Used 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2012 Lancer, so we've included reviews for other years of the Lancer since its last redesign.
Another Mits in the family
skwillbanks, 05/21/2012
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer SE 4dr Sedan AWD (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
18 of 18 people found this review helpful
We have had several Mits's. Eclipse, Spyder, several Galants, Monty Sport. All excellent purchases and very dependable and they run forever. Our daughter is now of driving age and we went out on a limb am bought her a new car. Lancer SE. Was originally looking at an ES but the 2.0 is noisy. Drove the SE just to see if the engine was quieter and it was. This is the same engine my first Galant had in it. Very, very good car. With the warranty, the safety ratings, and the quality they offer - well I would say it was an easy decision.
I love my Lancer
emmons11, 10/21/2012
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
I am a 60yr old man and i have owned many many cars and trucks in my day.The MITSUBISHI LANCER is the best of all of them.I like to drive again,thanks to the Lancer!the handling, ride, fun to drive,good mpg,room,10yr 100,000 powertrain,5yr 60,000 bumper to bumper.how can you go wrong?this car is for young and old plus a great family car to.please drive one and see for yourself.
Sleeper
venster, 08/01/2012
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
CVT takes some time to get used to. Has its quirks but helps with the mpg. I bought the car for an economical commuter which it does beautifully. Averaging 35mpg on my commute-80%highway. Interior is decent-alot of plastic but mitsubishi pulls it off. Exterior styling is nice. Handles well. It's not a BMW, nor does it cost as much.
Great value!
soyeahiknow, 02/03/2013
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
I have been the go to guy to buying cars for my family so in the past 4 years, I have bought 3 new cars and one used car. I was worried about the CVT transmission because i read online it was a bad transmission with no power. Wow, these "expert" reviewers must be test driving too many turbo mustangs and super cars. The CVT is just fine in power! If you are not used to driving one, it may feel different. So in a with a regular auto transmission, a sign of an underpowered car is when u push the gas hard, you will see the engine RPM go way up but the speed lags until it up-shifts a gear. The CVT sounds just like that so u THINK like it's underpowered but it's not true. Test drive one.
7 years
Brittany, 12/11/2018
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
The 2011 Lancer is the first car I owned and I still have it to this day! Has about 115,000 and has never gave me any major problems (been in 2 car accidents). After reaching 100,000 I noticed I was needing maintenance such as oxygen sensor went out and struts were getting bad but that's it. I drive this car on a daily basis and its great on gas and handles really well on my commute to work. I love this car! It was been good to me and I wish I can keep it forever. *NOTE the transmission is very different compared to other cars.When friends or family members drive my car they find the transmission odd due to CVT, but that is something I have gotten use to over the years. Also, beware when changing the transmission oil! I had my transmission oil changed at a local mechanic and it started to over heat. I took it to the dealership and the switched it out (cost about 130.00) and everything went back to normal. I highly recommend you have the transmission changed at the dealer or buy he transmission oil from the dealer and change it yourself speaking from experience.
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Pros and Cons
jacks74, 03/17/2013
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
15 of 17 people found this review helpful
This was my first brand new car. A couple months into purchasing it, I had an issue starting it. I took it in and they said that it was a computer glitch with my line of car and that they couldn't fix and to press on the gas to start it when it happens. Currently battling the dealership with that but looking at others comments, it seems it'll likely always do this. Other than that I love it. I would be more satisfied if the dealership could fix the starting issue. I wish I would have purchased it used because the used price of the car would definitely be worth it.
Incredibly reliable, a blast to drive!
jazket, 02/02/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I bought a Lancer Ralliart in February 2009 and I now have 20,000 miles on it. I just can't stop driving it. It's impressive for 26,000 I paid I got A LOT of car. I rather drive my Ralliart than my brother's Benz C300 (unless I'm on a road trip of course) it's incredibly fun. Mitsubishi is really overlooked as a brand, and this car should be on your list when searching for a sporty sedan, it took last year's IntelliChoce for Best Overall Sport Sedan under $35,000, and well deserved! If you're into modding you won't be let down unless you really want to go big which is where the marvelous TC-SST fails, it's still in its early stages and it won't hold more than 300wlbs-torque!
LOVE IT!
dewaynej77, 03/13/2011
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
I have had my lancer for 7 months now, and still love it as much as the day I drove it off the lot. I LOVE the extra's like bluetooth, 6 disc changer, sub woofer, CVT trans, and stering wheel controls. I get so many compliments on the look of my car. I hope to keep this car for years. I haven't had one single problem so far, and I hope it keeps it up. Some people complain about engine noise, but I like the sound. I really can't say enough good things about my lancer!!!
Fun, quality, reliability and great valu
PS3Fanboy, 03/30/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer DE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought an auto DE last fall and have been extremely happy with the car. What attracted me was the loads of features for the price, including power everything, 16-inch wheels, 7 airbags (more than cars that cost twice as much), performance reputation, high reliability ranking (backed by long warranty), and high safety ratings from the govt and IIHS. I have not been disappointed at all, in fact everything has exceeded my expectations. I drive the car a lot, 50/50 highway and city, and the fuel economy is excellent (I don't hard accelerate). The styling draws a lot of attention -- which unfortunately got me a speeding ticket! In short, this is a great compact car, best in its class.
The Lancer is an excellent car
lynx2, 04/21/2012
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
16 of 21 people found this review helpful
The editor's review does not do the Lancer justice - it is an excellent car for the money, in almost all respects. I am particularly perplexed by their commend regarding the engine/CVT transmission combination, which in reality is smooth, quiet and powerful considering the excellent gas mileage (over 33 on the highway). You can buy cars with better mpg, but it will come at the expense of power. I have not problem going up steep hills at speed, with very little noise coming from the engine/transmission.
2010 Lancer GTS (CVT)
senatejs24, 07/25/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I love this car the dealer was awesome handled and new the cars very well was actually looking at a 2010 lancer Es model before they threw this car into the loop. It handles nice on turns and looks stylish.
I miss this car
Peter, 07/16/2017
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Bought this car used the day before Halloween 2015, and had it until it was totaled on June 3, '17. I loved it, and I miss it very much. Gas mileage was better than advertised, rarely got worse than 30 mpg in combined driving and regularly got 36-37 on the highway. I'm 5'11" and there was plenty of leg room. Good stereo, though nothing special. Didn't have to perform any maintenance on it other than oil changes, which are only needed every 7500 miles. No problems whatsoever. I got hit by someone probably going 40 and I was not hurt, other than my pride. (accident was my fault.) I highly recommend the Lancer to anyone looking for a good, reliable car with great gas mileage. I'm seriously considering buying another Lancer myself.
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EVO-light
go4broke89, 02/29/2012
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
9 of 12 people found this review helpful
The lancer ES CVT is an EVO look-alike with average capabilities. It comes with almost everything you need for the daily commute and has some room for the occasional spirited driving. The limited trunk space gives room for 3 laundry baskets. Rear seat room is decent. Car feels heavier, yet agile and nimble. Responsive engine sounds good, but CVT is loud and leaves you wanting/wishing for more. Acceleration is average. Handling and suspension is above average: light and neutral with quick turn-in. Understeer can be dangerous when entering corners too fast. Fuel economy is average, combined 30mpg +/-2.
6 and counting
Charles Manro, 10/24/2016
updated 04/30/2020
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
After 6 Mitsus I find them underrated. Near total reliability and lack of problem areas.
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Loved at first...
carbuyer345, 11/26/2012
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2011 Lancer in 2012,and it now has 13,000 miles on it. I loved the car at first..The CVT takes some time to get used to, makes some interesting noises and lacks the power I would have liked. 3 months after getting the car, I started having issues with the car not starting. It would try and turn over and after about 3 tries, it finally would start..barely. I took it to the dealership and they said they couldn't help since it wouldn't do it while there. Around the same time as the starting issues happened, the car started to make a creaking noise when turning into parking spaces, streets, etc. Took it to the dealership and they told me the same thing. I am looking for a new car.
Not Bad for the price
karkai6, 05/29/2014
updated 12/01/2016
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Got the car used at 36k miles.. Got it relatively cheaper than the other cars in the same range out there.. The gearbox is among the better ones I have used and the throw feels very slick.. The performance is not very bad, but then the engine doesn't feel very refined over 4-5k rpm.. The looks of the car are definitely a plus, and did influence me considerably against the Mazda 3. So, overall, not a bad car at all, though there are definitely sportier ones out there at this price range. Just be a little wary about the manual transmission, as I had to put up with a car which seems to have been abused by its first owner..
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Two Mitsubishi family.
joew6969, 08/06/2011
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
My wife and I just purchased our second 2011 Lancer GTS on August 5, 2011. The 1st was hers and has all the goodies in the Touring and Chrome packages. Mine just has ALL the standard features of the GTS. Mine is Rallye Red with black cloth interior. It has everything I want in a car without add-ons I do not like. Very comfortable riding car, lots of interior room, I am 6'2" and have more than enough room in ALL of the seats.
Nice Sporty Car
nick93mac, 12/03/2011
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I purchased my Lancer new as a leftover model. I got a great deal, and it has almost all the bells and whistles. This is my first brand new car i have bought, and overall, I am pleased. It has been reliable and the Mitsubishi dealer has great service specials. I had to have the AC blower motor replaced shortly after purchasing, and they were great and hooked me up with a free rental car while it was in the shop. I recommend this car to anyone in the market for a fairly fuel efficient car, that doesn't look like a Prius. One word of advice, get the manual transmission. I wish I did.
Nice Car
Brj, 10/07/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is a very nice vehicle and drives really smooth with cvt. I read a lot of reviews about the car being down on power, but I think the cvt transmission is just that smooth that it doesn't feel the way some vehicles feel when you get on the gas, can't even feel it shift sometimes.The car has plenty of power for (normal) driving and not for those looking to go drag racing or something like that. this car was actually built in japan so the quality will be there unlike some vehicle's that have a Japanese but built in some other country. The car is pretty good on gas and if your driving mostly hwy you should see about 33 or 34 mpg hwy. I plan to put in a k&n air filter to get even better mpg.
Lancer gts manual.
jbl0114, 11/23/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I was in the market for a suv but something about this car just got me.The front of it with the chrome looks great.Test drove the car and that was it very nice pick up and fast 0 to 60 in no time.Nice interior but they can do a little better seats are good very comfortable.Nice factory 18" wheels.But the ride is just great a little noisy inside engine noise but other that it's fine.They kids love it the wife loves it I guess the suv can wait till next time and most like it it will be a Mitsubishi great bang for your bucks love it.
CVT will be an issue.
tourqemada, 12/09/2012
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
About 30k on the 2011 Lancer now, the CVT tranny is noisy and jerky when cold, like it is slipping and catching. The power steering is making an unpleasant noise now as well. The headliner makes a buzzing noise when the road is smooth, worse when there are bumps in the road. We have noticed from A-holes in parking lots that there are no protective side moldings on the doors so we have a couple nasty dings in them now. There is a huge delay when operating the HVAC controls, dangerous when you are trying to clear the fog from the windshield. We have found that there are times when the car turns over but does not start right away, takes a few tries. Our last 2001 Lancer was better imo.
Transmission problem
wheresmycar1, 08/24/2011
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
6 of 10 people found this review helpful
Well I bought my Ralliart this sunday and we first drove it on monday afternoon. Four hours after our drive home from the dealership and adding just 40 miles to the car, the transmission was gone. The best part is that it was in our driveway when the transmission failed. We had the car towed and brought back to the dealership. Now they want to totally replace the transmission on the brand spanking new car. Mitsubishi is giving us problems just an all around unpleasant experience and now its a couple days later and have no word on whats going on.
I never thought I'd love a Mitsubishi
Dustin, 11/24/2016
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have the 2011 GTS for almost 3 years and it has held up pretty well. ive got 76,000 miles on it and I drive it on a road course race track every once in a while and I can tell the control arms and suspension is starting the wear. But I'm sure I drive it harder then most while on the track. The car has good power and handles pretty damn well. I wax my car 2 times a month. Paint might be a bit cheap but just keep it waxed. I really do love my car. Looks great. Bluetooth and interior great. road noise is probably to only bad thing
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Value AWD car if you can ignore the faults
Arsh, 01/19/2018
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer SE 4dr Sedan AWD (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
This is a great value AWD car if you can look past it's faults. Even with those, I'm saddened by the fact that I won't be able to buy a re-design model as Mitsubishi has decided to cancel the car for now. Pros: would be affordable, AWD, Blutooth works flawless, heated seats with cloth (i hate leather), and great handling. The biggest cons are the fact that while the 2.4L will get you up to speed and stay there easily, it's dull to drive and slow to respond because of it's rubber band effect. The 2.4L with a shiftable auto would have made this car loads of fun. Also the CVT used to be extremely jerky. This was remedied by getting the transmission fluid flushed, but I wish I had known that initially because it was miserable at slow speeds the first few years. Anyone buying used should immediately have the fluid flushed on it. Also road noise is not reduced in the least. All that said though, this thing eats snow for breakfast, handles road trips like a wonder, and is the best value car i've found. It doesn't have everything the big names have, but it's 1000x more fun to drive than most of them.
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Rally Red Lancer GTS CVT
skater69, 05/24/2012
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
CVT takes a little getting used to. It's much quicker using the paddle shifters or manual mode if you want to jet off the line. I put a Takeda SRI intake-cheap/easy mod and it wakes it up a little bit/sounds great The GTS handles extremely well. It really does feel like a sport sedan in the curves and it's fun to use the paddles on the back roads. Steering is great. Cruises effortlessly on the freeway at 80+. Seats are very comfortable. Interior is nice if not spectacular. My only gripe with my GTS is I find the gas pedal angle kind of uncomfortable. It's too short or something. I got some larger RAZO aftermaket pedals which I'll be installing soon to help alleviate.
In love with this car.
johnny1apples, 10/19/2011
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
This car is everything I wanted since the 2008 Lancer's came out. I have a 2011, and it makes me super happy to finally drive one! It is mean looking, and aggressive. For being completely stock, I have won plenty of races, and my car is still stock. So if you want a car that is great on gas, relatively cheap, amazing looks on the inside and out, and can go quick for stock, I'd highly recommend either the GTS, or the Ralliart.
Overall Solid Car
Bob, 05/31/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Compared Ford Focus, Honda Fit, Chevy Cobalt, and Ford Fiesta. Although this car may lack the gizmos of some of these cars, I'm still glad I chose it. Love the exterior styling and peppiness of the car (ES Five Speed). Bluetooth and Sirius radio make the highway driving more enjoyable. Handles well on the curves. Easy and fun shifting. Good mpg, exactly what I was looking for. And it was a bit lighter on the wallet too. Time will tell, but so far, so good.
good car overall but not worth it
Ben s, 01/08/2021
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl CVT)
3 of 9 people found this review helpful
i bought my 2011 lancer gts off a private seller and it worked great until after about a week we found out it was a salvage car and transmission needs a wiring harness to work and weve tried so many mechanics to try to fix it and they all said get rid of it so my opinion on this car is bad because they are cheap pieces of plastic that don´t work. when they put the automatic CVT trans it it that don´t need to be in there cause they don´t function right. the 2011 lancer gts is a good car but not worth it. this was the first car i bought from Mitsubishi and it ruined my childhood dream car so i have to find something else. so my recomendation is not to buy a used Mitsubishi lancer gts.
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Lit'l Rally Red ES
authurdent, 06/22/2011
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 14 people found this review helpful
After buying an Outlander XLS a year back, we bought my mother-in-law a Lancer ES, same Rally Red - same black interior (less leather) and same sunroof. After some 20 years of Mitsu reliability, we figured an 82 year-old woman deserved a new reliable car with a bit of pizazz. Sure, the ES is no barn-burner, but the 16" alloys handle well around curves, and there's plenty of gadgetry to keep mom busy till the end of her days! While I like the height of the Outlander, the Lancer does inspire more confidence around the corners. Of course fuel economy is a big plus. We we use to 35+ with our old Mirage. The V6 Outlander is lousy for mpg, but the Lancer ES is a champ!
Lancer CVT is really weird
mitsumistake, 04/25/2012
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought a Lancer SX recently and have clocked 1600km and the CVT has behaved very strangely from day one. It lurches about dramatically especially when cold. Taking foot off accelerator produces sudden jolts, sometimes quite violently, and it then seems to want to brake on its own and slows down rapidly while coasting. Braking often produces a sensation like the car is fighting against the braking and wanting to surge forward. This is the weirdest drive I've ever had and have had no support from Mistubishi - the first 1500km service last week I gave the dealer a very concise report on this problem, and they had the car for TWO DAYS. They said the problem was fixed, but it has not.
Blocked visibility
blocked vision, 10/11/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 8 people found this review helpful
After 6 weeks, sun visors fail. When in use, they will drift down, blocking forward vision. Mitsubishi dealer replaced my visors with new ones. After about 4 weeks, they do the same thing. I find it hard to drive toward the sun, holding the visor in position with one hand and steering, shifting and using turn signals with the other hand. Other Mitsubishi models have better visors. Mitsubishi seems uninterested in fixing this problem on the Lancer.
Four Season Sports Car
Craig Stiwald, 04/23/2016
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
1 of 4 people found this review helpful
Like the title says the Ralliart is a four season sports car. Take the summer tires and wheels off and replace them with a set of winter tires and wheels and you are ready for winter. The car is a "Evo-lite"
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lancer
nkomn, 05/13/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My Lancer ES is a beautiful car, it can use a little more power but is fine for normal driving. I think it should get a little better gas milage than it does.
Everything you need
Greg, 06/22/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
You really can't find a better car for the price. I've seen some complaints about power which confuses me. I have a 5 speed manual and I have TONS of power. You just need to learn your car so you know when to shift. It's also very agile at HIGH speeds and slows down quickly too. I drive quite a bit finding a car that's comfortable is hard since I'm 6'3" and 285 lbs. For me at least it's one of the more comfortable cars in it's class that I've sat in. I actually like the interior as well. It's simple. I don't need a car that'll shave for me while I drive.
The Sleeper
The White Killer , 07/28/2020
updated 08/02/2021
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Some Modification and You Have a Little Evo
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Economy vs Comfort and Safety
Joe M., 08/27/2009
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
The 2010 lancer rides just like the 08, 09 lancers which are a new generation of lancers. The 2.0 liter dohc, 16 valve engine with innovative timing performs well but the 2.4 performs much better and is only available in the expensive gts, which doesn't have as comfortable a suspension. The cvt transmission is smooth and the car soaks up most bumps. The cheap plastics on the dashboard somehow make you wonder if they cheapened anything else. I've had prior lancers and they were all exceptionally reliable - as good as a Toyota.
Waht a japanese car
Juledum, 04/22/2010
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer DE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought a DE MAN and I am very happy with it. The performance is very good and it's fun to drive. I don't feel intimidated when a BMW or other fancy cars stop next to me in a Light. When they want to show the power of their cars, the Lancer response very well with it's 152hp and its light weight. It is a good car for long trips.