Lancer article on Drive.com.au

[Mooman]

Came out a week and a half ago but a nice read on the current Lancer.

https://www.drive.com.au/new-car-reviews/mitsubishi-lancer-used-car-review-117602.html?trackLink=homePageReviews5

[Lancer1993]

Thanks for that, some interesting points. Just a shame the CJ/CF never got the love it deserved when it comes to newer tech over the years or and 'all new' model which could compete better with the current crop. Sad to say I'd be tempted else where for my next car if things go the way we fear in the next few years.

"It’s wise not to keep your Lancer ignition key in the same pocket as your mobile phone; some owners have found that electronic interference form other sources (like a phone) will wipe the key’s electronic encryption."

Didn't know that, good thing I usually keep the phone in my pouch and the keys in my pocket... but right near each other, so might need to change that

[ReeceCozaa]

Look the lancer was a good bargain for back in the day.. now though it’s extremely under equipped.. android auto/Apple car play SHOULD be standard in atleast the mid and high range cars like their alien like SUV range. Blind spot sensors, sunroof, and quite a few others should be included into atleast the high range lancers..but they’re not.. the lancer although nice does not look out to date when if comes to interior compared to cars like the Honda Civic, the Mazda range and now more others in the same price tag.. the one thing I’ll give it is it’s beefy 2.4l engine which can be one of the greAtest and fun economy cars on the range, other then that let’s face it that mitsubishi has just continued to get what ever sales they could with the out of date car, killed the evo and now after 2018 the lancer will be gone, it’s sad because this car had a lot of potential.. I defs see more CF lancers then ASX/outlanders/Pajero where I live in Sydney.. ahhh shame

[Lancer1993]

So much of the tech found in the SUVs they make could easily be put into the CF, even some of the engines but they make more from SUVs so thats where Mitsubishi is putting its R&D money.

When it comes to things like head units with Android Auto / Apple CarPlay these are such an easy after market upgrade there is zero reason this could have have been standard in the CF from day one.

I think the reason the CJ doesn't look outdated compared to other 10yo cars from Mazda, Hyundai and Toyota is ironically because its stayed largely unchanged of 10 years. Park an 2018 CF and 2008 CJ next to each other and look at them from the rear, most could not tell the difference, even Lancer owners. If Mitsubishi had bough out the CF as an all new car with changed panels/bumpers/demotions then suddenly the CJ would have looked dated, but this could have pushed sales with Lancer owners more willing to update to a new CF.

One big mistake was killing off the EVO and RA. But they had little choice, we love them but they were struggling to compete with the WRX and now the Focus RS and new i30 N from Hyundai.

[sarusa]

Love my lancer!!! Have had a number of comments of "Sleek looking car" Must say I agree!!!???
Its just a my15 ES Sport with a rear diffuser a strip of chrome low down along the sides and a bit across the middle
of the boot and a small Sport badge.

[ReeceCozaa]

Oh no doubt, the lancer up until even now is a gorgeous car, and tbh looks the most aggressive and sporty out of most economy cars I’ve seen throughout the years. Especially the vrx/gsr range, which look the sportiest! There is no doubt they just couldn’t fund it, or simply Nissan said “f*** your evo and Ralliart range, we will produce the power houses” the evo will be missed the most but even from 08-15 the evo was so mundane, especially compared to its rival the wrx which is booming incredibly.. shame:/

[Mooman]

Problem with the EVO is it was originally released due to homologation rules for WRC which needed a certain number of road cars made for the public so Mitsubishi could race it. Even then they ran to the lower spec Group A rules and not the full WRC rules till much later (2001).

Mitsubishi hasn't been involved in top level motorsports (they still do Dakar with the Pajero) for sometime so they no longer need to make cars for homologation and seeing as the EVO is a niche market car it's no longer cost effective to develop (financial crisis and other scandals didn't help).

Subaru on the other hand have really marketed the WRX (and STi) as a more mainstream car, much like Volkswagen and GTi (more GTis sold than base models of Golf), so it has helped the longevity of the nameplate.

Also the EVO X was the first not to use the 4G63 engine which made some people say it wasn't a true EVO as it no longer continued the legacy.

Either way if your here you most likely own a CJ/CF Lancer and something made you buy it over something else. We didn't buy EVOs so in some way we are also to blame/reason for it's decline.

[Quismiff]

Off Topicish ahead. The problems really started when Renault took a majority stake in Nissan... Look at the P11 Primera, then the P12 Primera... tell me which one you'd rather drive

So you have Renault who make Sporty coups and hatch backs, and then they take over Nissan, try to sink them with some fugly car styling (show me a Renault that looks as bad as some of the Nissan models) when that didn't work and they merged with MMC in late 2016 and the EVO X ended production in early 2016, so the money problems were probably happening for Mitsi long before then. R&D costs alot of money, and Diamler bailing on MMC in 2004 and probably taking a lot of money and technology with it, and the GS Platform the Lancer is based on along with most of Mitsubishis fleet is not leaving them much movement forward, so designing a whole new vehicle to move forward (the Eclipse Cross uses the GS Platform too) and take on the Subarus and Toyotas (even the new Supra is based on a BMW chassis) will require a fair bit of investment, and with every manufacturer going hybrid, phev, or looking at hydrogen cells, this could be the end for the poor mans super car in general. Mitsubishi being absent from WRC fo the last 13 years as a manufacturer is a show of where development has been heading for the high performance Mitsubishi breeds.

Maybe mitsubishi need a Homer Simpson type scenario to save it?

*Disclaimer: this most likely makes no sense at all and is as far off topic as you can get (especially after moomans post), so

[Lancer1993]

This probably explains why both Nissan and Mitsubishi have decided SUVs are the way forward, Nissan killed off the new Pulsar after lass than 3 years on the AU market and soon the only non SUV Mitsubishi will sell here is the Mirage.

Although this would make a fantastic hot hatch if they made a road version with the go fast bits!

[ReeceCozaa]

Makes a lot of sense, such a shame.. if the evo was affordable to make with all the bits and bobs the wrx has now I reckon it would of been a beautiful car to own.. not gonna lie but unless in the future a wonder X approaches me a brand new wrx with a future proof fa20 looks like a pleasable approach, id still aim on owning my CF lancer then but just for everyday commuting and most certainly not to be a power house XD

[Quismiff]

and then i read this... merger article

[Mooman]

Renault seem to be in the drivers seat but I don't think Nissan or Mitsubishi would be happy to lose their heritage.

All we can do is wait and see.

[ReeceCozaa]

Oh no, well it was nice knowing ya guys xD

[sarusa]

Renault may be the strongest of the car companies but including various subsidiaries
may in fact fall well short of being overall the most powerful.

[Quismiff]

Seems Taiwan isn't letting go of the Lancer just yet, came across this while looking for ETACs stuff on youtube...

the Grand Lancer

Looks a little outland(er)ish