2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS (photos)
Of the front-wheel-drive Lancers, the GTS is the sportiest, boasting a 2.4-liter engine. The Fuse hands-free system connects with Bluetooth cell phones and iPods, providing voice command tech for making calls or selecting music.
Mitsubishi offers a broad array of cars in its Lancer lineup, all the way from a base model with front-wheel drive and a 2-liter engine up to the thrilling all-wheel-drive Evo X MR. The GTS is a mid- to low-level Lancer, sporting a 2.4-liter engine and front-wheel drive.
The general body style of the Lancer is very sporty, but the GTS version cuts into the big grille seen on higher trim models with a wide bumper fascia.
At 2.4 liters, this four-cylinder engine is pretty typical for suburban runabouts. The California version of the car, which qualifies as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle, gets 161 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque. Versions sold without California smog gear get 168 horsepower.
Cabin space is reasonable inside the Lancer, seating four in comfort, and five with a little squeeze in the rear seat.
Sway bars help keep the Lancer GTS stable in the corners, and its suspension shows a tiny bit of what makes the Evo X such a great-handling rally car. But the GTS is much more conventional, with suspension tuning as a compromise between comfort and rigidity.
The trunk is a little bit short in the Lancer.
The cabin is a little bit plasticky, and doesn't show the upscale materials seen in rival cars.
Mitsubishi does a good job with its multifunction steering wheel, putting audio controls on the left spoke and cruise control on the right. The phone buttons between the spokes are not well integrated.
Our GTS came with the optional continuously variable transmission, which contributed to smooth acceleration and good fuel economy. This transmission includes a manual mode, but we found the virtual gear changes sluggish.
We like the look of the color display between the tach and speedometer, which is used to show fuel level and engine temperature.
Mitsubishi includes RCA jacks for its auxiliary audio input, meaning you will need an RCA-to-1/8th-inch adapter for most MP3 players.
Without the navigation option, all music information is shown on the radio display, which is not quite up to the task of showing music libraries.
The phone system is part of Mitsubishi's new Fuse technology, which lets you use voice commands to place calls and select music from an iPod.
The Touring package includes a Rockford Fosgate audio system, with this 10-inch sub and a 710-watt amp for big bass.
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