Fighting the good fight

There was a time when the Lancer was THE car to have. In a market starved for choices, the box-type Lancer struck a good value with reasonable passenger space, efficient design, an acceptably strong engine, and reliable engineering. So good was the car that some still ply the roads today, more than 15 years past its prime. Then with the Ramos administration came the advent of much-coveted "16 valves" in the Toyota Corolla, and Mitsubishi replied with a multivalve (12, not 16 valve) Lancer that, ahh, looked too much like Michael Jordan’s shoe to be considered attractive. Oh dear.

With the allure of 16 valves giving way to electronic fuel injection, and power everything becoming standard equipment in top-of-the-line variants in the compact car market, the next big thing was some high-tech sounding innovation called "VTEC" and Honda and Toyota soon began battling in earnest for the number 1 sales position. In reply, Mitsubishi came out with a more muscular, more pleasing-to-the-eye Lancer, that would be replaced in 1997 with the angular 3rd generation. Its piece de resistance? "Fuzzy logic" transmission programming dubbed "INVECS". Really nice piece of equipment, actually, but the car would eat the Corolla’s and Civic’s dust at stoplight drag races. So much for that "F1" experience. Against Toyota’s reputation for affordable maintenance costs and Honda’s fashionable prestige appeal, the Lancer would have a hard time keeping up in sales as well. A few years later, it would be updated with "Sports Mode", an "F1-inspired" automatic transmission with "clutchless" manual shifting capability. Very nice. But still not enough to steal the limelight from the Corolla and Civic.

And while Toyota and Honda were quick to match their foe’s moves with timely new model introductions, the Lancer was left to fend off these blows with more and more value-added items like fake wood, bitchin’ stereo systems, and leather upholstery at competitive prices. And what about the Ford Lynx? Can’t underestimate the blue oval boys and girls, either. So it was with bated breath that the public awaited the next generation Lancer.

Finally(!), some excitement to look forward to for Mitsubishi loyalists. Alas, the new car would be an aesthetic dud. With an uncomfortably large, Buick-style grille dominating a low-slung profile, the design turned off many potential buyers that found the Altis and the Civic styles easier to make payments with. And what’s that newcomer from Chevrolet doing getting a slice of the compact car pie as well? This bar fight’s getting really crowded now.

Is it any surprise that, little more than a year after it first debuted, the Lancer is reintroduced with a fresher look? Something more aggressive, more in tune with the market’s tastes? So now it has a "flaring nostril" grille, more accent lines running from the front all the way to the back, and now we see more people wanting to get in and drive it. Maybe even buy it. We can’t say much for the strange crease at the middle edge of the hood, though. It looks for all the world like a, like a… well, it’s just really weird.

Anyway, look inside, park yourself in the driver’s seat, and things improve. Immensely. No, really. This is one of the few cars in its class that has a very charming cabin. Not too plasticky, not baduy, just very pleasant with the crème and caramel color scheme of the seats, door panels, and dashboard. Even the fake wood inserts complement the look instead of cheapening it as it often does in other cars.

Functionally, the Lancer has a very drivable cockpit with a low window beltline and low-profile dashboard that doesn’t impede the view or induce claustrophobia. The large gauges are easy to read, instrument panel controls are intuitive, and the leather upholstery has a very pliant feel that makes you want to just recline the seat and take a nice, long nap. Those cows at the Mitsubishi farm are worth their weight in gold. I could drive in this car all day.

But it will be just a regular day, not a fast one. Whereas top-of-the-line Civic, Optra, and Altis drivers get an automatic engine upgrade (2.0 for the Civic, 1.8 for the Optra and Altis), top-of-the-line MX drivers must make do with a 1.6. Four years ago, a 1.6 would have been the norm, but lately, it’s nothing to brag about. Producing just 110PS at 6,200 rpm and 14.1 kg-m of torque, the SOHC unit revs smoothly and emits a raspy growl that’s full of brawny character. If it made more power, we’d be very impressed, but really, it’s just a decent performer that gets the job done as long as you’re not in too big a hurry.

Making up for the engine is the Continuously Variable Transmission, which is always in the right, simulated "gearing" ratio for whatever engine speed. What a fantastic invention, and in the "Sports Mode" gate, I can bang off 1-2-3 downshifts like a pro. Against Civic 2.0s and Altis 1.8Gs, however, I will have to work much harder to keep up with them, wringing every last watt out of that engine using that CVT. Although the CVT is arguably the smoothest automatic in its class right now, the truth is that transmissions don’t have the irresistible appeal of horses. Among other 1.6-liter cars, of course, the Lancer holds its own, but what an exciting place to be in right now, that segment. Oh well, at least the MX only costs P838,000. And that buys leather, power this and power that, a nice sound system, remote backup sensors, ABS, all-disk brakes, competitive passenger space, and one of the best suspensions in its class.

Lancers have always been fun to drive, and the 2004 model retains that virtue with responsive steering, a well-balanced chassis, and supple suspension tuning that borders on firm. More road rumble makes its way to your bum and through the steering wheel than in other cars, but the upside to the stiffer tuning is a communicative chassis with much road "feel" in the steering wheel, quick turn-in response, and a well-behaved rear end that won’t readily swing wide if, say, you panic-stop on a wet road and are forced to swerve. There is some body roll, of course, but coupled with the almost unimpeded 360-degree view from the driver’s seat, it’s easy to probe the car’s limits on a winding road without crossing yourself up and flying over the guardrails.

Really, the only limitation to getting the most out of the chassis is that motor. On any winding, uphill road, you get the feeling you could be having more fun out of the car if only it had more power. Thankfully, that may soon change. When Mitsubishi unveiled this facelifted Lancer, they also hinted that a 1.8-liter engine would be coming soon (hurray!). And when it comes, we’ll see if the Lancer can throw some serious punches at last.