2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS

What do compact cars and NASCAR have in common? Pit strategy, perhaps. Sometimes, a racer running in mid pack will roll the dice, coming in on a different pit stop sequence than his competitors. If you catch a break—say a caution flag appears—and the next thing you know, you're out on the track running up front, while some of your competitors are stuck in the pits. That's a best-case scenario for the Mitsubishi Lancer. It comes to market all-new for 2008, which is a refresh year for much of the competition.

Styling

Lancer certainly looks new. It starts with a shark nose front-end treatment that the company plans to propagate across the model line. Compared to the last generation, the 2008 Lancers have a longer wheelbase, but a shorter length; they're taller and wider, yet lighter in weight. The new shape is shown to its best advantage in top-level, GTS trim. The side view shows a beveled, high-waisted beltline, capped by a curvy, coupe-like roof. Flared wheel wells are packed full with the 10-spoke, 18-inch alloys standard on GTS. The tail is tall and sawed off short, topped with a wide wing. The overall look is crisp and edgy and while we think it would be cleaner sans spoiler, the exact target market may disagree.


Lancer is offered in three trim levels: DE, ES and GTS. In addition to the 18-inch rims and rear deck foil, GTS models like our test car are set apart visually from other trim levels by front and side air dams, standard fog lamps and a chrome exhaust tip. Prices start at $14,615 for a DE; $16,615 for an ES. The GTS stickers for $18,115, and our loaded tester had an MSRP of $21,625.

Interior

Inside, it's a roomy and sporty cabin. The driver takes in a dual, deep-dish gauge panel, framed by a grippy, leather-bound, three spoke wheel. A trio of rheostats cover the controls for HVAC; they're orange-lit at night. Covered in a suede-like knit material, the GTS seats are more heavily bolstered than other Lancer models, for added support during spirited driving. However, there are no supporting armrests—bad news, if you're a driver who likes to park your elbows. Safety is covered too: All Lancer models are fitted with seven airbags. GTS models are well equipped with a full complement of power accessories, along with automatic climate control, Bluetooth cell phone interface with voice recognition and an upgraded, six-speaker sound system.


Options on the top Lancer are few and bundled. The Sun and Sound Package ($1,500) offers a 650-watt, 9-speaker sound system. It includes a 6-CD/MP3 in-dash head unit, a 10-inch subwoofer, Sirius satellite radio and an auxiliary audio input jack for your iPod or MP3 player. A power glass moon roof provides the non-audio portion of the package. Tekkies will be tempted by the Navigation and Technology Package ($2,000). The 30-gig hard disk navigation system has a 7-inch touch screen. It's in an easy-to-see location, mounted high on the center stack. Keyless entry rounds out the package. Back seats split 60/40 on GTS (and also mid-level ES models). Lancer is notably roomy for a compact class sedan. There's enough space to seat a quartet of six footers, though heads and knees may brush in back. Trunk capacity measures a usably large 11.3 cubic feet.