About: Autolove

Overview

This week we’re looking at the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4-door sedan.

Remember when Studebaker was on the scene and people complained that you couldn’t tell whether it was coming or going because the front looked just like the rear end. I remember it mostly because my grandmother, born in Sicily before the turn of the 20^th Century, visited us in California and thought we had weird cars here. In those days cars were distinctive for sure, but more important there were fewer brands so you weren’t confused by several hundred models. They were either Ford, GM or Chrysler cars. Today the computer kicks out pretty generic ho-hum similar looking cars. In the case of this Lancer, the grill is nearly the same as the Audi A4 turned upside down. Who did the design first I don’t know, but they are frightfully the same.

Opinion:

More observations about posted speed limits. While driving up State Highway 99 through the central valley of California I was reminded posted speeds are 70 mph in most areas. I have made that trip a lot since I have family and business in Southern Oregon. What I have observed is that traffic moves along at about 75-80 mph. Not much different from average commuter speeds in Southern California where the posted speed limit on the freeway is 65 mph. 

There is a comfort zone in speed that drivers feel in control and the vast majority move along in packs at 75-80 irrespective of the posted limit. The bad guys can choose their prey at will because we’re all exceeding posted speed limits. Do you think there is a method to the madness of the law makers who set those limits?

In response to my belief that limits should be raised encouraged Bill says (summarized):

“I think current speed limits are just fine… (more importantly) Our highways are in great need of repair, and cause much wear on vehicles that drivers are not aware of, steel belts of tires broken from pot holes, wheels out of round, suspension damage, wheel alignment, shock and strut damage…

What about our growing population from south of the border and around the world, what kind of driving skills do they bring?   Yes modern vehicles have many safety features… I argue that if the speed limit was 75 mph, drivers would drive 85/90 mph and while I’m not a Al Gore fan, after 80/85 mph fuel consumption goes sky high… As my wife say’s “If you are in that big of a hurry, leave sooner”. At the end of your article it says, “buckle up and drive safely”. How can driving faster be safer?

My whole point was that the limits are artificially low and serve only to raise money. Moving the limits up to what people persist on driving respects the will of the people, in spite of the obscene fines.

Handling & Performance:

Lancer provides just adequate power at 148 hp mostly because of the manual shifting. The low center of gravity provides excellent cornering.

Styling:

In my opinion Mitsubishi cars are mostly designed for the younger driver which means they just don’t fit the over 40+ group. I wanted to see if was just me or is it a fact. The study noted below seems to support my feeling.

Fit and Finish:

Very good.

Cost:

Well priced compact sedan.

Conveniences and comfort:

Nothing special, but the important features like traction and stability control are included.

Consumer Recommendation:

A new study recently completed by TrueCar.com, showed that Mitsubishi, Mazda and Volkswagen have the highest concentration of younger buyers.  The study was completed in May 2010 and looked at the last full year of available data.

The brands with the highest percentage of buyers 18 to 34, is topped by Mitsubishi (18.3%), with its young skewing list of models that includes the Lancer and the Eclipse. Mazda (18%), with the popular Mazda3 and Mazda6, and Volkswagen (17.6%), which features the list topping GTI and Jetta, were next with Nissan (15.6%) and Mini (15%) rounding out the top 5.

Recognized Competition:

Mitsubishi Lancer $15-27,000, Audi S4 $47-49,000, Chevrolet Cobalt $15-25,000, Ford Focus $17-20,000, Honda Civic $16-25,000, Hyundai Elantra $15-20,000, Kia Forte $15-19,000, Mazda3 $16-23,000, Nissan Sentra $16-20,000, Subaru Impreza $17-20,000, Toyota Corolla $16-18,000, Volkswagen Golf $18-24,000, Volkswagen GTI $24-30,000.

Good News:

Well price, fun to drive, good safety features and very good fuel economy numbers.

Bad News:

A little under powered. You’d need to move to Ralliart for 237 hp with a price of about $27,000.

Standard Equipment:

2.0 liter 148 horsepower inline 4 cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission, front Macpherson strut, rear multilink suspension, 4-wheel ABS front disc and rear drum brakes with electronic brake force distribution, front stabilizer bar, front and side curtain airbags with drivers knee airbag, LATCH child seat system, tire pressure monitor, engine immobilizer with anti-theft system, stability and traction control, air conditioning, height adjustable column, power steering with wheel mounted cruise and audio controls, multi information display, audio with CD/MP3 w/ 4-speakers, 6-way adjustable driver seat, 60/40 split fold down rear seatback, power windows, locks and mirrors, 2 12 volt outlets, remote keyless entry and auto headlights.

Gas Stats:

$3.33/ Gal avg. Jan 29, 2011

www.fueleconomy.gov

for more information.

24 City and 33 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $16,395.Overview

This week we’re looking at the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4-door sedan.

Remember when Studebaker was on the scene and people complained that you couldn’t tell whether it was coming or going because the front looked just like the rear end. I remember it mostly because my grandmother, born in Sicily before the turn of the 20^th Century, visited us in California and thought we had weird cars here. In those days cars were distinctive for sure, but more important there were fewer brands so you weren’t confused by several hundred models. They were either Ford, GM or Chrysler cars. Today the computer kicks out pretty generic ho-hum similar looking cars. In the case of this Lancer, the grill is nearly the same as the Audi A4 turned upside down. Who did the design first I don’t know, but they are frightfully the same.

Opinion:

More observations about posted speed limits. While driving up State Highway 99 through the central valley of California I was reminded posted speeds are 70 mph in most areas. I have made that trip a lot since I have family and business in Southern Oregon. What I have observed is that traffic moves along at about 75-80 mph. Not much different from average commuter speeds in Southern California where the posted speed limit on the freeway is 65 mph. 

There is a comfort zone in speed that drivers feel in control and the vast majority move along in packs at 75-80 irrespective of the posted limit. The bad guys can choose their prey at will because we’re all exceeding posted speed limits. Do you think there is a method to the madness of the law makers who set those limits?

In response to my belief that limits should be raised encouraged Bill says (summarized):

“I think current speed limits are just fine… (more importantly) Our highways are in great need of repair, and cause much wear on vehicles that drivers are not aware of, steel belts of tires broken from pot holes, wheels out of round, suspension damage, wheel alignment, shock and strut damage…

What about our growing population from south of the border and around the world, what kind of driving skills do they bring?   Yes modern vehicles have many safety features… I argue that if the speed limit was 75 mph, drivers would drive 85/90 mph and while I’m not a Al Gore fan, after 80/85 mph fuel consumption goes sky high… As my wife say’s “If you are in that big of a hurry, leave sooner”. At the end of your article it says, “buckle up and drive safely”. How can driving faster be safer?

My whole point was that the limits are artificially low and serve only to raise money. Moving the limits up to what people persist on driving respects the will of the people, in spite of the obscene fines.

Handling & Performance:

Lancer provides just adequate power at 148 hp mostly because of the manual shifting. The low center of gravity provides excellent cornering.

Styling:

In my opinion Mitsubishi cars are mostly designed for the younger driver which means they just don’t fit the over 40+ group. I wanted to see if was just me or is it a fact. The study noted below seems to support my feeling.

Fit and Finish:

Very good.

Cost:

Well priced compact sedan.

Conveniences and comfort:

Nothing special, but the important features like traction and stability control are included.

Consumer Recommendation:

A new study recently completed by TrueCar.com, showed that Mitsubishi, Mazda and Volkswagen have the highest concentration of younger buyers.  The study was completed in May 2010 and looked at the last full year of available data.

The brands with the highest percentage of buyers 18 to 34, is topped by Mitsubishi (18.3%), with its young skewing list of models that includes the Lancer and the Eclipse. Mazda (18%), with the popular Mazda3 and Mazda6, and Volkswagen (17.6%), which features the list topping GTI and Jetta, were next with Nissan (15.6%) and Mini (15%) rounding out the top 5.

Recognized Competition:

Mitsubishi Lancer $15-27,000, Audi S4 $47-49,000, Chevrolet Cobalt $15-25,000, Ford Focus $17-20,000, Honda Civic $16-25,000, Hyundai Elantra $15-20,000, Kia Forte $15-19,000, Mazda3 $16-23,000, Nissan Sentra $16-20,000, Subaru Impreza $17-20,000, Toyota Corolla $16-18,000, Volkswagen Golf $18-24,000, Volkswagen GTI $24-30,000.

Good News:

Well price, fun to drive, good safety features and very good fuel economy numbers.

Bad News:

A little under powered. You’d need to move to Ralliart for 237 hp with a price of about $27,000.

Standard Equipment:

2.0 liter 148 horsepower inline 4 cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission, front Macpherson strut, rear multilink suspension, 4-wheel ABS front disc and rear drum brakes with electronic brake force distribution, front stabilizer bar, front and side curtain airbags with drivers knee airbag, LATCH child seat system, tire pressure monitor, engine immobilizer with anti-theft system, stability and traction control, air conditioning, height adjustable column, power steering with wheel mounted cruise and audio controls, multi information display, audio with CD/MP3 w/ 4-speakers, 6-way adjustable driver seat, 60/40 split fold down rear seatback, power windows, locks and mirrors, 2 12 volt outlets, remote keyless entry and auto headlights.

Gas Stats:

$3.33/ Gal avg. Jan 29, 2011

www.fueleconomy.gov

for more information.

24 City and 33 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $16,395.

Overview: 

This week we’re looking at the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer SE 2.4 AWD. It gets thumbs up from consumers as well. They were impressed with the warranty which is one of the best in the industry at 10 years or 100,000 miles powertrain and bumper to bumper 5 year or 60,000 miles.

I thought it was just me but consumers have wondered why the company doesn’t blow its own horn more about their great warranty and more for me, why don’t they market more aggressively. It may not be true, but seems that Mitsubishi doesn’t do as much advertising as many of the other brands.

General Information:

Parts from the US / Canada 0%, Japan 99%, engine and transmission is from Japan. It is assembled in Kurashiki, Japan. Classification is Compact. Cars from Nissan:

Handling & Performance:

168 horsepower doesn’t sound like much but it is plenty and gets you from zero to 60 mph in about 7 seconds. And a real plus is fuel economy of 30 mpg which makes it well balanced in power and cost of operation. The CVT transmission gives it smooth undetectable shifting from speed to speed / gear to gear. And that is makes it the efficient car that it is.

A continuously variable transmission, or CVT, is a type of automatic transmission that provides more useable power, better fuel economy and a smoother driving experience than a traditional automatic. While an automatic transmission has a set number of gear ratios (a.k.a. speeds), usually 4, 5 or 6, the CVT can constantly change the relationship of engine speed to car speed. You never hear or feel the transmission shift, but simply raises and lowers the engine speed as needed, calling up higher engine speeds (or RPMs) for better acceleration and lower RPMs for better fuel economy while cruising.

Styling:

With an Icon grill design Mitsubishi is quickly identifiable. And this is in answer to Laura’s question, “why do all cars today look the same”? True enough that unless you do what I do and have occasion to go to car shows, test drive and track testing, it would be more difficult to tell one from the other.

Fit and Finish:

Very good.

Cost:

Excellent pricing for a 4-door sedan even for a compact.

Conveniences and comfort:

Good selection of available features generally but the test car I drove did not have a Bluetooth phone connection. That I think should be standard on ALL brands just like seatbelts are required, so should things like Cruise Control and Bluetooth connectivity. We simply do not get along well without our cell phones and while in the car not having Bluetooth is more dangerous than no seatbelts or airbags. Cruise is a necessary feature since it helps to even out the flow of traffic by encouraging consistent speed. It is the speeding up and slowing down that causes accidents and the more radical the changes the worse the accidents.

Consumer Recommendation:

A perfect compact family sedan that is economical and a well handling car. I would surely include the VW offerings in your search. And if you can upgrade the TDI (turbo diesel) is a great option. Of course the Korean cars should impress you as well – Hyundai and Kia.

Recognized Competition:

Mitsubishi Lancer $20,000, Audi S4 $20,000, Dodge Dart SE $16,000, Ford Focus $18,000, Honda Civic LX $19,000, Hyundai Elantra $17,000, Kia Forte SX 19,000, Mazda 3 SV $17,000, Nissan Sentra S CVT $17,000, Subaru Impreza 2.0 $20,000, Toyota Corolla LE $18,000, Volkswagen Golf 2.5 4-Door $20,000,  Volkswagen GTI $25,000, Volkswagen Jetta $19,000.

Good News:

Priced well, economical to operate with about 30 mpg fuel economy, smooth CVT transmission and generally comfortablejoe.

Bad News:

No complaints.

Standard Equipment:

2.4 liter 168 horsepower inline 4 cylinder, continuous variable transmission, front side and side curtain airbags with driver knee airbag, LATCH system, tire pressure monitoring system, engine immobilizer, anti theft alarm, active stability  control and traction control, all wheel drive, ABS brake system with electronic brake force distribution, air condition, steering wheel mounted cruise and audio controls, audio with CD and MP3 with 4 speakers, tilt steering wheel, 8-way adjustable driver seat, heated front seats and mirrors, 60/40 fold down rear seat, power windows, locks and mirrors, 12 v outlet, remote keyless entry, auto headlights, 15” alloy wheels.

Gas Stats:

$4.29 / Gal avg.  Feb. 23, 2013

www.fueleconomy.gov

For more information.

22 City and 29 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $20,295.
Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is joe@atthewheel.com

Overview:

This week we’re looking at the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4-door sedan. The pictures are of the 2009 but I could see no significant visual differences at a glance. This is a real coin toss, because I can’t really see any standouts that would convince me it is anything but a very generic class. Compact all purpose sedans by their nature are just that – generic.

As I write this I’m reminded that it is December 7^th. I guess it is fitting that I’m writing about a company’s product that built the war machines for the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7^th. Time has not made us forget but it has dulled the senses and reminds me that to err is human but to forgive is divine.

I was surprised that the Mitsubishi does as poorly in fuel economy numbers compared to the others listed here in class.

General Info:

Parts – Japan 91%

Assembly – Mizushima, Japan

Class:  –  Compact

Cars: – Eclipse, Endeavor, Galant, Lancer, Lancer Evolution, Lancer Sportback, Outlander and Raider.

Most of the others in class do better in the fuel consumption area. That is of growing importance. But it is fun to drive in part because of the front wheel drive. AWD would be cool but that is only in the Evolution.

Styling:

It is not like the compact segment of the market is unexciting or uninteresting because it is but mostly this class are just simply nice looking automobiles.

As you may know the Lancer was introduced in the US market in 2003 with its ‘shark nosed’ front end look and shares the Outlander platform. It is intended to be a fun to drive sporty economical compact sedan. It accomplishes its goal in my opinion.

Mitsubishi has been consistently well put together and not unlike those noted below that are closest in price. It is typical Japanese work ethic applied to the automotive market. One caveat that must be noted however is that selected automotive products coming from Japan are sometimes assembled in other countries including the US and Mexico for example. But from my experience Japanese oversight management is excellent and the products are very good no matter what country they are assembled in.

Cost:

Competitive among a host of equally good competitors. Nothing so special as to set it far apart from others in class.

Conveniences and comfort:

Generally the Lancer falls behind in roominess. Nearly all other players in this segment noted below have more cargo space and inside space dimensions as well. All have similar electronics and gadgets available but standard stuff is good.

Consumer Recommendation:

Lancer models include the DE, ES, ES Sport GTS and Ralliart with prices ranging from $15,000 to $27,000. One of those listed that is at the top of the list, in my opinion, is the VW Jetta TDI. Look closely at the TDI (Turbo Diesel) which is perhaps my favorite in this group if I had to choose. With over 40 miles per gallon it has my attention.

Consider the philosophy of VW management (in an LA Auto Show Keynote addres VW’s Chairman Dr. Bernd Pischetsrieder) that Diesel is the way to go and fully 50 % of all cars sold in Europe are diesel and for good reason – gas / diesel is about $8.00 a gallon in Europe. When (and it is not IF, but rather when) fuel prices in the US float to world levels people will embrace the diesel performers. Don’t wait for the rush but rather plan ahead. Seriously – Look at the TDI.

Mitsubisi Lancer $15-27,000, Audi S4 $57-58,000, Chevrolet Cobalt $15-25,000, Dodge Avenger $20-22,000, Dodge Caliber $16-25,000, Ford Focus $16-18,000, Honda Civic $15-25,000, Honda Civic Hybrid $24-27,000, Hyundai Elantra $14-18,000, Kia Forte $14-17,000, Kia Spectra $14-16,000, Mazda 3 $15-22,000, Nissan Sentra $15-20,000, Pontiac G5 $17-20,000, Saturn Astra $17-20,000, Scion tC $17-18,000, Subaru Impreza $17-35,000, Suzuki SX4 Sport $13-18,000, Toyota Corolla $15-20,000 and Volkswagen Jetta $18-23,000.

Good News:

Sporty, a fun to drive performer with all wheel drive and Lancer has a better warranty and crash test record generally than its competitors.

Bad News:

Lancer does more poorly than its competition in fuel economy and generally less cargo and interior space.

Standard Equipment:

2.4 liter 168 horsepower 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission, sport tuned suspension, ABS brakes, front, side and side curtain airbags and driver knee bag, LATCH system for child seats, tire pressure monitoring system, daytime running lights, engine immobilizer and anti theft alarm system, stability control, traction control, climate control air conditioning, leather wrapped steering wheel mounted cruise and audio controls, CD/MP3 audio head unit with 6 speakers, tilt steering wheel, manual adjust driver seat, 60/40 split fold down rear seat, power windows and locks, power mirrors, remote keyless entry, Bluetooth hands free system, auto off halogen headlights, fog lights, rear spoiler, 18” allow wheels.

Gas Stats:

$2.81/ Gal avg. December 7, ‘09

www.fueleconomy.gov

for more information.

20 City and 28 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $18,990.

Overview:
This week we’re looking at the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution SE 4-door Sedan.

The Lancer Evolution is Mitsubishi’s rally-inspired high-performance all-wheel-drive sedan based on the Lancer compact sedan. Redesigned for 2008, Evolution is the tenth generation of the rally car for the street but only the second version offered in the U.S. market. The first Lancer Evolution to be sold in the U.S was the Evo IX, first imported as a 2003 model. The redesigned Evo brings to market nearly identical styling and much of the technology first shown on the Mitsubishi Concept X at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show.

Most drivers don’t start out driving their car with the intent to break speed laws. So I remind you again the greatest tool to avoid speeding citations is “Speed/Cruise Control. This handy feature will pay for itself quickly by eliminating drifting concentration that can lead to an expensive ticket. You simply set it and forget it for the most part. Yes you still need to stay awake but you’ll maintain consistent speed which will keep you from Yo-yo’ing down the highway – slow then fast then slow again. Additionally you will minimize the conditions that lead to accidents. If the model you are buying offers “Smart Cruise” go for it if you want the best of the best.

Ok, there are always those who consider themselves more important than others and they will tailgate and cut in front of you with little more than a parking space distance between you and the car in front of you. But ain’t it great when you cruise by them as their mind wanders and they lose their edge. So do yourself a favor and demand Cruise Control with your next car.

And if you have it, use it. The love of my life (rephrase – one of the loves of my life) has Cruise Control but refuses to use it. She is great on city streets but is a scardi-cat on the freeways. You know, one of those who drives with a death grip on the steering wheel. Don’t worry, she doesn’t read my column… I hope.

Handling & Performance:

You’ll get a rush from a non-drug-induced high you get from driving this kind of high performance car. In fact you will think it looks like a kid’s car until you drive it. Then parents will NOT want to buy one for their kid. Performance starts with P and that rhymes with T and that stands for trouble … that’s with a capital T.

You do not need a manual transmission for shifting control, because it doesn’t get any better than this Twin Clutch-Sportronic Shift Transmission. And for those who must busy themselves with shifting it comes with paddle shifters.

If you’re a parent and that doesn’t dissuade you from buying Junior one of these, one last shot. The speedometer goes up to 180 MPH. I didn’t get it even close to that but you can bet a teenager will.

Styling:

Cool for today’s young single. Not my idea for a family car.

Fit and Finish:

On the upper end of the scale of more than half of today’s cars.

Cost:

Some would say this EVO is too pricey for a little pee popper. The price is a little stiff … so deal! The mitigating fact however is that the Evolution is far more capable than Cobalt or Cruze for example. AWD makes it safer, it will handle better and the Turbocharger makes it a rocket with a touch of the accelerator. It will compete better with Audi and BMW that cost more.

Conversely it will cost much more in gas than the Chevrolet products.

Conveniences and comfort:

All the goodies and gadgets most people will demand are provided as standard equipment. I found the seating very comfortable.

Recognized Competition:

Mitsubishi Lancer  $34-41,000, 2011 Audi S4 $47-48,000, 2011 BMW 3 Series $33-58,000, Chevrolet Cobalt $15-25,000, 2011 Chevrolet Cruze $16-22,000, MazdaSpeed 3 $23,340, Nissan Z $30-41,000, 2011 Subaru Impreza $17-20,000, Subaru Impreza WRX $25-35,000, Volkswagen GTI $23-24,000, Volkswagen New Beetle $17-27,000.

Good News:

Great performer that is fun to drive, comfortable and AWD handling.

Bad News:

Not so good fuel economy and a little pricey to some.

Standard Equipment:

2.0 liter DOHC inline turbocharged engine, Twin Clutch-Sportronic Shift Transmission, Paddle shifters, Bilstein shocks, heated front seats, rear lid spoiler, front, side and side curtain airbags, drivers knee airbag, LATCH child seats, tire pressure monitor, daytime running lights, Engine immobilizer, stability control, traction control, all-wheel drive, twin-scroll turbocharger, Brembo ventilated ABS disc brakes with electronic brake force distribution, active yaw control, rear limited slip differential, front and rear stabilizer bars, auto A/C with micron filter, remote keyless entry, leather wrapped steering wheel w/ cruise and audio controls, color LCD multi information display, Recardo front sport seats, Bluetooth, 140 watt CD/MP3 audio with 6-speakers, mirror visors, map lights and center console w/ storage, fog lights, flared fenders, aluminum roof panel, front fenders and hood and 18” alloy wheels.

Gas Stats:

$2.79/ Gal avg. October 1, 2010

www.fueleconomy.gov

for more information.

17 City and 22 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $35,790.