2017 Mitsubishi Lancer: Goodbye after 44 years
Say hello to the 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer and wish it farewell. Overshadowed for years by perennial favorites and fast-charging newcomers, the 2017 model is the compact car’s last offering.
Mitsubishi will continue to emphasize its popular sport utility vehicle and crossover lineup, and Lancer production will end in August.
For its final year, the Lancer has improved technology. A rearview camera and 6.1-inch center screen comes standard, but the updates won’t reach many buyers. With competitors like the Honda Civic, Mazda3, Subaru Impreza, Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte, the Lancer has lost its luster. The car was purchased 6 million times in its first 35 years, but only 14,304 were sold in 2016.
Manufactured since 1973, the Mitsubishi Lancer has arguably had more names than any car, from the Dodge/Plymouth Colt to the Galant Fortis and the Eagle Summit to the Soueast Lioncel and a slew of other monikers. Derived from the name of a cavalry soldier armed with a lance, Lancer is an odd name, and it never helped the disappearing car’s image.
I drove the top-line Lancer SEL. Equipped with a 2.4-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine with a 148 horsepower, it accelerates from 0-60 miles per hour in 8.0 seconds. It’s a sluggish feat with an unsatisfying continuously variable transmission.
The SEL trim includes the lengthy collection of standard features from the ES and SE models. It also has a strong list of upgrades: Automatic headlights, automatic wipers, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, upgraded interior trim, leather upholstery and a leatherwrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
The optional Sun and Sound Package ($1,500) features a power glass sunroof, an impressive Rockford Fosgate audio system with nine speakers, including a monstrous subwoofer in the trunk. It pushes the price to slightly more than $24,000.
The Lancer is frustrating. Its exterior is attractive, with sharp-angled
lines, a modern headlight set-up and handsome wheels. It’s also comfortable and provides good overall space for front and back seat occupants.
And give Mitsubishi credit. The Lancer has an electronically controlled all-wheel drive system called All Wheel Control. It’s a rare feature among compact sedans. Mitsubishi also joins Hyundai and Kia by offering a 10-year, 100,000mile powertrain warranty, the best in the industry.
Safety considerations are generous, too. Seven airbags, including a driver’s side knee airbag, dual-stage front airbags, front seat mounted side-impact airbags and front and rear curtain side airbags are more than rivals’ equipment.
Anti-lock braking, active stability control, traction control, tire pressure monitoring system, engine immobilizer and an anti-theft security alarm system are also in the mix.
But that’s about it for positive attributes. While handling is satisfactory, the Lancer’s overall ride is rough and loud. Every bump in the road is felt, more prominently for back seat occupants. Its gas mileage averages are 23 miles per gallon in city driving and 30 miles per gallon on the freeway. Most competitors do better.
The Lancer’s interior is a mix of plainness and cheap-looking plastic. A small trunk (12.3 cubic feet) gets smaller (11.8 cubic feet) with the massive subwoofer installed. The 60/40-split rear seatbacks help alleviate some cargo space limitations.
Mitsubishi took the basics and added a few unexpected niceties. But the combination doesn’t help the Lancer get closer to its top-selling competitors, and it’s bowing out after a long run.
That leaves one potential upside. Vintage cars with less-than-sterling reputations sometimes become collectors’ joys. The Rambler American, AMC Pacer and Pontiac Aztec come to mind. In 25 years, maybe the Mitsubishi Lancer will also be looked upon as a desirable relic of yesteryear.
James Raia, a syndicated automotive columnist based in Sacramento, has published the website theweeklydriver.com since 2004. If you have a comment, story idea or own a vehicle you’d like featured, contact the author via email: james@ jamesraia.com.