cars and furious

Future Models - Nissan 2011 Murano

First official look: Nissan chops Murano’s top

Tops-off-roader: Roofless Murano is unlikely to be sold outside the US.

Murano convertible emerges from left-field as Nissan reveals 2011 CrossCabriolet

15 November 2010

IT WAS first seen in a grainy mobile phone image taken at a preview event in North America recently and now Nissan’s 2011 Murano CrossCabriolet has been officially revealed ahead of its world debut at the Los Angeles motor show on Wednesday (November 17).

Ruled out for sale in Australia and likely only ever to be sold in North America, the Murano-based CrossCabriolet combines crossover with convertible body styles in an unexpectedly cohesive way.

According to Nissan North America, which bills its as the world’s first all-wheel drive crossover convertible, the CrossCabriolet “delivers the open-air exhilaration of a convertible while extending the versatility of the Murano in exciting new ways”.

Confirmed for release in the US from early next year and aimed directly at sun-seeking SUV fans in southern California and Florida, the CrossCabriolet comes with just four seats but is claimed to represent “a breakthrough in concept and design” by offering space for golf bags or luggage even with the top down.

Apart from the CrossCabriolet, which Nissan says will feature a premium level interior, the Japanese brand will also use this week’s LA show to debut its Ellure sedan concept, a new Quest people-mover and the production version of the Leaf EV.

While Nissan Australia has committed to releasing what it claims will be the world’s first mass-produced EV here in 2012, there are no plans to introduce the CrossCabriolet, Quest or Ellure Down Under.

Nor does Nissan Australia plan to make available the 2.5dCi diesel version of the Murano that went on sale in Europe in September.

No further details have yet been provided for the CrossCabriolet, which was formally revealed today in a single side profile image, but it is expected to be a V6 petrol-only affair.

Future Models - Land Rover 2012 Range Rover Evoque

Geneva show: Land Rover springs Evoque cabrio

Raising the roof: Although presented as a concept, a decision could be made within weeks to put the Evoque convertible into production.

Range Rover Evoque Convertible to debut in Geneva to assess production future

LAND ROVER could decide within a month whether to build a convertible version of its stylish Range Rover Evoque compact SUV, depending how people react to its surprise debut at next week’s Geneva motor show.

The iconic British brand caught everyone off guard this week by revealing the first photos of the drop-top Evoque, which has been developed under the guidance of Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern.

Describing it as “the world’s first premium convertible SUV”, Land Rover clearly does not regard the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet – which debuted at the Los Angeles motor show back in November 2010 and went on sale in the US last year – as being in the same class.

Believed to weigh only about 75kg more than the Evoque coupe on which it is based, the convertible concept features a fully retractable roof system, a rollover protection system and a drop-down tailgate.

Mr McGovern said the Evoque lent itself to a convertible conversion, with minimal changes to weight and torsional rigidity.

He said the concept would be used at Geneva to gauge reaction and assess the potential of a production model.

“The Evoque lends itself beautifully to the idea of a convertible,” said Mr McGovern.

“This study is not a traditional convertible design execution – instead we have worked with the balance of the Evoque’s lines to retain its distinctive shape and create something that is unique and, we believe, highly desirable.”

He said the Evoque’s distinctive rising waistline and shape have been retained, with the roof housed in a neat tapered finisher and the roof mechanism stowed below the belt-line.

The concept rides on unique 21-inch Titan silver wheels and is finished in a new metallic Causeway Grey paint.

Land Rover global brand director John Edwards said the company was excited to see the response to the concept.

“The Evoque Convertible Concept is a new twist to the Evoque story and explores the potential to further extend the nameplate’s appeal by giving existing customers more choice, while at the same time reaching out to a completely new customer base.”

cars and reviews

Suzuki / Kizashi / Sport AWD sedan

Our opinion

We like

Sharp steering, compliant ride, excellent handling, impressive traction, value for money, attractive styling

Room for improvement

Needs a manual, CVT can be a little slow to respond, Sport model should get a least a little more power and torque, styling not much different to other models

NOT many people expected Suzuki, which is known for making motorbikes, baby cars and small 4WDs, to come up with such a well-sorted medium-sized sedan as Kizashi.

The all-wheel-drive Sport version of the Kizashi pushes the model even further, and while it isn’t perfect, is a great car to drive in many conditions, thanks to its intelligent AWD system and the brilliant chassis set-up.

Suzuki Australia was keen to demonstrate the capability of the AWD system, so it launched the car in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Several hours of the drive were spent on a large expanse of snow at the Ski Farm vehicle testing park.

While the cars were fitted with chunkier snow tyres, the activity showed the strength of the AWD system.

One particular demonstration had us attempt to drive up a snow covered incline in front-drive mode. It was incredibly slow going and almost impossible to get up. Of course, switched to AWD the Kizashi managed it quite easily, as long as you were prepared to go easy on the throttle.

It was also fun to powerslide the Kizashi around in a safe environment. While fairly pointless, this proved just how well set up and how predictable the Kizashi Sport is.

It also performed extremely well on the way up to the Snow Farm on a twisty dirt road – used for the Race to The Sky rally – and some similarly twisty tarmac roads.

The standard Kizashi is a well-balanced vehicle, but the 10mm lower suspension and AWD system make it an absolute cracker.

It is a real treat, turning in just as you direct it to and sitting nice and flat in the turns.

Despite its sports intent, the suspension is not rock hard; the ride is extremely comfortable, but there is little pitch and roll.

An extremely bumpy road generated some steering rack rattle, but it only happened twice, otherwise the steering is good.

The AWD system gives this Suzuki a sure-footed feel. It seems to calculate a lack of grip quickly and intervene accordingly, sending 50 per cent of the drive torque to the rear wheels under acceleration (with a 20 per cent throttle opening).

The Kizashi Sport is a fun drive, but it would be a lot more fun if it had a manual version and an engine with a bit more punch.

The AWD Sport is available only with an efficient continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). It works quite well in most conditions and was more than adequate in city traffic.

Pushed hard, the slurring of the CVT starts to spoil the drive. It can also take a while to respond and the driver has to wait for it to adjust and deliver more power after a slow corner.

After a while, you can adjust to get on the throttle earlier in the corner, but this is not ideal.

There is a ‘manual’ mode, and while this helps to simulate a manual gearbox, it doesn’t hold a gear, and can still be a bit slow to get going.

A manual transmission would allow control of the revs to pull out of those corners much faster. It also spares the ears the slurring the CVT controlled engine makes – not a pleasing tune.

On a positive note, the steering-wheel paddle shifters are easy to use, and the regular gear shifter is set up intuitively (moving it forward changes down and moving it back changes up).

The engine is adequate for most applications. It is generally smooth, although it can get generate some unpleasant vibrations nudging 4000rpm under load in some conditions.

Overall it is a reasonably torquey powerplant. However, this car has a Sport badge on it so we were disappointed there was not any extra grunt.

A turbocharger would be at the top of the wish list, but even an extra 10kW and 20Nm would probably make a considerable difference.

The car’s excellent handling only increases the desire for more herbs and spices.

Even after a day of merciless flogging, the fuel consumption average sat at 9.9 litres per 100km – and excellent result, given that the engine was working hard all day.

The standard Kizashi is an attractive car and the Sport is too, but they would need to be parked side by side to tell them apart. The Sport adds an extra dash of aggression, making in, in our opinion, the best looking mid-sized car by a considerable margin.

The interior is not overtly stylish, but modern and attractive, with everything is in the right place. It has a mix of metal-look trim sections, a black dashboard and doors and cream trim from the pillars upwards.

The front seats are fairly supportive, but they aren’t full on buckets. It is also comfortable in the back with lots of leg and headroom.

The front leather seats are electrically adjustable and, importantly in a Queenstown winter, have a heating function.

The AWD Sport Kizashi is well loaded with gear for the price. The sound system, with its huge rear subwoofer, is quite powerful. Sunroof, Bluetooth connectivity, bright HID light, dual-zone climate control and a key system which lets you get in and start without taking the key out of your pocket make this Kizashi easy to live with.

The Kizashi Sport is a convincing car and great value for money. I would love to have one as a comfortable daily driver, and weekend fun machine, but I couldn’t do it unless a manual version became available.

Some people won’t mind the CVT and might not push it so hard so often. For them, the Kizashi Sport AWD is a good buy, especially given it has the extra security of AWD in wet conditions, on snow and gravel.

Suzuki / Grand Vitara / range

Our opinion

We like

Refinement, smooth new 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder, V6 performance, off-road ability

Room for improvement

Lack of cargo space, auto transmissions, ground clearance

ALTHOUGH market analysts can be wrong, they will argue that people who buy a compact SUV do not strictly-speaking drive them off-road. They are buying a station wagon that sits them higher than a car in traffic for better visibility and has a higher hip point, making it easier to get in and out of.

They also want four-wheel drive, so that they have a suitable traction system to handle the occasional jaunt to the snow or a slippery gravel road, or simply for added confidence in wet or greasy conditions.

Where image is concerned, with a compact SUV you can say to the world that you may have a healthy outdoors lifestyle - without hurting the environment - even if you only spend most of your time sitting in traffic eating cream buns and burning large quantities of fuel.

Yet Suzuki has stayed true to its off-road origins by continuing to offer a civilised, compact SUV that also has the hardware to go off-road.

While we would hate to see Suzuki lose the off-road features it has (such as dual-range full-time 4WD), it's fair to say that the greatest sales volume in this segment is generated by products that provide much less off-road ability.

With this first upgrade of the third-generation model - just three years after introduction - Suzuki has made an effort to improve the Grand Vitara’s performance and refinement. To make it more like its competition, in other words - without losing its rugged nature.

The new 2.4-litre is very linear in its power delivery, with tractable low-rpm performance and smooth revving nature at high rpm. It gets a little raucous from around 5000rpm on its way to the 6500rpm cut-out.

The carry-over turbo-diesel engine, with its new dual-mass flywheel, is much smoother - athough it is still not the quietest diesel in the business.

The new 3.2-litre V6 is a much better engine than the 2.7-litre it replaces. It has a clear improvement in power but like Suzuki V6s ever since the 2.0-litre V6 in the first Grand Vitara, mid-range torque does not seem its strong suit. Perhaps we’re spoilt by the current crop of mega-torque turbo-diesels.

Maybe the way the automatic transmission operates has something to do with the V6’s apparent lack of torque.

The five-speed auto seems to have the right pick of ratios and in Drive it is a very smooth, subtle shifter. However, it simply won’t reach into the power band on kickdown though, resulting in sluggish overtaking performance.

Once you discover the ‘Power’ button (hidden from the driver’s view on the left side of the gear selector) the V6 comes alive with a deep lunge into the rev band. The high-revving nature of the engine rewards with quick - if not RAV4 V6-quick - results.

The auto’s gated lever is not the best of this type, with gears awkward to select manually and in the five-speed auto both second and third gears share a slot – meaning you cannot hold second gear - the transmission will eventually shift to third gear.

The five-speed manual, standard in the 2.4-litre (and the only transmission for the turbo-diesel), is direct enough but does have a tendency to baulk in the one-two plane under quick gearchanges and the shifter has side-to-side movement not normally associated with the most recent manual gearboxes. Not bad, but not brilliant either.

The four-speed auto (optional in the 2.4) really is crying out for another ratio. The gap between first and second gear (about 2000rpm) is too wide and the 2.4 struggles to find the power or torque at the right time.

The Grand Vitara seems large enough for a couple or a couple with young children, but otherwise it becomes a stretch for interior space.

There seem a few elements of the interior that are surprisingly old-school for a three-year-old design.

For example, where many other manufacturers have a seat back that folds onto a compact seat base to present a flat long load floor, the Grand Vitara’s rear seat double folds to rest against the back of the front seats - and has a strap to hold it in place, just like most of the SUV wagons of the 1990s did.

Even though Suzuki appears to have made the seat back and base as slim as possible, this design just doesn’t allow the cargo space that other more clever designs do.

Another design issue is that the rear seat is set back between the wheel wells, making the rear seat narrow for three occupants. Most new designs place the rear seat ahead of the wheel wells, allowing a wider seat and better access, too.

Cargo space is acceptable, given that the Grand Vitara is a slimmer compact SUV than some other compacts that have seemingly morphed into medium SUVs. There is a low loading lip, four tie-down points and four hooks on the cargo walls.

Despite a rear seat that is on the narrow side and feels more like a perch than a lounge, it is all comfy goodness up in the front. The bucket seats are supportive and comfortable for long stints on the rough roads served up in the Northern Territory.

The perceived quality of the Grand Vitara doesn’t seem quite as good as some of its competitors. Yet on the launch - despite more than 300km bone-shaking rough NT roads - we experienced no problems.

The Grand Vitara is not the most dynamic compact in its class, with a front-end that prefers to run wide with a fair degree of bodyroll and while the steering is direct enough, it could offer better road feel. The story is better with the optional 18-inch wheels, but the Grand Vitara’s chassis is built for comfort, not fast cornering.

That does not mean that the Grand Vitara is like an SUV of old to drive - it can be turned-in nicely in tight dirt corners. It’s better than a RAV4, but like the RAV4, the Bridgestone Dueler tyres don’t seem to do any favours for grip.

Ride quality and body rigidity appear to be very good. We tested the new model on the Mereenie Loop Road - one of the worst possible dirt road surfaces you could expect to encounter, with corrugations, bulldust holds and potholes - and the Grand Vitatra took it in its stride.

Although the three-door has a 200mm shorter wheelbase, it feels almost as planted on the road as the five-door, which is not always the case with a short-wheelbase model.

The standard stability control - which is not as intrusive as other stability control systems - quells any wayward behaviour anyway. ESP is switchable in high range at speeds up to 30km/h - beyond which is permanently on. ESP deactivates entirely in low-range, although traction control remains on.

The off-road performance of the Grand Vitara is very good, although the low-range reduction is not quite what it could be on the V6. The V6’s hill descent control is worth using, as without it the high-revving V6 doesn’t have quite enough engine braking and will run away on steeper stuff.

Bumpy high-crown roads can be problematic with the Grand Vitara because it doesn’t have a surfeit of clearance to begin with and as the independent suspension compresses, clearance is even less. The exhaust is quite low at the break-over point and the three-door’s rear muffler also is exposed.

The inclusion of traction control will make a doddle of steep climbs, on which the previous model’s open front and rear diffs would cause the Grand Vitara to come to a halt. While the river sand we drove though at the Finke River did not present any problems, the traction control may become too intrusive for deep sand driving.

There might be bigger, faster and sportier SUV compacts but none offer the blend of versatility that the Grand Vitara does. More luggage space would endear it more to families and no matter what Suzuki does, the hard-core off-roaders will never be quite be happy with it.

Yet if you do drive on steep, slippery state forest tracks on the weekend but want a smooth, user-friendly city car, it would be hard to go past the Grand Vitara, especially in new 2.4-litre form.

hot cars with girls

Mitsubishi / Lancer / sedan range

Our opinion

We like

Standard stability control, high levels of equipment, smooth engine, improved handling

Room for improvement

Flat seats in ES and VR models, louder than expected tyre noise, CVT feels sluggish

MITSUBISHI's redesigned Lancer sedan gains the upper hand in the small car class before you even turn the key.

By including electronic stability control across the range with a starting price of $20,990, Mitsubishi has taken the high ground when it comes to safety.

It’s a bold move, and one that should be commended, especially when ESC is not even available as an option for the all-new Toyota Corolla range.

Whether or not stability control is high enough on the priority lists of small car buyers remains to be seen.

The evidence so far suggests that they don’t care enough about safety to cough up extra cash, but ESC is becoming better known and awareness campaigns such as the one run by the TAC in Victoria seem to be changing attitudes.

Most fleet operators have previously been opposed to safety features that add cost, but that’s also changing as vehicle safety is increasingly seen as a part of occupational health and safety obligations.

A feature that is more likely to appeal to small car customers is the cruise control that is standard on all Lancers.

It is amazing to think that Mitsubishi can include this demerit point and money-saving feature for a $20,990 car, when the $36,490 Ford Focus XR5 goes without it.

The styling of the Lancer is likely to lure quite a few buyers into showrooms.

It looks good is base form, although at this week’s launch near Canberra the base cars were fitted with alloy-rims from the dealer accessory catalogue.

The VRX, which looks like slightly toned-down version of the Evo, will appeal to a lot of younger drivers who traditionally buy Lancers and then weigh them down with a full outfit of plastic skirts and spoilers.

With that brutal nose, the slit headlights and overt bodykit, the VRX comes pre-made as a boy-racer – just add a big exhaust.

So the Lancer ticks all the boxes for safety, equipment and appearance, but what about the drive experience?

Well, it’s actually pretty good.

A Ford Focus still handles better and feels faster, but this Lancer drives pretty well and is a big improvement over the last car.

When you drove the base model of the previous Lancer, it really a bland experience and there was a whiff of cheapness that just wouldn’t go away.

Its steering was rubbery, the suspension was too soft and the car just felt rather second rate.

The new car feels quite well tied down.

Its steering doesn’t set new standards, but is well weighted and gives a reasonable amount of feedback.

The suspension is well tuned and the car was well composed on some rough country roads on the launch.

Its body control is quite good, there is very little bodyroll and the car feels much more solid than the last.

I was expecting to notice a big difference between the way the sport-tuned VRX and the two lesser models handled, but it was not obvious.

There was perhaps a slightly sharper feel to the steering, thanks to the lower-profile tyres, but the ride comfort was not affected much and the VRX didn’t seem to handle all that much better.

That isn’t a big problem because the base car already handles well enough, although you would expect the cars to have a more obvious character differences.

None of them felt particularly harsh when it came to ride comfort.

They feel firmer than previous Lancer models, but not harsh, even on rougher roads.

Tyre noise, especially on the coarse-chip tarmac used in the country, was quire noticeable. It can cause quite a roar and wind-noise around the A-pillar was also present.

The new 2.0-litre engine is a good thing, with quite a lot of torque on tap. It’s smooth and rather quiet.

You can rev it right out, but there really isn’t all that much grunt up the top of the rev range.

The five-speed manual is a decent gearbox and is the best option for getting the most out of the engine.

The Lancer’s CVT automatic is better than many on the market.

The slurring sound of the adjusting gear ratios can be off-putting when you are really pushing the car along, but it is not all that loud when you are driving normally.

It does feel quite slow to get going with this transmission in some conditions and the performance figures show the automatic is one second slower 0-100km/h.

The pre-set gear ratio in manual mode for the auto doesn’t seem to help much.

Owners may enjoy showing the metal gearshift paddles of the VRX automatic to their friends, but it’s unlikely they will use them much after the initial novelty has worn off.

Fuel economy from the test drive came in at around 8.0L/100km, which is pretty good when you consider we were revving the engine out a fair amount to get a feel for it.

The cabin room of the Lancer is excellent and is best described as cavernous.

Rear passengers enjoy plenty of headroom and legroom. As with almost all cars these days the middle seat of the second row is very uncomfortable, thanks to a fold-down armrest that retracts into the back cushion.

The seats in the two base models are reasonably flat and unsupportive, but the VRX seats gain larger side bolsters which are much better.

The split/folding rear seat opens up a large storage area and the boot is big as well.

Interior quality has never been a highpoint for Lancers.

The new one is better, although it is probably not the best around.

It has a fairly simple, logical layout and looks fine.

The plastics are all hard, and some sections have a slightly budget look, but the general appearance is of a good quality car.

The only real noticeable difference between the two lower models and the VRX is a metal-look dashboard and door strip that is replaced by a carbon-fibre look section.

Mitsubishi says the VRX also gets a different seat trim, but you could have fooled us.

Both are black with a white specked pattern and few people will be able to pick the difference.

Apart from the bold bodykit and wheels, there is not a heap that distinguishes the VRX from the mid-spec VR model, unless you use a Bluetooth phone or like the gimmick of the keyless entry and start.

The VRX also gets the automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, but I don’t have a huge issue with turning on the headlights myself or flicking on the windscreen wipers when it starts to rain.

One option that drivers who like their music should examine is the premium Rockford Fosgate sound system, which sounds brilliant.

Given that the Lancer sound system head-unit is integrated, choosing the factory option is the only way to dramatically improve sound without having to cut into the dashboard to fit a different head-unit.

Sound systems can be awfully expensive too, so spending $750 is not all that much.

Mitsubishi / Lancer / Ralliart range

Our opinion

We like

SST dual-clutch gearbox, styling, performance, comfort, versatility, safety, grip, reputation, value, five-year warranty

Room for improvement

No steering column reach adjustability, shiny black dash trim cheapens cabin, some road noise intrusion, sedan’s vision-obstructing rear spoiler, some slight steering rack rattle, no manual availability

AUDI’S seminal 1980 Ur-Quattro started it and the Ford KE-KH Laser TX3 and Mazda BF 323 Turbo 4WD twins brought the concept to the mainstream, but we have to thank Mitsubishi for truly kicking off the definitive and practical affordable forced-induction all-wheel drive pocket-rocket package in Australia.

Some 15 crucial months before Subaru hijacked the idea with its epochal Impreza WRX (little more than a scaled-down version of its 1991 Liberty RS Turbo, it must be said in Subaru’s defence), the CC Lancer GSR Turbo 4WD stunned recession-weary small-car buyers in October 1992 by sheer virtue of its formidable performance and all-weather grip.

That Mitsubishi introduced the GSR four-door sedan at a giveaway $28,960 (almost the same price as a Toyota Camry CSi) gives you some idea of how sensational the fastest Lancer of the time really was.

A skyrocketing Japanese currency soon put paid to the Mitsubishi’s price advantage, and eventually helped kill the car when the all-new CE Lancer lobbed in during 1996, but the GSR still holds a special place for bargain-performance car lovers.

In 2008, Mitsubishi is trying to rekindle some of this love, and show upstarts like the WRX and Golf GTI (only worthy of its reputation in Australia since 2005) with the Ralliart.

Let’s start with its static virtues and vices.

The Ralliart’s even-sharkier nose and bonnet treatment lift this above bread-and-butter Lancers for sure, and the Sportback’s high-set hatch spoiler looks better in our opinion than the sedan’s rather too-ostentatious (and vision-impeding) boot-mounted item.

It’s too bad there aren’t sexier alloys either, as the VRX items are more ‘Verada’ than va-va voom.

Inside, it’s a similar story, with the CJ Lancer’s neat if slightly dull dashboard doing little to add the same sense of occasion as, say, the camp tartan trimming the interior of a Golf GTI. Shiny black plastic just doesn’t cut it on a $40K-plus car. Sorry, Mitsubishi.

But other than restricted reversing vision (spoilt on the Sportback by its thick pillars) and an occasionally rattly steering column that will tilt yet not reach, the driving position is fine, and the seats amply supportive.

They need to be, because the Ralliart lives up to its name by liking corners, on all manner of road surfaces.

Ours were mostly dry with only the occasionally damp patch and one loose track bit experienced during our 200km-odd driving session, but we came away secure in the Mitsubishi’s mighty all-wheel drive grip.

Thrown into a fast, sharp corner, and the Ralliart’s attitude centred on the neutral, keeping calm and composed despite the speed in which the turn was taken.

Body control is one of this car’s greatest assets, as is a steering set-up that is nicely weighted and quite instantaneous in its reactions. If only Mitsubishi could dial in a bit more feel from the helm.

Initial acceleration in the admittedly low-mileage test cars was more sparkling than startling (and we are willing to swear that the 35kg lighter sedan seems sprightlier than the porky Sportback), but the turbocharged 4WD Lancer is still an extremely swift and smooth cruiser anyway, easily coping with all manner of sealed roads while stealthily tracking along at quite illegal speeds, in the manner of a much larger vehicle.

Adding to this is the super-slick workings of the TC-SST dual-clutch sequential gearbox, which lives up to expectations as an ideal compromise between a conventional automatic and manual gearbox. The paddle shifters are well placed too.

Maybe it’s the almost 1600kg weight of the Sportback, blunted by the AWD system and held back by the tenacious hold of the rubber, but getting the most out of the Ralliart’s performance by flooring it constantly has obvious fuel consumption consequences.

On the other hand, we really did enjoy exploring the power and driving dynamics of this particular Lancer, and realise that 12.5 to 13.5L/100km is not too bad a figure for a car capable of 220km/h.

Certain bitumen types betrayed the Ralliart’s road-noise deadening abilities, though, but this wasn’t always the case on the rural roads we drove on. A test in more built-up urban areas is needed as well, since we found little to complain about with this car’s ride quality.

Like the low-key styling, the attributes of the fastest Lancer this side of the heroic Evolution X takes time to fully realise and appreciate.

The more we drove in it, the more apparent it became that, for the outlay, the Ralliart does offer an outstanding alternative to the WRX as well as its hot-hatch rivals.

If you loved the idea of the original Lancer GSR from all those years ago, then the reborn CJ Lancer version makes for a fitting successor.

Mitsubishi / Lancer / ES sedan

Our opinion

We like

Styling, safety, practicality, eager handling, sporty engine performance, great fuel economy, value, long warranty

Room for improvement

Lots of road noise, low-speed dynamic finesse falters at speed, firm ride

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS 29/02/2008

SOME car-makers would kill to have the Mitsubishi Lancer’s slightly renegade reputation.

Always a little rough around the edges, this most masculine of small-cars has been a proven rally champion since its 1974 Aussie inception, and maintained a somewhat roguish appeal through its turbo-charged 4WD Evolution incarnations in the 1990s and today, despite the pseudo Celica Lancer Liftback series of 1977 to 1981.

Indeed, speak to any kid raised on a Playstation Gran Turismo and they’ll tell you that the Lancer has the street cred to cut it.

Like somebody’s cocky kid brother, the Lancer has long lacked the final polish and social graces to win road test comparisons. Raffish against a Corolla, uncouth compared to a Mazda3, even the rather dowdy previous-generation CG/CH series drove to its own beat.

So has any of this boyish charm changed with the CJ series released late last year?

Well, stylistically speaking, the pudginess of the previous model has given way to a handsome four-door sedan with a very Alfa 156 profile, an aristocratic nose (to more gently snuff out wayward pedestrians), rising feature line in profile and wide track wheelarches that improve the Lancer’s road stance out of sight.

And Italy-meets-Magna is the only way you’d describe the distinctly Japanese matching front and rear-end graphics.

For the record, the car’s shadow is 35mm longer and 65mm wider than before, with the wheelbase and front and rear track having also grown accordingly.

The interior is instantly familiar to anybody who has sat in a current model Outlander SUV. Both share the same platform, with the Lancer also adopting much of its cabin architecture.

(In fact, the CJ Lancer series shares its platform with the Outlander compact SUV, as well as the Dodge Caliber hatch and Avenger sedan, Chrysler Sebring, Jeep Patroit and Jeep Compass compact SUVs.)

Hmm... lots of (albeit well-made) hard black plastics surfaces, relieved by a concerted effort in symmetry, minimalism and metallic-style horizontal trim spearing from door to door across the appealingly modern facia.

In fact the whole dashboard works well, with easy reach of the audio controls in the upper half of the console (flanked by a pair of effective ventilation outlets) and a most generic set of heater, ventilation and air-conditioning controls below. It all looks classy lit up at night too.

Very Alfa-esque too is the cowled instrumentation binnacle, housing a nicely designed speedometer on the left and a 6500rpm-redlined tachometer to the right, with an electronic display for temperature, fuel, trip and odometer-related information. It’s even illuminated in the same red as you’d find in a 147 or 156. Very smart indeed.

What isn’t so clever is the upper console digital display that is all but impossible to read in direct sunlight or when the headlights are turned on during the day. You can’t increase the illumination either.

However, a decent sized glovebox, lots of slots for bits and pieces, large exterior mirrors and a comfortable driving position shows that Mitsubishi hasn’t taken its eye off the important aspects of interior design and layout.

Four overhead grab-handles, a very Euro-style lane-change indicator function and a nicely integrated audio set-up further enhance the Lancer inside.

The front seats are broad if a little flat in support (offering no lumber adjustment is an oversight), but the driver’s is height adjustable, the good looking T-spoke steering wheel of perfect size tilts, and there is just about enough space up front for even the tallest folk.

In the back, there is also agreeable room for two adults and a small kid, backed up by lots of leg space, a decent amount of shoulder and headroom, and head restraints and a lap/sash seatbelt for all three.

Mitsubishi says that there is more space overall inside the CJ Lancer than there is in the 1985 to 1991 first-generation TM-TP Magna sedan.

The 400-litre capacity boot is backed up by a split-fold rear seat that makes the most of the cargo space this car offers, although the rear backrests only fall onto the cushion, resulting in a non-flat load area into the cabin. The aperture into the boot is quite small too.

On the road, the eager yet extremely economical 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine proves that Mitsubishi has learnt much from its years in competition.

Rorty, revvy and punchy, with a wide spread of torque to draw upon, it endows the Lancer with almost hot-hatch vigour when coupled with a slick and easy short-throw five-speed manual gearbox and well-measured light clutch that make light work of rowing the Lancer along.

The Mitsubishi’s real world acceleration feels faster than the official figures suggest – the manual ES sprints to 100km/h in 9.5 seconds on the way to a 200km/h top speed – particularly once on the move.

Surprisingly quick and communicative steering and a flat attitude to cornering further cement the Lancer’s driver-orientated attitude, aided by plenty of grip from the front wheels, a rear-end that likes to stick to the road, and a general poise and balance that urges keener drivers to push on harder.

However, as speeds build, the Lancer begins to lose composure, and can become a little ragged through quicker corners.

The driver needs to be attentive with constant steering corrections in order to maintain fluid progress, while the steering does not quite impart the same sort of confidence promised at lower velocities. And while grip isn’t lost easily at all, a nice clean cornering line can be.

Perhaps the Yokohama Advan 206/60R16 tyres are letting the side down a bit, but the Lancer loses any air of sophistication that its complex multi-link rear suspension specification might suggest.

Plus, the ride, while firm and absorbent, isn’t as supple as the comfiest small cars (Ford Focus, VW Golf, Nissan Tiida and Mazda3), lacking their ability to smother most road imperfections.

And there is far too much road noise coming into the cabin. Perhaps the Mazda 3 inspired the Lancer a tad too much in this regard. On the other hand, the sporty signature-Lancer exhaust note can be quite appealing to some.

In our estimation, the Mitsubishi stands with the Mazda and Focus as the most desirable small sedans available at the price.

Along with dual front airbags, the company should be congratulated for fitting ESC stability and traction control and a knee area airbag as standard equipment, and offers the added safety of side and curtain airbags for a miniscule $800 extra.

With even the base model ES (tested here) also including cruise control, air-conditioning, power windows, electric mirrors, CD/MP3 compatible audio and a comprehensive trip computer display, the Lancer cements its position among the top three small-cars for value as well.

Right now, we can’t think of a better-looking sedan in that class either.

Still a tad rambunctious, Mitsubishi’s once-adolescent Lancer is now a more sophisticated but never boring and still extremely likable young larrikin.