What exactly should be considered a sport? Everyone has their own opinion on this. Some want exhausting workouts to the point of sweating and conquering peaks through pain and overcoming. And for some, home workouts, Sunday volleyball, and a convenient roof rack for carrying fishing rods are enough. Let's not make hasty conclusions about the character of a car just by looking at its loud name — it's better to just get behind the wheel.
On the outside, the Lancer Sport is almost a copy of the regular version: the same 16-inch wheels, transparent taillights at the rear like the Evolution, and a modest spoiler on the trunk. But if you look closely, you can see that the ground clearance has become lower, and the car is shod with Yokohama Advan tires.
Inside, there are no radical changes either, although the atmosphere is already closer to the Evo's cabin. From there, from the "fighter," the Momo steering wheel with three spokes and a metal hub has migrated. It is slightly farther from the driver than in the standard Lancer (there is no reach adjustment here), but it is more convenient during active steering. The seats have acquired more pronounced lateral support.
The heart of the version is a two-liter engine with 135 hp. The specific power figure is modest, and this immediately hints at an emphasis on torque. And so it turns out: the engine confidently pulls from the very bottom and has good elasticity. There is, of course, no real "fiery" dynamics here, but if you forget about the loud name, convenience for the city comes to the fore.
While we were making our way from the center of Moscow to the outskirts, we had plenty of time to play with the manual gearbox. It works clearly: every shift is a pleasure, and we yanked the lever often, but only to find a task that the engine couldn't handle. In general, the need for shifts arises infrequently. You can calmly start off in first or even third, and then engage fifth and glide with the traffic flow, barely touching the lever.
All Lancers handle excellently, but each has its own character. The 2.0 Sport sedan is no exception. Stiffer shock absorbers with springs, lowered ground clearance, 50-profile tires, and a front strut brace have made the car's behavior more mature and precise. The slight oversteer of the younger 1.6-liter version has given way to neutral handling, but there is no less excitement. It's just that the car has become sharper in response to the throttle. Engine braking works powerfully, so the Lancer Sport willingly screws into a corner when you lift off the throttle, and it's easy to guide it into a slide. There is always enough torque to correct the trajectory in time. If you keep the throttle steady, the sport version behaves more stably.
In terms of handling and balance, we are ready to subscribe to the advertising slogan: the rally genes are really felt here. The car loves slides, handles them perfectly, and doesn't spring surprises. Ride comfort on bumps has, of course, suffered, but every lost bit of comfort has been paid off by responsiveness, reduced body roll, and instant reactions to the steering wheel.
The appearance of such a version is a good reason for a buyer to choose exactly the Lancer that is closer in spirit. For an active person, the 2.0 Sport is an excellent option for everyday use. And here, sport is more about a healthy lifestyle that brings pleasure.
Technical specifications of Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 Sport
Body — sedan
Curb weight, kg — 1270
Gross weight, kg — 1750
Dimensions (length/width/height), mm — 4480/1695/1415
Wheelbase, mm — 2600
Maximum speed, km/h — 204
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s — 9.6
Reference fuel consumption, l/100 km:
- urban cycle — 11.7
- suburban — 6.5
- combined — 8.4
Engine:
- type — petrol, 16-valve, DOHC
- displacement, cm3 — 1997
- power, hp at rpm — 135/5750
- torque, Nm at rpm — 176/4500
- fuel system — multi-point injection
Transmission — manual, 5-speed
Tire size — 195/50R16
Suspension (front/rear) — McPherson/multi-link
Brakes (front/rear) — disc, ventilated/disc
Steering — power-assisted
Price, $ — 19390