Back to basics: Mitsubishi Lancer GLX

MANILA, Philippines - The Lancer EX GT-A is a very nice car. It looks confident, has a nice ride, a smooth drivetrain, and comes with so many expensive goodies. Yet take away a lot of the GT-A’s bells and whistles and you’re left with a lightweight “GLX” compact that goes zipadeedoodah all day. The SRP is P990,000, but lately it’s been moving along with a rather hefty discount, selling at just P860,000.

The GLX makes do with 16-inch, 60-series wheels and tires, fabric upholstery, no sunroof, no map lights, no subwoofer, a softer suspension, and 65 kilos in weight loss compared to a stick shift GT, or a whopping 95 kilos from the CVT-equipped GT-A.

What’s kept are the smooth 2000cc 4B11 DOHC engine, a 5-speed manual, and the basic chassis that makes the GT-A such a pleasant car in the first place. Stripped of all the avurdupois, the GLX positively scoots forward at the slightest prod of the accelerator. There’s nothing fancy about the rubber shifter, but the clutch is light and progressive and the shift gates are well-defined. In traffic it’s easy to get used to shifting for yourself. On the highway this thing is fun. Acceleration is very good both off the line and midrange. Fifth gear has enough grunt that you can quickly overtake on the highway anywhere from 80 to 160kph. For more excitement, pop it into 4th and watch other compact cars recede in your rearview mirror.

Just as importantly, the engine is a willing partner in crime. Perceived noise, vibration, and harshness levels are low, and the light flywheel lets it climb up the tachometer with little hint of stress. The exhaust makes a muted growl, and what you mostly hear is the turbine-like whine of the engine, hinting that it could work hard all day. The 5-speed’s ratios are just right for Philippine conditions. There’s no flat spot working up and down the gears, and the only way it could be improved is if it had a 6th gear for highway cruising.

Aesthetically speaking, the car is a bit of a straw man. The fighter plane front fascia is let down by the modest wheels, and the faux wood trim of the cabin just further highlights the cheap, hard plastics of the cabin. The soft suspension also has noticeable dive, squat, and roll if you don’t finesse your moves. On the other hand, buyers who like their cars to ride softly may actually think the GLX is tuned just right.

The steering is still precise and tracks nicely at speed, though the cheap urethane wheel is another cost-cutting measure. At a time when even subcompacts have integrated stereo controls on the steering wheel, the bare spokes of the GLX’s take some getting used to. The stereo also loses the subwoofer and makes do with a single in-dash CD player, but sound quality is still acceptable. A word of caution for those who travel with a lot of stuff: the trunk isn’t as roomy as it could be because of the full-size spare. The trunk floor is high, which means loading large objects such as strollers and full-size suitcases will be a challenge.

Then again, it’s only P870,000 as of press time. For a 2000cc-equipped car with most of the basic features you’d expect these days, an aftermarket wheel/tire and suspension upgrade will still have you saving more than if you’d had to spring for a million-buck compact. It actually kind of reminds me of the mid-90’s era Lancer GLXi; fun, predictable, reliable, upgradeable. Except that this one has a lot more power and smoothness to begin with.

The Good

Light and zippy performance.

Smooth and refined drivetrain.

Stable at speed.

Comfortable ride.

The Bad

Plasticky interior.

Small-ish trunk.

The Verdict

A quick, value-priced compact that’s fun to drive.