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IT has been almost four years since I test drove the previous generation Mitsubishi Lancer and I remember being impressed with the performance and build quality of this mid sized family saloon, particularly with a price tag of under R140 000. Surprisingly it never seemed to grab the attention of the local buyer and took a back seat to the more entrenched brands, but now Mitsubishi is back with an all new Lancer, available in 1.5 and 2.0 litre versions. The subject of this week's impression is the 2.0 litre. The new Mitsubishi Lancer's styling is very different from the earlier model an upright grille with narrow, clear-lens headlights tucked underneath the bonnet, wide bumper mouldings separate the upper grille from the large engine air intake, both apertures highlighted in a black diamond-mesh.

Mirrors and door handles are colour-coded and a black B-pillar with tinted window glass gives the car an aggressive low slung look. The rear view is less striking, tail lights are set at an angle but the whole expanse of the rear looks bland with only the Mitsubishi diamonds to break the slab effect.

The Lancer has five-spoke alloy wheels, with 205/60/16 tyres which certainly gives the vehicle a sporty look. Internally the Lancer is very pleasing, although at first look the hard plastic panels used on the doors look out of place, but are of good quality and certainly will be durable.

All controls are simple and within easy reach, the stalk controls for lights and wipers are mounted either side of the height-adjustable steering wheel, the heating, ventilation and climate control switchgear, as well as the integrated in-car entertainment system are centrally mounted.

Satellite audio controls are mounted on the steering wheel, which is leather trimmed as is the gear knob, seating is good with excellent support and very comfortable. The rear seat has a 60/40 split rear seat with a centre armrest incorporating two cup holders.

The main instruments are housed in a binnacle, with the LED-type fuel gauge and ambient temperature displayed between them. Scrolling through a menu brings up engine temperature and other parameters such as average and instantaneous fuel consumption and tank range. In event of an impending problem with engine temperature, the display will default to that setting.

Dual-stage airbags and height-adjustable front seatbelts with pre-tensioners, plus three-point seatbelts and ISOFIX mounting points in the rear ensure occupant safety.

The new Lancer is bigger all round all round and offers more cabin and boot space than before.

Power is provided by an all new 2.0 litre, 16 valve all aluminium engine with MIVEC variable valve timing system used on various Mitsubishis since 1992, but while on earlier engines this was fitted only to the inlet side, it has now been added to the exhaust camshaft on the latest-generation engine.

The engine produces an impressive 114 kW @ 6 000 rpm and 199 Nm at 4 250 rpm. This unit is coupled to a lightweight five speed manual transmission.

Independent testing of the 2.0l version at Reef altitude the Lancer actually exceeded its claimed top speed of 200 km/h by 4 km/h and was just three-tenths of a second off Mitsubishi's 0 ? 100 km/h sprint time of 9.4 seconds.

Suspension travel has been increased to prevent it from topping-out on rough roads, while new cross members front and rear allow for more accurate control of wheel geometry. This is assisted by anti-roll bars both front and rear, for even more instantaneous responses and assured handling in all kinds of conditions. It also has hydraulically-assisted rack and pinion steering Braking is also well set up and is equipped with ABS and EBD.

Driving the Mitsubishi Lancer was a pleasure the car is very predictable and the handling very good for a front wheel drive vehicle. The engine and transmission work very well together with perfectly spaced ratios allowing easy driving under all conditions.

The road holding and steering are very precise, as I found out when a loaded brick truck pulled out in front of me, flicking the Lancer from lock to lock at speed showed the inherent stability as I was able to drive around the obstacle with total control.

Overall the Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0L is an extremely good vehicle, offering everything the average family could want in a car, hopefully the buying public will take a closer look at it this time around, because at R175 000 including a five-year/100 000 km service plan, the Lancer still offers very good value for money.

Thanks to Mitsubishi Helderberg for the use of the vehicle.

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