First Drive: Mitsubishi Lancer ES

The Mitsubishi Lancer has been around since 1973, serving as the sub-compact sedan/coupe until 2000. In 2000, the Lancer became a compact car. In 2007, the fourth generation went into production. There were also five generations of Mirage-based Lancers. I recently test drove a Mitsubishi Lancer ES. The ES is a front-engine, front-wheel drive, four-door sedan. The ES comes with a 2.0L I4 engine that produces 148 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque, paired with either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT automatic transmission. The Lancer ES goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 124 mph. The car I test drove came with the CVT transmission, alloy wheels, and a rear spoiler. The MSRP for the Lancer ES is $17,095. The price for the car I test drove is $19,685.

The Lancer ES was comfortable to sit in. There is adequate leg room for rear passengers. There is plenty of head room is fine for people under 6'. I found the rear spoiler to hinder visibility through the rear view mirror. The interior is nothing special. The alloy wheels, rear spoiler, and front grill and body kit gives the Lancer ES a sporty styling.

The Lancer ES drove smoothly along the roads and freeway. The Lancer ES has some zip to it. Steering was responsive. The accelerator and braking pedals were responsive. I no issues passing other vehicles on the freeway. The cabin is quiet. I did not feel any bumps in the roads. The car was not jerky when accelerating.

The Lancer ES is a good car. I felt comfortable behind the wheel. I could do without the rear spoiler. One thing I would add to the Lancer ES would be paddle shifters, which is available as an option. I feel that paddle shifters allow the driver to be more engaged in the driving experience. The car has some zip to it. The Lancer ES is good for city and highway driving. If you want a better performing Lancer, there is the Lancer GT, Lancer Evolution, and Lancer Evolution. But if you want a four-door sedan for under $20,000 and has decent performance, give the Lancer ES 

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First Drive: Mitsubishi Lancer GT

The current generation Mitsubishi Lancer has been out since 2007. The base Lancer ES comes with a 2.0L I4 engine that produces 148 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. There is also a high performing version of the Lancer, called the Lancer Evolution X, which comes with a turbocharged 2.0L I4 engine that produces 291 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. There is a version of the Lancer that is between the Lancer ES and Lancer Evolution, called the Lancer GT. The Lancer GT comes with a 2.4L I4 engine that produces 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. The Lancer GT comes with either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT automatic transmission. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 124 mph. The Lancer GT is available as a front-wheel drive, four-door sedan. Prices for the Lancer GT start at $19,995 and a fully loaded Lancer GT goes for around $27,000. The car I test drove had paddle shifters, a sunroof, navigation with a rear view camera, leather seats, and a CVT transmission. It was fully loaded and cost around $27,000.

There is a slight difference between the Lancer ES styling and Lancer GT styling. The GT comes with a taller grill with a silver outline. This gives the Lancer GT a more aggressive look. There is also a small rear spoiler available for the Lancer GT. The Lancer GT I drove had a sunroof, which decreases the head room by 1". I barely had any head room. The electric-powered leather seats add luxury to the sporty four-door sedan.

The Lancer GT as a good ride quality. The car drove smoothly along the roads and freeway. I was comfortable behind the wheel of the Lancer GT. The paddle shifters are easy to use. I felt more engaged in the driving experience with the Lancer GT than with the Lancer ES due to the paddle shifters. Steering was very responsive. I had no issues with brake and acceleration pedals. The car has some zip to it. Most of all, the Lancer GT was fun to drive.

The Lancer GT is a nice step up from the Lancer ES. Unfortunately, the Lancer Evolutions were not available for test drives. If you want to drive the Evo, you have to buy it first for around $37,000. The Lancer GT is a good four-door sedan. It has some zip to it. It also has a sporty exterior and interior. The Lancer's main competition is the Subaru Impreza. Both are good compact four-door sedans. Both also have high performance versions. Both cars have similar performance. Both cars cost around the same. I felt that there was slightly more room in the Impreza than in the Lancer. But the Lancer is more stylish. The difference between the cars is the drivetrain. The Impreza is all-wheel drive and the Lancer is front-wheel drive. Both cars were fun to drive and I have no problems recommending either the Lancer or the Impreza. With both cars, you get performance and practicality.

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