The 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer has earned “Top Safety Pick” status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), becoming the first Mitsubishi product to garner this recognition since the organization implemented new, stricter rollover tests earlier this year.
The new testing requires a vehicle to have a roof that can withstand a force equal to four times its own weight. In addition, this recognition from the IIHS is only given to products with the highest possible ratings for front, side, rollover and rear crash protection, as well as electronic stability control, which is a standard feature on the Lancer.
This kind of praise is just another reason why the dynamic Lancer lineup offers such a strong alternative to today’s run-of-the-mill compact sedans. It all starts with the Lancer DE, which has features like a four-speaker, 140-watt audio system, seven airbags including a driver’s knee airbag, four-wheel ABS brakes with advanced Electronic Brakeforce Distribution technology, a responsive 152-hp I4 engine, and power windows/doors/side-view mirrors—all with an MSRP of just $14,790.
The Lancer ES provides an impressively higher level of content, with such enhancements as air conditioning, a choice of a five-speed manual or continuously variable transmission, sharp-looking 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, an adjustable steering wheel, an upgraded interior and a six-way adjustable driver’s seat. That makes for an eminently livable sedan priced at an eminently affordable $16,900.
For drivers who want to take full advantage of the Lancer’s potential, Mitsubishi offers two sport-tuned models that do just that: The Lancer GTS and Lancer Ralliart.
The GTS holsters a potent 2.4-liter I4 that makes 168 hp, sits on a sport-tuned suspension with a front strut tower bar, and wears bold 18-inch alloy wheels. The interior of the GTS also has been upgraded with enthusiasts in mind, boasting sport bucket seats up front, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and, on CVT-equipped models, Mitsubishi’s Sportronic paddle-shifting system. There are also a wide range of aggressive design accents, too, ranging from chrome exhaust tips to a color-keyed spoiler and aero package. The MSRP for the Lancer GTS: $18,990.
Then there’s the bad-boy Lancer Ralliart, packing a turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter I4 that delivers a robust 237 horses. This baby gets the full hi-po package, with a Ralliart-tuned suspension, its own aero bodykit, a six-speed Twin-Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission, a driver-selectable multi-mode active center differential, Yokohama summer sport tires and the automaker’s proven All Wheel Control full-time all-wheel-system. With a price tag that begins at $27,190, the Lancer Ralliart is nothing short of a motoring masterpiece.
And like the rest of the Lancers, it’s only available at your local Mitsubishi dealership.
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