2004 Mitsubishi Lancer VRX review from Australia and New Zealand

Minor leak from the rear main seal on the manual gearbox at around 40,000km.

After my previous car experience, this one is a joy to drive and own. The price was quite good and ongoing running costs are low. It's burning 7.9L/100km in real world driving (stats kept for every refill since purchase). Runs very well on E10 (10% ethanol) fuel with a drop in economy of 2% on average.

The engine performance is pleasing, and strong enough to comfortably drive the car on a hot day without the air conditioning affecting performance too much. Air conditioner is strong enough to cope with 40C Australian weather. Cornering capability is very good with limited body roll. Traction on the VRX model is excellent due to the wide tires and lower, stiffer suspension.

Interior plastic quality is pretty good with no rattles or squeaks. The seats could have more lateral support. Everyone who is a passenger in my car comments about how much room is available in this medium size car. Boot space is very good. Mitsubishi provide a full tire with alloy for the spare, which is refreshing to see.

The only mechanical issue to go wrong is a seal leaking on the manual gearbox. This was noticed by the dealer just outside of warranty, but Mitsubishi offered to pick up the parts costs and half the labour. Cost me AU$230 to replace the seal which I think is quite reasonable.

The car was involved in a relatively minor accident where it was sandwiched between two other cars. Crash repairs appear to be quite expensive. AU$10,000 in my case (covered by insurance). Car was restored to as-new condition by the Mitsubishi repairer.

I think the car looks great in bright yellow and I would definitely buy another.