But for those who drive at a normal pace, be assured that the Lancer speeds up well, and cabin noise on the highway is more than acceptable. And whatever driving style we adopt, the car is stable and well-balanced.

Road manners feel much like those in the Civic LX I recently drove; the suspension smartly absorbs road imperfections on the open road, yet keeps its cool in the twisties. As for the ES version, at least, Mitsubishi did a good job. Obviously, expect a stiffer suspension setup in the GTS. "I have to nothing to envy from my rivals."

The new Lancer will seduce with its good looks and road manners.

Competition
The Lancer ES has a base price of $19,698; add $1,100 for the CVT transmission, for a total of $20,798. This version of the Lancer should be the most-popular model of the lineup. And here are tons of automatic-equipped rivals; here are a few:

Dodge Caliber SXT with options, 158 hp, $20,720;
Ford Focus ZX4 SES with side airbags, 136 hp, $20,369;
Honda Civic LX, 140 hp, $21,830;
Mazda3 GS, 148 hp, $20,995;
Nissan Sentra 2.0 S with Luxury Package, 140 hp, $22,298;
Pontiac G5 SE 1SB with side airbags, 148 hp, $20,830;
Toyota Corolla Sport, 126 hp, $22,180.

The Lancer's price is mid-pack and is well-equipped compared to other compact sedans.

Conclusion
Mitsubishi can be proud of its new Lancer; it will sell a lot more than its predecessor, thanks mainly to its new appearance. It's a solid little car that drives well, and draws a lot of attention.

If you have a heavy right foot, avoid the automatic transmission, which might be unsatisfying. For the rest, there's very little to complain about.

"I told you I'd get revenge."


Aggressive good looks
Well-finished cockpit
Pleasing road manners


CVT transmission
Dashboard reflection in the windshield
Hard-to-read radio display



Trunk opening is too narrow


Photo Credit : Philippe Champoux