Looks Don't Deceive, This Time
by David Finlay (16 Apr 08)

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.

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