at times). The clutch is ok, but this car suffers from bad driveline lash (bucking) that makes driving in stop-and-go a less than smooth experience. Brakes are ok, but the pedal is mushier than the Lancer's and the right front brake locks up a little too easily in wet weather. I had a problem with my brakes making a loud clunk. The dealer fixed it but I can still sometimes hear them making a slight popping noise. My front door panels buzz loudly under certain conditions and tend to ruin songs with bass. This is my most annoying problem with this car. I also encountered a loud rattle under the dash in the passenger footwell, but thankfully it only occured a few very cold mornings at a certain rpm. I recently have encountered an odd problem that I can only describe as a light misfire (similar to a cracked distributor cap or bad spark plug wire). It has happened twice and caused the car to lose power and made driving jerky, but the dealer hasn't been able to reproduce it. Overall, I still like my Aerio, but it has had more annoyances than my Lancer.
How was that vocus? Dang, I didn't expect to write this much! I hope I didn't put anyone to sleep and someone actually reads this. It sure took awhile to write!
I rented the Lancer for a couple days, and founf the power lacking (again, used to a 180hp turbo), and the steering a little light. Stereo controls were too small too, and I just couldn't get comfortable in the driver's seat.
The Aerio felt a little insubstantial to me, I only sat in it at the car show though. It didn't 'feel' safe to me, but apparently it is due to its high IIHS ratings.
I have a friend who is the shop foreman for my local Mitsu dealer. I asked him if anyone is bringing in their Lancers with problems. He told me only 1 had a problem with the catalytic converter/exhaust manifold that required replacement. Other than that, he thinks they are solid and reliable. It's nice to have friends in the right places
I am surprised you don't like the Aerio as much, your impressions initially of the car seemed to show you did favor it over the Lancer.
I also emailed you a couple weeks ago (using the email that's in your profile) but you never got back to me..
Initially, I did like the Aerio SX a lot. I liked the hatchback utility and performance potential, as well as the unique sporty looks. The clincher for me was the excellent price and the fact I got everything I wanted except ABS. However, the niggling little problems with it have soured me, like the buzzing door panels, clunking front brake pads, and weird stumbling problem that has happened 4 times now but the dealer can't reproduce. I have also realized the Aerio just feels too big in the way it drives, thus lowering the fun to drive factor for me. It doesn't make me smile like my 92 Miata and 84 GTI. The Lancer isn't as fun as those cars either but it feels smaller and more manueverable, while still being roomy. And its build quality has been top notch.
The Aerio felt too tall to me, like it would be tippy. I just sat in one though, I didn't drive it anywhere. I hated the cheap interior too, and the fact that the driver's door panel flexed when I rested my leg against it.
~alpha
But why can't Mitsubishi just get it right? First time I saw it, I thought it was a Pontiac Sunbird.
They really should have just stuck with the original Lancer front fascia.
Check it out at: http://www.motorcities.com/contents/03BBF362685336.html
~alpha
Many thanks!
Also, how does the Lancer compare to the Corolla and Sentra drive wise. Price wise, it's more comprable to the Sentra.
Am lookoing to buy a economy car in '04.
TIA for any input.
The Sandman :-)
As for the drive, I have said it before and will say it again. The Lancer is one of the best rides in the economy sedan class. The engine and ride is quieter than the Civic's and comparable to the Corolla. The suspension is sportier than the Corolla's and comparable to the Civic's. The engine has much more pep than the Civic and about the same to slightly less than the Corolla. Fuel economy lags some, but I feel the peppy off-the-line performance more than makes up for it. Interior design, quality, and room is just as good as the other 2. Therefore, I find that the Lancer compares very well to the big dogs and deserves more attention than it gets. Perhaps that will come in 04 when it gains an available 2.4 liter 162 horse engine.
My 02 Lancer OZ continues to be completely problem free after over 22k miles. This is the best car I have owned so far.
The Sandman :-)
~alpha
Alpha01: Yea, I find basic cars quite endearing. Perhaps their lack of doodads causes their personality to stand out more. Plus, I love their easy to fix simplicity and reliable nature.