Buying a used Mitsubishi Lancer (2007-2011)

Rally-bred toughness worked for a while but Mitsubishi’s latest Lancers needed sophistication and relevance to attract a growing audience.

The ‘small’ car market has changed radically during the past 20 years. Cars like Mitsubishi’s CJ Lancer are now bigger and more powerful than ‘medium’ models of the 1990s and vastly different to the light and sparsely furnished cars that in those days carried the Lancer name.

A re-design, new engines and radical transmission launched in 2007 produced a car that appeals to corporate as well as private buyers. Massive sales growth allowed Lancer to crack a Top Ten spot on Australia’s sales charts and give Mitsubishi a profitable replacement for the failed 380.

HISTORY
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By 2010 and excluding EVOs and special promotional versions, the list of CJ Lancer variations had ballooned to 46 and buyer response was sending annual sales scooting towards 25,000.

Bottom of the CJ pile was the ES model; available as a sedan or Sportback hatch with five-speed manual or Constantly Variable (CVT) six-speed automatic transmission. The cheapest ES cost $20,990 and maintained that price until late 2009 when an updated MY10 version arrived.

This was a different-looking Lancer from the cars that had come before. It was physically bigger with 35mm added to the wheelbase, wider front and rear tracks. There was a new engine too; 2.0 litres in replacing 2.4 litres but still producing 113kW. A year later, the 2.4 capacity would return with 125kW in VR-X models.

Entry-level it may have been but the ES definitely wasn’t lacking in equipment. All Lancers by 2009 had qualified for a five-star ANCAP crash rating and even the cheapest car in the range had driver and passenger air-bags, ABS, stability and traction control and belt pre-tensioners. From 2010 the protective gear was upgraded to include side impact and head-strike protection.

The design also incorporated RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) technology which uses ‘energy dispersive’ materials in areas most likely to be hit and high-tensile components to maintain the integrity of the passenger cell.

Standard inclusions began with air-conditioning, power windows and a CD player. Jumping to a VR sedan or hatch with CVT transmission cost $7000 extra but delivered a package including 16-inch alloy wheels, climate-control air, Bluetooth, a CD stacker and additional safety gear.  

Above it sat the Aspire. The luxury Lancer had arrived during 2008, using the same 125kW engine as the VR-X but available in automatic only. Equipment levels were extremely high; leather trim, premium sound, a trip computer, 18 inch wheels and high-intensity self-activating headlights among the inclusions. New ones sold initially at $34,000 before briefly jumping beyond $35,000.  

Next step up was to the VR-X. For their $30,900, buyers got manual transmission (with auto optional),  a rear spoiler, six-CD stacker, rain-sensing wipers, stability and traction control. Accompanying sports suspension were alloy wheels that had grown to 18 inch and inside a multi-function wheel, shift paddles and new gauges added sporty touches.

After 2007, station wagons made way for the Sportback hatch. These were available in all trim levels and with reasonable load space for their size. Importantly for people with above-average amounts of gear to cart, they cost exactly the same as equivalent sedans.
Improvements to the 2010 range were accompanied by an expansion in trim levels and inclusion of two models.  The ES and short-lived Activ both sold for $21,990 but the latter had alloy wheels.

As a CVT sceptic, I was pleasantly surprised at how happily the auto would surge along (which best describes the tranny’s characteristics) with the lever permanently in ’D’. But where’s the entertainment in that?
Upshifting manually at 4500-5000rpm keeps the engine sizzling and makes the car feel that it’s moving considerably faster than when left to its own devices. Slotting back to third for overtaking is faster and less intrusive than flooring the pedal and waiting for a response from behind the dash.

Handling in base-model cars is secure and biased more towards ride comfort than high-level grip. Softish springs and tall tyres absorb most bumps but serious road defects can move the car off-line.  Those running 18 inch rims and lower-profile rubber are excellent on smooth surfaces but crash and bang over small imperfections. An ES or VR is the best choice should you do a lot of unsealed road running.  

Forgive the slightly scratchy cloth in low-end versions because it is almost impossible to rip and cleans easily. Fitting a child seat to a sedan or hatch is quick too. The steering wheel adjusts for height and the abundance of air-bags is appreciated but thick pillars have you craning to place the car in right-hand bends and especially when negotiating roundabouts.

Reversing the Sportback is a challenge unless the nifty reversing camera (optional on ES versions, included in others) shows where you’re going via a nifty screen that pops up in the rear-view mirror.

All of these cars have space-saver spares but the boot is big enough to accommodate a proper spare wheel for longer trips.
If you don’t mind low-profile rubber and stiff springs, the VR-X will entertain but for a real challenge it has to be the 177kW Ralliart.

These seem to be depreciating at a faster rate than lesser versions and have become quite affordable. Grip is assured via all-wheel drive and the clutchless DSG transmission.  

Even without a turbocharger, the Lancer is a decent performer. Manuals slip below nine seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint and 80-120km/h in a CVT takes around seven seconds. Most CVT owners will be able to average 9L/100km and both versions on the highway can zip along with 7L/100km or less showing on the trip-computer.

USED VEHICLE GRADING
Design & Function: 14/20?
Safety: 14/20
Practicality: 14/20?
Value for Money: 15/20
Wow Factor: 14/20 (Ralliart)
SCORE: 71/100

ALSO CONSIDER: Hyundai i30, Toyota Corolla, Holden Cruze