Road Test: Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback

Review by Feann Torr - 16/January/2009

Marketing gurus often split new car buyers into three groups: those that are looking for performance, those who want basic, reliable transport and drivers who are looking for something that looks good.

The Mitsubishi Lancer had two of those three bases covered with the entry-level ES Lancer sedan and the hard-charging Evolution.

The third category of driver who is looking for a 'fashionable' car, something that catches the eye and is perhaps a little bit different, has now been catered for with the Lancer Sportback.

Injected with a strong dose of style, the Sportback is the trendy cousin in the Lancer range and is offered in a number of trim and performance levels - from entry level ES to the range-topping turbo Ralliart variant.

Starting at $21,490, the Sportback is priced at the same level as the sedan range, and shares almost all components with the sedan.

This bodes well for the Sportback, because as regular readers of the Motoring Channel will know the Lancer sedan is one of the best cars in its class.

But there are questions that need to be answered. Questions like: does the sloping roofline affect the balance of the car and how is rearward vision affected?

With an array of high tech equipment (pen and paper), we devised a cunning method of figuring these and other questions out - we road tested it.

Doing a quick walk-around of the Lancer Sportback, it's clear that Mitsubishi's designers weren't eating at the same restaurant as Subaru's exterior stylists.

While the Subaru Impreza hatch has a curvaceous, eggplant-like silhouette, the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback is an angular, assertive individual not without a touch of edginess.

As the name suggests, the new model is a little bit sporty and features a hatchback tailgate that seems to borrow more from the Lexus design book than the Subaru tome.

Personally I think the Sportback is a better looking vehicle than its Subaru rival and the appealing shark-like face seen on the Lancer sedan is carried over to the Sportback, which gives it a contemporary front-end aesthetic.

And like its sedan cousin, the Sportback is a very pleasant vehicle to drive.

Our VRX model was equipped with the automatic CVT (continuously variable transmission) and together with the beefier 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine it calmly cut a swathe through suburban streets.

Throttle response is rather impressive with the CVT, something that can't always be said of some automatic gearboxes, and when you flex your right foot the car responds adroitly.

The VRX auto models also come equipped with steering wheel paddle shifters and normally I'm not interested in these flappy paddles - as one British TV personality would call them - but in this instance I found myself using them frequently, and particularly during spirited outings.

Though we didn't verify the claim, Mitsubishi says the VRX Sportback has a 200km/h top speed. 

That's fairly impressive for a car that weighs 1435kg, and when (if?) Mitsubishi gets on the direct-injection bandwagon, the 2.4-litre VRX will be an ever sharper machine that doesn't come with the insurance premiums of the turbo Ralliart models.

The VRX models also get larger 18-inch alloy wheels with grippier, fatter tyres (215/45 R18) plus a sportier suspension tune and ground effects body kit make it the choice for drivers who want more than just a convenient mode of transport.

With a bit more grunt than the entry-level 2.0-litre versions, the 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine allows the VRX Lancer Sportback to accelerate strongly under full throttle, moving away from standstill rapidly and pulling strongly at higher speeds.

I must say that I had a great time with the CVT.

Unlike some automatic transmissions the Lancer Sportback's CVT is seamlessness, making it agreeable in almost all conditions and situations, and it channels the engine's 125 kilowatts of power to the front wheels very effectively.

Steady drivers will also appreciate its economical operation. If you don't bury the loud pedal at every opportunity, the engine can be kept at under 3000rpm for the most part and can achieve low consumption figures.

In traffic the Lancer Sportback is rarely troubled and is always seemingly in the right gear - technically speaking it only has one gear - and on the freeway it ticks over at low revs but can quickly find speed when you decide to overtake slower cars.

The intuitive cruise control buttons are found on the steering-wheel and work perfectly in all situations except going uphill, and the instrument cluster is sporty but well laid out, with a clear LCD multi-function display and trip computer.

With a turning circle of 10 metres, the VRX Lancer Sportback makes a good city car and is able to manoeuvre through tight alleys and around dense traffic easily thanks to the direct steering, but parking the Japanese car isn't as effortless as some small cars.

Measuring 4.58 metres long, this car could almost be classified as a mid-sized vehicle and though the sloping tailgate looks good, it brings with it a narrow rear window which obscures vision slightly more than the sedan.

These physical aspects contribute to make it somewhat more difficult to park than the sedan, but you do get used to its dimensions in time and it's certainly not a deal breaking issue.

Ride quality is fairly good with the VRX model - it soaks up most of what Australian roads dish out - but is slightly more rigid than the entry-level ES and mid-grade VR models. 

It has fairly low levels of body roll through corners which comes in handy when you want to blow away the cobwebs through winding passes.

Furthermore, the well-documented tyre noise issue that cropped up on some 2008 model Lancers has been dealt with.

Grip and handling are surprisingly good when you begin exploring the car's limits; I was rather impressed with how quickly it tracked round corners when you pushed it hard through twisting sections of road.

The Lancer's rally racing pedigree is very much in evidence.

Mitsubishi's VRX Lancer Sportback is also brimming with safety systems and the inclusion of active stability control adds a sense of reassurance when driving the car in all conditions, but particularly dodgy weather.

It can also come in handy when you're going at it hammer and tong (driving that is), countering the effects of understeer and what not, and the VRX also gets slightly larger brakes than lesser Sportback models, delivering improved stopping power. 

Other safety systems include ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution, traction control and no less than seven airbags on the VRX model, covering front and rear passengers.

Mitsubishi has engineered one of the best-handling front-wheel drive hatchbacks on the market albeit one that is also pleasant to drive, but it's good to know the creature comforts haven't been neglected either.

The interior of the VRX model is rather swish - and convenient too. 

The story starts with the smart key system, which enables you to leave the keyring in your pocket the whole time.

The car senses when you approach and will unlock the doors as you put your hand into the door handle, and it can be locked by touching the small rubber buttons on the front doors.

It takes keyless entry to the next level which speeds up egress and ingress quite a bit, and you can even start the car key fob in your pocket.

Belted in and on the move, you're cosseted by contoured sports seats - but no leather is a bit disappointing. 

Still, the seats are quite comfy and provide good support, while the steering wheel controls make adjusting the stereo and cruise control nice and easy.

Mitsubishi has also seen fit to include a veritable cornucopia of storage bins and cubbies to stow everything from a bottles of drink, to CDs, MP3 players, and street directories and other motoring paraphernalia.

The boot isn't as big as the Lancer sedan's 400 litres, but the Sportback's 344 litre boot space is still pretty decent, enough room to fit a mid-sized cabinet from Ikea. The tailgate has a huge opening too, making it easier to cram things in.

Rear seats have 60:40 split-fold mechanism that's easy to initiate from outside the vehicle and with the rear seats folded down you can fit a mountain bike in the boot (sans front wheel). 

Interestingly, the boot floor can also be raised 90mm which is good if you want to hide things.

The standard CD/MP3 stereo system is a nice piece of kit with 6-speakers and handy steering wheel controls, but for $750 you can upgrade to the impressive 9-speaker Rockford Fosgate system, complete with the boot-mounted sub woofer. That said, the woofer does take up a bit of boot space.

The VRX model also gets rain-sensing windscreen wipers, dusk-sensing headlights, a Bluetooth hands-free phone system with voice control and all the usual extras, such as electric windows and mirrors, audio jacks, air conditioning and so on.

There's also a very fancy touch-screen satellite navigation system that can only be has if you option it with the Rockford Fosgate audio system and a sunroof for $4750. It's big bucks, but the system works remarkably well, increasing the cars functionality.

Overall: 4/5

Ultimately there is only one major difference between driving the Lancer sedan and Sportback - you can't see as much through the rear window.

It's a bit more difficult to park and the blind spot is extended slightly, but overall it's easy to live with and the Lancer Sportback is very much a contender for the top of its class.

The sloping roofline doesn't seem to affect the balance of the car - it doesn't feel any more top heavy than the sedan - and the ride and handling quality is very good, on par with its sedan cousins.

For a bit over $30k you get a lot of equipment too, the kind of things you're likely to find on luxury European car. Features like the smart key system add convenience and the 5-star safety system with seven airbags is fairly competitive for a small car at this price.

Mitsubishi's sophisticated hatchback has been a long time coming, but it's without doubt a class act and well worth a test drive.