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Mitsubishi Lancer

EPA MPG: 25 mpg
Average Retail Price
$5,725 - $8,375

RECALL ALERT:
There are 2 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.

Road Test

Despite its facelift, the Lancer is an outdated and insubstantial compact sedan. The Mitsubishi's handling is quite agile and the steering is responsive, lending the car a sporty feel. But the ride borders on being too stiff, the engine is noisy, and the brakes were disappointing. The Lancer also had subpar fit and finish, tight rear-seat head room, and mediocre fuel economy.

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2016 Sedans & Hatchbacks Reliability

This Car
NA
vs. Similar Cars

Crash Tests

IIHS Front Moderate Overlap
Good
IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver
Acceptable
IIHS Side Crash
Good
NHTSA Overall Crash
NHTSA Overall Frontal-Crash
NHTSA Overall Side-Crash

Crash Tests

IIHS Front Moderate Overlap
Good
IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver
Acceptable
IIHS Side Crash
Good
NHTSA Overall Crash
NHTSA Overall Frontal-Crash
NHTSA Overall Side-Crash

Mitsubishi vs. Other New Car Brands

Mitsubishi vs. Other New Car Brands

Crash Tests

IIHS Front Moderate Overlap
Good
IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver
Acceptable
IIHS Side Crash
Good
NHTSA Overall Crash
NHTSA Overall Frontal-Crash
NHTSA Overall Side-Crash

2016 Small sedans/hatchbacks Ratings

$5,625 - $8,275
economy-icon
EPA MPG 25 mpg
Road test
Reliability
Owner Satisfaction
$5,750 - $7,425
economy-icon
EPA MPG 34 mpg
Road test
Reliability
Owner Satisfaction
$4,125 - $6,300
economy-icon
EPA MPG 29 mpg
Road test
Reliability
Owner Satisfaction
$4,900 - $5,625
economy-icon
EPA MPG 35 mpg
Road test
Reliability
Owner Satisfaction
$7,050 - $8,800
economy-icon
53 miles
economy-icon
42 mpg
Road test
Reliability
Owner Satisfaction
Features & Specs
Body Style
    sedan
Seating
2 front, 3 rear
Drive Wheels
AWD, Front
Engines Available
  • 2-liter 4 (148 hp)
  • 2.4-liter 4 (168 hp)
Transmissions Available
  • 5-speed manual
  • CVT
Warranty
Coverage varies among versions of this vehicle

In most cases, automotive warranties are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the warranty will be valid regardless of ownership. The dealership can tell you exactly how much warranty is left.

Read more about extended warranties
Model History
2008-
Current Generation

The 2008 Lancer redesign brought great improvements, including a decent ride and fairly agile handling. Its 2.0-liter four-cylinder has good acceleration, but the engine is sluggish from a stop, tends to moan at high revs, and returns uncompetitive fuel economy. The cabin is furnished with drab plastics, but the controls are simple to use. The sporty, AWD Ralliart is quick and agile. But it's also noisier, has a stiff ride, and its automated manual transmission is annoying during all but the most spirited drives. The high-performance Lancer Evolution is a turbocharged all-wheel-drive rally car for the road. It's furiously fast, but grating to live with on a daily basis for drivers who aren't willing to compromise comfort for performance. The Lancer has been discontinued for 2018.

2002-2007
2002 Redesign Year
This iteration of the Lancer is an unimpressive compact sedan. Slow, with clumsy handling and poor ride quality, the model trailed the compact sedan field of its day. While the interior is spacious, the seats are uncomfortable and noise levels are quite high. The model also earned a Poor ranking in IIHS side-crash testing.