Mitsubishi Lancer GS4
2.0 DI-D Four-Door review
by David Finlay (16 April 2008)
I guess I approached the new Lancer range from the wrong angle. The first car I drove was a 1.8-litre petrol with the CVT transmission (see road test) and my conclusion was that it was very far from being the sports saloon that its Evo-inspired looks suggested.
More recent experience suggests that that was simply the "wrong" Lancer, and that the one tested here is the right one. It uses the two-litre turbo diesel bought in from Volkswagen (as does the Outlander, which is also built on the same platform as the Lancer) along with a six-speed manual gearbox, there being no CVT option for this engine. And what a difference that set-up makes.
The diesel produces about the same amount of power as the 1.8 petrol, and assuming manual transmission in each case it has roughly the same 0-62mph of just under ten seconds. It's more economical and its lower CO2 figure means it will be cheaper to tax, but you would have to own it for a very long time before you overcame the £1500 premium in list price.
But if you want your Lancer to be as sporty as it says it is, that's £1500 well spent. The diesel performs sturdily almost regardless of how quickly it's turning over, so you get good performance more or less whenever you want it.
Using this engine creates two problems which Mitsubishi has not entirely solved. First, it makes the Lancer quite noisy - the not entirely attractive sound is very apparent in all driving conditions - and second, its weight isn't particularly well carried by the slightly underdamped front suspension, so the nose is apt to bounce in a manner that can be rather trying when you're just wanting to potter along gently.
On the other hand, if you push harder that bounce becomes less apparent. The damping deficiency means that you can overpower the front end at the apex of tight or steep corners, but apart from that the Lancer diesel handles splendidly, with lots of grip and very good balance between the front and rear. You would have to be quite a clodhopper to get yourself into trouble with this car.
It's a lot of fun, and it justifies the fancy body styling (available on this GS4 and the slightly less well-equipped GS3) far more than the 1.8 CVT does. For a similar reason, the interior design, which is dull to the point of tedium in the less obviously sporty car, causes less offence here, in the same way that you wouldn't buy a Lancer Evolution X simply because you thought the dashboard looked good.
There are still a few glitches, though, in addition to the ones already mentioned. The steering wheel - here we go again - isn't adjustable for reach, which makes it difficult to achieve an ideal driving position; the aesthetically effective rear spoiler limits rear visibility considerably, and for all the good it's doing it might as well not be there at all; and the doorhandles are disappointingly crude for a car costing over £18,000.
The gearchange isn't the world's best either, though it may improve once the car has done a few thousand miles. If not, another option would be for Mitsubishi to fit its SST twin-clutch gearbox, which already appears in the Evo and has been introduced to the Outlander. That could be very appealing, though it would push the price through the £20,000 barrier and make the car's various faults seem even less acceptable.
But despite those faults I still like the Lancer diesel for its combination of good looks and impressive handling. It occurred to me several times during this test that I wouldn't mind owning the car, which is not something I ever thought about the 1.8 CVT. On current evidence, and ignoring the Evo and the forthcoming Ralliart and standard hatchback versions, this seems to be the best Lancer you can buy.
Add new comment