Test drive Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5 Invite
The Mitsubishi Lancer in its top-of-the-line 'Evolution' version is the dream of many sporty drivers around the world. For several days of testing, we tried to answer the question - does it make sense to buy a "civilian" version for half the money? In answering this question, we were helped by the six-time reigning Serbian rally champion in the general classification, Vladan Petrović, who confirmed to us that the new Lancer is a very capable car …
I must admit that we have been looking forward to testing the new Lancer from the very beginning, from the moment we saw it in the first pictures. And we were not disappointed. The new Lancer looks very attractive and instills confidence in handling from the first meter. And not only this. The new Lancer draws attention to itself at every turn. Young people showed particular interest, asking different questions in the supermarket parking lot: “Hmm, this is the new Lancer, right? It looks great. How does he ride? How are you?" We expected this because the Lancer looks very attractive and there is no need to waste words on the sporty aura it brings with it.
The new generation Lancer can be described as a compact sedan and thus should be a success in the market. The new Lancer announces a new design language that should create an unmistakable identity for the entire "diamond brand". We can safely say that the Lancer is the sportiest compact sedan. “The new Lancer looks very attractive. He has a real athletic line, he seems tense and trained. After all, he's been an athlete since childhood, isn't he? It's a bit like the EVO's exterior and evokes the sporty feel I would expect from a Mitsubishi designer. " – Vladan Petrovich briefly commented on the appearance of the new Lancer. The new Mitsubishi Lancer has taken such a big step forward over the previous generation that it can be said that the new one is an apology for the old model. Particular attention is paid to dynamism, and at first glance, the Lancer simply beckons to try. The wheelbase is longer, the wheelbase is wider, while the overall length of the vehicle is shorter. The fact that the wheelbase is longer and the length of the car is shorter already testifies to the excellent driving qualities of the new generation.
When the door is opened, the profiled seats and the attractive interior stand out. “The seats are great and the interior design deserves special praise, which blends well with the character of the new Lancer. The dashboard design is reminiscent of what we've seen on the Outlander. The three-spoke steering wheel looks very attractive, but it would be better if its diameter was smaller. I also have to praise the ergonomics of the car, because the seat at the seat is wide enough, and at the same time, it keeps the body in curves very well. The cockpit looks great, but the plastic, like the Outlander, is extremely hard and doesn't feel as good to the touch. The position of the gear lever in relation to the steering wheel and seat is commendable. Everything is at hand, and the time to get used to operating this car is minimal. " – said Vladan Petrovich. In terms of rear space, it should be noted that while it's no longer than its predecessor, the new Lancer offers ample knee room, and it doesn't matter a few centimeters more for tall passengers' heads. Trunk volume of 400 liters is the "golden mean", but we must praise the variability and divisibility.
While this may seem like a small 1.5-liter engine that was installed in the test car, it pleasantly surprised us. Very quiet and cultured, the engine has pleased us with its performance and we can safely say that it can cause a large number of drive motors of higher power and volume. Our observation was confirmed by Vladan Petorvich: “I must confess that when I first got into the test car, I didn't know which engine was under the hood. When I found out that this is 1.5-liter gasoline, I was very surprised. The car pulls strongly already from low revs, and when you “spin” it at high revs, it shows its true character. A fantastic five-speed gearbox, very precise, with a short stroke also contributes to the overall positive impression. The gearbox works well with the living engine and transfers engine power very efficiently. If there is anything to complain about, it is the insulation of the cabin. I think the engine is very quiet, but the noise insulation could be better. What I noticed is that the engine handles high revs very well. The new Lancer accelerated to 190 km / h without any problems. Well done, Mitsubishi! " – Petrovich was clear.
The modern 1.5-liter engine in the new 1499cc Lancer develops 3 horsepower and 109 Nm of torque. Excellent engine performance did not increase consumption. We have used the new Lancer the most in and around Belgrade, and we were pleasantly surprised by the average test consumption of just 143 liters per 7,1 kilometers. In urban conditions, the consumption was about 100 liters per 9 km of track, which is really not enough for such an elastic and temperamental unit. In addition, Mitsubishi Lancer 100 accelerates from zero to 1.5 km / h in 11,6 seconds and develops a top speed of 191 km / h.
Each car with a diamond-shaped mark on the mask deserves a separate story about driving behavior. Undoubtedly, the most competent person to assess the performance of the car is the six-time reigning Serbian rally champion in the general classification Vladan Petrovic: “The car is perfectly balanced. Thanks to the large wheelbase and the wide wheelbase, the car performs well even with intensive driving. When I saw that the length of the car was reduced and the wheelbase increased compared to the previous generation, I understood what Mitsubishi was “aiming”. For the more demanding, it should be pointed out that they should count on a little front end slippage, but this is easily controlled by the throttle and steering wheel adjustment. We also have to praise the brakes (disks on all wheels), which do an excellent job. The steering wheel is precise, though it would have been nice to have a bit more information from the ground. Lancer perfectly “strokes” bumps, and when cornering, it leans minimally and firmly adheres to a given trajectory. All in all, the Mitsubishi Lancer is a great compromise between comfort and sport.” Recall that the rear suspension is increased by 10 mm and behaves better when driving on bad roads. The rear suspension is the new Multilink, which provides significantly better road handling and cornering stability. The new steering system is more direct but with reduced vibration.
Obviously, the time of easy and unreliable Mitsubishi is over. The new generation Lancer has been updated to the smallest detail and has strong trump cards for success, which will also be helped by a solid price. With nine airbags, automatic air conditioning, ABS, EDB, ESP, 16-inch alloy wheels, CD-MP3 player, hands-free system and electronic windows, the new Mitsubishi Lancer in Velaut costs 16.700 Euros (company special). Velauto). For a capable, technically advanced and well-equipped vehicle such as the Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5 Invite with a great engine, the price seems justified.
Video test drive Mitsubishi Lancer 1.5 Invite
