Simple and efficient, and that’s just fine with me
The Mitsubishi Lancer GT AWC offers a comfortable ride and sporty elements
When you are behind the wheel of the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer GT AWC, you pray to the weather gods for snow. Lots of it.
Because that would have allowed me to test the All-Wheel Control system in the powdery wonderfulness of winter.
Instead, all I got were bonechilling temperatures flirting with -30 C — but not a flake of snow. The only white that week was on my knuckles every time I turned the ignition and hoped the Lancer would start. Thankfully, it turned over every time.
The GT AWC is near the top for the Lancer lineup, below the Lancer Ralliart and Evolution, with a starting price of $27,998 before freight and taxes. The introductory trim, the Lancer DE, starts at $15,498 with a five-speed manual transmission.
Opting for the GT AWC model means you get a fully equipped vehicle, including traction and stability control, ABS brakes, 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps, leather seats, heated front seats, automatic climate control, Sirius satellite radio and Bluetooth. Design
The most notable design element on the Lancer GT AWC is hard to miss.
Extending high above the trunk lid is a large spoiler that cuts right across the middle of the back windshield. While this looks good to some, the one universal truth about the spoiler is that it somewhat interferes with a driver’s rearward vision.
The GT and GT AWC stand out in the Lancer lineup even more thanks to a unique fascia. The centre part of the front end is blacked out and surrounded by chrome trim, giving a more aggressive presence.
Other than that, the Lancer GT AWC is pretty much the same as the other vehicles in the family. That means it in- corporates a highly tapered hood and rising beltline, giving it a sporty appearance. Flared skirts under the front bumper and down the length of the body enhance the look.
Inside, the Lancer’s cabin is simple and straightforward — and there is something to be said about that approach.
Centre-stack controls are easy to operate since they use a simple setup of three large dials for climate controls. The upper portion of the centre stack is reserved for the radio controls — while the volume and tuning buttons are rather small, they are functional.
The gauge cluster is nicely backlit, and the steeringwheel-mounted controls — radio, cruise control, Bluetooth — come in handy. Performance
The Lancer has two available engines. The smaller is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder (148 horsepower) in the DE, SE and 10th anniversary trims.
In the SE AWC, GT and GT AWC setup, the Lancer is equipped with the larger 2.4L inline four-cylinder engine. It delivers 168 horsepower and 167 foot-pounds of torque in an effective manner and is paired with a continuously variable transmission on the GT AWC I drove. For lovers of manual gearbox, none is available at this trim level.
That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the CVT, helped along by the steering-wheelmounted paddle shifters.
Fuel efficiency is estimated at 9.2 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 6.9 L/100 km on the highway. My testing revealed 14.7 L/100 km in mostly city driving.
The AWC can be controlled via a toggle switch in the centre console right behind the shifter. There are three settings: Two-wheel drive, fourwheel drive lock and fourwheel drive auto, which lets the onboard computer figure out when to kick in.
Driving/utility
The Lancer creaked and groaned a bit, but I blame that on arctic temperatures that had my eyelids nearly freezing shut as I walked.
Once all warm and toasty, the Lancer went back to being rattle-free.
Thanks to the AWC and other driving aids, I didn’t find myself slipping around much despite the ice that littered many streets in Montreal.
The back seat presents an okay amount of room for occupants. The trunk is on the smaller side, with 11.8 cubic feet of space available.
On the whole, I enjoyed my time with the Lancer — even if Mother Nature conspired to hold off the snow but turn the car into an icicle.
Mitsubishi keeps things pretty simple and that is just fine by me.