AS THE ever-popular Mazda3 shows, buyers respond to good looking small sedans. This is great news for Mitsubishi, which has to wait until the end of 2008 before the Lancer hatch arrives. In the meantime, there is the handsome CJ Lancer sedan, a small car with big features – stability and traction control, dual front and driver’s knee airbag protection, cruise control, power windows and mirrors and a five-year/130,000km warranty are all standard on the base ES – to back up its striking styling. Consider that the Lancer sedan also drives well and starts from only $20,990, and it is pretty clear that the car with the diamond badges represents gold-star value for money.