The Mitsubishi Lancer lineup features a full range of sporty compact sedans. The Lancer ES and bare bones DE are oriented around economy. The Lancer GTS kicks it up a notch with a bigger engine. Enthusiasts will spring for the Ralliart for its sporty performance, while would-be racers will go for the Evo with its racecar levels of performance. The Lancers use four different four-cylinder engines, ranging from 152 to 291 horsepower.
The Lancer models were completely re-engineered and redesigned for the 2008 model year. They feature an aggressive front fascia and a wedgy profile. The GTS, Ralliart, and Evolution boast rally-inspired bodywork. The new Ralliart model joined the lineup for 2009.
All are four-door compact sedans. Inside, there's roomy seating for five. Instruments and dash are pleasing to the eye, and control knobs and switches for the various functions are easy to use.
The Lancer ES is a well-built and good-looking 2.0-liter economy car that gets a EPA combined fuel economy of 25 or 26 miles per gallon (30 mpg Highway with 2.0-liter engine and manual five-speed). The base Lancer ES lacks the visual flair of the others, but choose the optional Sport package and the ES offers much of the eye-catching appeal of the Evo at half the cost. A stripped-down model is available called the DE, but it's primarily intended as a fleet model with air conditioning optional.
The Lancer GTS features a new engine, slightly larger at 2.4 liters, and might be the best bang for the buck if you don't need the all-wheel-drive offered by the Ralliart.
The Lancer Ralliart is an all-new model for 2009. It's meant to provide a taste of the Evo's performance while making more compromises for the street. But since the Evo's comfort is fine on the street (easier on the bones than the Subaru WRX STi), the real compromise the Ralliart makes is handling and power, for the price, which may be more what it's about. It's not meant to be at home on the track like the Evo. If you don't do track days, and your ego or image doesn't need to be wrapped in an Evo on the street, you can save money with the Ralliart. The Ralliart is a showcase for a new six-speed twin-clutch automated manual transmission called the TC-SST, with Normal and Sport modes.
The legendary Evolution has evolved to a higher level with the Evo X, the 10th-generation in 16 years of Evolution models. We found the Evo X very easy to drive very hard. We were able to drive it right to the limit on the second lap of an unfamiliar racing circuit, this more a credit to the Evo's predictable handling than our driving prowess. It always seems to do exactly what the driver wants, a benefit of its all-wheel-drive system. It may be the best car on the track for under $40,000, and a solid track entry at any price.
Evolution X uses a racy suspension with forged aluminum control arms, and big brakes with four-piston front calipers. Its engine is a powerfully tuned version of that 2.0-liter intercooled turbo, and makes 291 horsepower. Its all-wheel-drive system is more sophisticated and capable than that in the Ralliart, and the SST transmission has a third mode called Sport Plus, for the track. A six-speed manual gearbox is also available.
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