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Best sporty compact car 2011 Volkswagen GTI *Est. $23695
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Best cheap compact car 2011 Nissan Versa *Est. $9990

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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer

(*est. $13,990 to $18,590)

Pros

Exterior styling
Steering, road grip, rigid chassis
Full complement of air bags standard
High-tech options

Cons

Unsophisticated cabin
Resale value expected to be low
Some safety features are not available
Base model is stripped down

Our Analysis

The bumper-to-bumper redesign of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer sedan prompts editors at Motor Trend magazine to include the Lancer in the comprehensive performance evaluations for their Car of the Year award. This exhaustive feature article is one of the best reviews we found for the 2008 Lancer. Another current comparative analysis is available at ConsumerGuide.com, where editors conduct their own road testing and rank the Mitsubishi Lancer against a class average. Results of smaller head-to-head tests at Motor Trend and Car and Driver magazines offer a more-direct comparison with the Lancer's closest rivals, though not all of the cars included are 2008 models. Experts at Edmunds.com and KBB.com, the online home of Kelley Blue Book, provide informative, balanced single-vehicle reviews of the 2008 Lancer.

Prior to 2008, the Mitsubishi Lancer sedan – with the exception of the high-performance variant known as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (*est. $32,990 to $38,920) – was rated by reviewers considerably behind most of its compact rivals. Now, several critics say the Lancer sedan could become a true competitor in its class, with redesigned styling, tweaks to the mechanicals, and loads of top-tier options. Reviewer consensus is that the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer is a nimble handler with a larger, higher-quality framework. The innovative options are counterbalanced somewhat by a shortage of standard safety and convenience features on the base model. Some reviews observe that the Lancer's cabin seems noisier and less-refined than that of rivals such as the top-rated Honda Civic (*est. $14,800 to $23,250) and the Mazda3 (*est. $13,995 to $20,295).

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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer

Our Sources

1. Motor Trend Details/Subscribe

Editors say the redesigned Mitsubishi Lancer fails to excel in significance, superiority or value – the criteria for Motor Trend's Car of the Year designation. They commend its appearance and the balance it strikes between ride and handling.

Review: 2008 Motor Trend Car of the Year: The Contenders, Editors of Motor Trend

2. ConsumerGuide.com

ConsumerGuide.com's editors praise the sportier and more-expensive Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, while noting that the engine in the regular Lancer is loud and that the acceleration is unimpressive. Performance scores can be compared with other models'.

Review: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com, Sept. 12, 2008

3. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

A narrative account of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer's road test is supplemented with tables of performance information. The Lancer can be readily compared with other economy cars using Consumer Reports' comprehensive data.

Review: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, Editors of Consumer Reports

4. Motor Trend Details/Subscribe

In Motor Trend's head-to-head test of four "commuter-combat" cars (all starting under $20,000), the Mitsubishi Lancer place third, although Lassa says it is undoubtedly the most stylish of the bunch.

Review: Comparison: 2007 Honda Civic vs. 2007 Hyundai Elantra vs. 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer vs. 2007 Nissan Sentra, Todd Lassa

5. Edmunds.com

Evaluating the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer on measures such as performance, design and safety, the editors say Mitsubishi's 2008 redesign is substantive enough to make the Lancer a worthy competitor among compact sedans.

Review: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Review, Editors of Edmunds.com

6. Kelley Blue Book

On this website for Kelley Blue Book, the editors summarize the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer as unique and sporty, but they note the cabin doesn't feel as insular or refined as those of some rivals.

Review: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, Editors of KBB.com

7. Car and Driver Details/Subscribe

This head-to-head comparison of eight compact cars includes the redesigned Mitsubishi Lancer, a 2009 release. Editors say that the sportier Lancer GTS is fun to drive, but that it's not as practical or comfortable as some of the other entrants.

Review: Little Feet: Eight ways to shrink your carbon footprint, Patrick Bedard, May 2008

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