Test drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 2005 - 2007 sedan
Mitsubishi Lancer - good or bad?
Before getting behind the wheel of Mitsubishi Lancer, I recalled for a very long time one of the friends, friends or work colleagues has this car. After all, as life shows, it is worth criticizing a particular model (or at least point out more or less serious flaws), then people who have already managed to buy such a machine begin to hate the author. Some do it quietly, while others demand that the journalist be expelled from work and send him to gather the bars on the fields of the Non -Black Earth Region. Still, after all, Pisaka humiliated their beloved bunny, which seems to them the best in the world. So before the Lancer test, your humble servant realized that soon quite a few comrades would begin to viciously look in his back and periodically spit in coffee. After all, disadvantages will always be present in a car worth up to $ 20-25 thousand, and even more so they should be in a car that is given for less than $ 15 thousand. But for many Russians, the cost of Lancer and its all kinds of configurations are not of particular importance - they will not buy this car, even if the price for it falls by several thousand dollars. And all because of the appearance of Lancer. Not everyone liked the bold design of the car, and a huge number of people considers this car a real freak. But designers are well aware that if you try to please everyone, then some snotty nonsense is usually obtained. Therefore, we admit that Mitsubishi Lancer has its own style.
We’ll say right away that for $ 14,690 they sell a car with a dead engine of 1.3 liters. Although, to be honest, his deadly is relative whatever one may say, and 83 hp. There is there. But it is still better to take Lancer with a 1.6 -liter engine. Such cars are more expensive ($ 15,790), but they have 98 hp. And a very good torque of 150 Nm. For class models with such characteristics are worthy (in addition, Lancer with a 2.0-liter engine with a capacity of 136 hp costs at least $ 20,550). Well, we'll immediately go through the equipment that even in the simplest Lancer there is everything that a Russian driver is required of an inexpensive foreign car. And for this, after all, there is very little: electric drives of glasses and mirrors, hydraulic power and air conditioning. I am sure that if you take a new car, then only at the same time with these three things there will be some kind of pornography otherwise. And Lancer (even the easiest) has two airbags, ABS and some other little things. All this, without a doubt, is a huge plus of a Japanese car. 
Are there any shortcomings so beloved by the editors of [email protected] in the cabin? Rejoice they are available. One of them is that Lancer, in principle, does not have a full -time radio! And as a result, the driver is forced to independently put a radio purchased at the nearest store (do not do this with the dealer, everything is much more expensive for him). And if in a simple configuration with the usual air conditioning, the radio rises in its place quite organically, then in a chic version with climate control there is a place for the so-called two-dining radio. In us, in 99% of cases, they put us ordinary, as a result of which an ugly black hole is formed in the very center of the beard. The second minus applies to cars in simple invite trim levels. There is far from the most beautiful four -spoke steering wheel. Probably, if Mitsubishi had not offered anything else, no one would have remembered about this steering wheel. However, on expensive Lancer Instyle for $ 17,950, a real miracle produced by the famous MOMO company. And when you compare it with the usual black steering wheel, you understand that the standard bagel deserves only a miserable trie. And what else can she put when the score is the MOMO (by the way, the great Lancer Evo is equipped with the same steering wheel)?
The overall impression of the Lancer salon, I must admit, is some kind of dual. On the one hand, everything inside is done qualitatively (well, for this we love the Japanese). But some plastic the insides of the machine turned out to be some kind of plastic. To understand what we are talking about just sit after a trip to Mitsubishi Lancer in a more decent car, at least in Ford Mondeo or Opel Vectra. And then it will become clear that Lancer, despite all its quality, is an inexpensive and simple car (especially when it comes to basic trim levels without a rudder and pleasantly smelling leather lever of gearboxes). But the Lancer rides with a 1.6 liter engine. Just super. If you think that this inexpensive machine is only able to calmly transport a gloomy boring peasant from the place of consumption of nasty beer in 1.5-liter plastic packages to work, then you are very mistaken. One has only to distract from studying the plastic salon and press the gas pedal, as the car begins to like. Lancer really vigorously breaks forward, forcing even to forget about the presence of a radio that does not fit into the overall design of the radio. And if the road is not too large traffic jams, then, I’m sure you will go to Lancer with great pleasure to small hooliganism, this car provokes, and quite frankly. And in general, Lancer 1.6 can be called, perhaps, the best in terms of controllability and accelerated dynamics by a car for $ 15-18 thousand.
As for the characteristics such important for Russian roads as the smoothness of the suspension, here Lancer also seems to be in order for their class. It is harsh, however, but it is stupid to talk about the oak tree. But thanks to the stiffness, turning turns on a more or less even road oh how nice. And, probably this is the most important characteristic, when driving on Lancer you don’t really get tired! Unless after 1-2 hours, the absence of normal sound insulation begins to get a little (alas, this problem is characteristic of almost all inexpensive machines). But here is what is interesting whether people who are so actively buying Lancer are doing correctly (this year he will apparently become the most popular model in Russia). She, by God, I don't know. Lancer is really a good car. However, it is clear that this is a simple and inexpensive machine. Yes, cars such as Mazda3 or Opel Astra, not to mention Volkswagen Golf, better than Lancer. But do not forget about their price. Therefore, it is not surprising that this Japanese car enjoys such a love in Russia. Moreover, he is Japanese 100%. And Lancer’s operating experience says there are no problems with the reliability of this car.
P.S. We have not said anything about perhaps the main competitor of Lancer in the Russian market. About Ford Focus. Recently, Mitsubishi Lancer had a huge advantage in front of him, the Japanese car almost always had, and Focus had to wait for 6-7 months. But, alas, now Mitsubishi does not have this plus. Lancer orders are accepted for November of this year. And it turns out that it is not much less to wait for Lancer than the same Focus. For reference, now Ford dealers are intensively selling FOCUS European assembly in rich trim levels for $ 19-20 thousand. These cars will come in October-November (and ordinary cars from Vsevolozhsk promise to bring in December). 
P.P.S. By the way, note that some Mitsubishi dealers are cunning with prices. They have dollars written in the price list, but later it turns out that one dollar costs a little more than it should. So, if now the rate is 26.7 rubles. For the dollar, when buying Lancer, you will find out that you need to pay at the rate of 27.9 rubles. That is, in the end, Lancer will cost about $ 600 more expensive than you expected. It somehow turns out Source: Auto.mail.ru
