Mitsubishi's new Lancer has got style and road presence. This latest generation saloon car for the C segment of the market makes a statement in terms of style that's a leap forward for the Mitsubishi brand. Michael Moroney drove the sharp new model and here's his report.

You'll be instantly won over by the styling of the new Mitsubishi Lancer. The car, which was launched here in Ireland in November, is a refreshing design compared with the previous Lancer.

The new Mitsubishi Lancer comes with an economical 1.5-litre petrol engine that delivers well on the emissions scale. Prices start at €22,495 before delivery charges.

The Lancer is now in its ninth generation and age has suited its evolution process. The latest model is the best testimony of this. Mitsubishi has built on its rally championship styling and developed a car that comes with impressive looks. The car looks powerful even though the engine under the bonnet is well behaved and that's the trick in itself.

Mitsubishi has gone from a 1.6-litre petrol engine to a slightly smaller but more powerful 1.5-litre option in the new Lancer. The car, which is built in Japan, is designed around a global platform, so that similar styling is used in a number of world markets.

That styling is characterised by the large front grille with what Mitsubishi call the shark-like nose. The lights are clustered very effectively in the complete front-end design. You can detect that I'm impressed with the overall design effect; it's one of the better designs to come from Mitsubishi, in my mind.

For starters, for the Irish market Mitsubishi is keeping the Lancer options simple; one engine option with a choice of manual or automatic gearbox. We expect to a see a diesel powered Lancer later this year, using a 2.0 litre diesel engine compliments of Volkswagen. That's the same engine as fitted to the Outlander and Grandis models, so it will be both powerful and come with low emissions in the Lancer.

For the present, the new 1.5-litre petrol engine is the only model available. This engine is more powerful than the 1.6-litre engine of the previous Lancer model. Engine power is up by 13 per cent to give 109bhp, while torque levels drop slightly.

The extra power makes little difference to the acceleration pace, which is rated at 11.6 seconds in a 0 to 100km/hr race. That compares well relative to the competition with cars like the 1.6 litre Kia c,eed coming in as the fastest in the group. The Lancer performance is far from sluggish relative to the competition; it's just that it looks so well that you expect it to go faster.

Mitsubishi has given fuel economy a priority in the new Lancer. The economy figures have improved by seven per cent to give a combined fuel economy figure of 6.4 litres/100km (44.5mpg). That's the best performance in a comparison of 1.5 and 1.6 litre saloon cars on the market.

That economy figure is reflected in the all-important emissions figures. The new Lancer is rated at 153g/km. This should means Lancer prices will fall slightly in July based on a lower Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) figure. That's more good news for those considering the Lancer as their motoring choice.