Mitsubishi Lancer Aspire 2009 Review

Launched: Mitsubishi Lancer Aspire

The automotive world is littered with answers to questions nobody asked. Take BMW's X6, for example - the silence is almost deafening. Mitsubishi's Lancer Aspire, on the other hand, is a tangible response to a question plenty of buyers are asking, apparently.

Let me explain. Rising fuel prices and a wobbling economy are driving a downsizing trend. According to Mitsu's data, 32 percent of Lancer buyers are coming from mid- or large-size sedans. So the product planners sat down and thought, "How do we cater for people who want to drop a size or two, but are still chasing a large, 'premium' feel?"

Meet the Aspire. The basic formula is thus: take a Lancer sedan, shoehorn in a bigger engine, give it an aesthetic makeover, upgrade the interior and stuff it full of high-grade equipment to ease the downsizing transition.

On the styling front, the designers obviously like chrome; adding shiny highlights to the radiator grille, lower side-glass section and across the boot lid. It could never have been designed anywhere but Japan.

But slide behind the wheel into the leather-trimmed seats and note the combination of small, well-resolved details that manage to conjure an almost premium European flavour.

The leather-wrapped shifter and steering wheel, the surprisingly tasteful fake-wood inlays and the restrained trim colour combinations are undoubtedly up-market in look and feel.

The list of standard features is also extensive. Deep breath now: ESP is standard, there's a full complement of seven airbags, 18in alloys, 'Smart' key entry (sensors detect when the key is within 70cm of the car and unlocks the doors automatically), climate-control, electric windows, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, as well as automatic headlights and wipers.

Ultimately, refinement levels are where the Aspire most betrays its base Lancer origins. The Aspire is enormously sensitive to road surface; if the road is smooth the cabin is whisper quiet, if the road is coarse chip, tyre roar becomes incessant. And the new 2.4-litre engine is a tad gruff in the upper rev range.

And what of dynamics? Those big 215/45 R18 tyres bite hard into the tarmac and offer crisp turn-in. Body control is extremely well-judged. Yes, the Aspire carves corners with a satisfying crispness ... up to a point.

But beyond eight tenths the handling wilts into understeer and that previous sense of composure melts away. But razor-sharp handling isn't really the point here, is it?

Refinement issues aside, the Aspire is an accomplished and well-executed response to a shifting market.

Does that answer your question?