Mitsubishi introduced the Lancer to the US market as a replacement for the Mirage for the 2002 model year. The car had not seen a major redesign yet, but it receives a facelift for 2004. For 2003, the Lancer can be had in low-end ES, high-end LS or pseudo-sporty OZ rally trim. Mechanically, all three trim levels are the same. Also debuting in the US market for 2003 was the Lancer Evolution, but this turbocharged, all-wheel-drive beast is a completely different car.
I recently test drove a used 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer ES with the automatic transmission and 20,000 miles, in addition to several other compact cars in the same price range. Even though the ES is the base model, there’s nothing basic about its features. My ES test car was well equipped with power windows, doors and mirrors, a CD player and an optional keyless entry system. The only basic feature left out was cruise control. It appears Mitsubishi left this out in exchange for other features in an attempt to wow young buyers – and I wasn’t complaining.
I have never been particularly fond of the US Lancer’s exterior styling, and a walk around the Lancer up close confirmed my opinions. The Lancer’s exterior styling poorly attempts to emulate the WRC Lancer Evolution, while also taking some “Look at me, I’m upscale” styling cues from Hyundai. I can see the rear and side profiles growing on my over time, but never the front end, with that massive grille tacked on.
Once inside, I found the Lancer’s interior quality disappointing. The front seats felt cheap while offering little lateral support. After a quick pat down of the interior components, I found a loose passenger front door panel and rear seat. The feel of the Lancer’s interior screamed cheap economy car.
However, the Lancer’s long, 102.4-inch wheelbase allows for a quite spacious interior cabin. The car’s rear seat legroom must be near best in class, much better then my sister’s 2001 Corolla. The Lancer’s usable interior space also feels a few inches wider then the norm, giving the car an open, instead of cramped and compact feel. I found the Lancer’s overall interior design to practical but a little on the bland side. Gauges were easy to read, and I liked how the stereo and ventilation controls were place relatively high up on the dashboard.
By far, the highlight of the Lancer’s interior was the 140 watt Mitsubishi AM/FM CD Stereo. I’m not usually big on car audio, but the system’s power and clarity was far more then I expected from an economy car, and much superior to the base units offered in the Civic and Corolla.
I was still undecided on the Lancer as I pulled onto the road, but I was feeling optimistic. I was lead to believe that the Lancer was a driver’s car with a sporty feel due to the “Lancer’s” rally car roots and Mitsubishi’s youthful ad campaign. However, I was disappointed in this regard. Equipped with Mitsubishi’s 4G94 2-liter, four-cylinder engine pushing out only 120 horses, the Lancer lags behind the Corolla, Protégé and Sentra in the horsepower department. While the 4G94 engine does have a decent amount of low-end torque, the Lancer still struggles off the line compared to the Corolla and Protégé due to its heavy weight of around 2700 pounds. In straight-line acceleration, the Lancer pulls noticeably slower then the Corolla and Protégé.
Mitsubishi’s attempt to make the lancer feel fast did not fool me. The Lancer’s touchy gas pedal and short pedal travel means that the driver will be driving at closer to the engine’s maximum then they may think. However, this does nothing to overcome the Lancer’s lack of power and hurts throttle control. Under full throttle, engine speed picks up quickly, but overall the engine seems short of breath throughout the rpm range. The lancer’s automatic tranny is also downshift happy, dropping a gear immediately upon any quick increase in throttle to give the driver the perception of quick acceleration. However, the excessive downshifting can be annoying in normal driving conditions.
Unfortunately, the Lancer’s handling is uninspiring as well. Body roll is prominent in mid-speed cornering. Unlike many compacts, the lancer didn’t feel particularly nimble either due to its extra mass. Steering is accurate, but too touchy for my tastes. The soft feel carries over to the brakes, which feel mushy rather then firm and solid. However, the trade off is that the Lancer’s high travel, soft suspension provides a relatively comfortable and refined ride and stability. The Lancer cruises smoothly down the highway and overall is an easy vehicle to drive.
For the performance oriented, the US Lancer’s aftermarket is small but growing. The Lancer’s relatively new, heavy, iron block, 4G94 engine is strong and tunable, but parts are still sparse at this point. However, even lightly modified, the Lancer will struggle to break the 17-second mark in the quarter mile.
Mitsubishi clearly marketed the Lancer at a youthful crowd, but they have only half succeeded at their goal. The Lancer’s slew of standard features and awesome stereo score big points, as well as its affordable price, particularly as a slightly used model. Shoppers will find that they can buy a one or two year old Lancer loaded with features for the price of a stripped down three or four year old Corolla or Civic. However, the Lancer’s sluggish handling, lack of power and cheap interior doesn’t do the trick in my books. If you’re looking for a sporty ride, you may want to skip to the 2004 Lancer Ralliart, which features a new 2.4 liter engine and sport tuned suspension.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 10000
Model and Options: ES Automatic
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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