Mitsubishi extends Lancer’s reign

IMAGES have emerged of a minor facelift for Mitsubishi’s ageing Lancer sedan, safeguarding its presence in the local market for at least the next two to three years.

A new grille, bumper and alloy wheels make up the bulk of the exterior changes, while the interior has benefited from parts-sharing from the Outlander, with a new dash, centre console and screen in evidence.

The facelift is less comprehensive than expected, with Mitsubishi – in the US at least – maintaining all of its current powertrains. The front-end makeover was also expected to be more representative of the company’s Dynamic Shield grille, which has not materialised.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia's head of corporate communication Shayna Welsh said the company would launch the facelifted car locally.

"We’re still negotiating details and timing for our marketing but hopefully we'll have something to announce soon," she told GoAuto.

Plans for a new Lancer to be based on the build of the new Megane courtesy of an alliance between Nissan and Renault collapsed early in 2015.

It also means that the current car will be the best part of ten years old before a replacement is made available for the local market, by which time almost all of its major competitors will have completed two lifecycle rotations.

The debut of the MY16 Lancer also means the official end of the Ralliart line, with more than 600 expressions of interest received by Mitsubishi Motors Australia for the Final Edition Evo X. The Australian allocation is just 150.

Mitsubishi sold 10,033 Lancers in Australia in 2014, a 12 per cent dip over the 2013 score, but it still beat the likes of the Honda Civic (7878), Kia Cerato (6679), and Hyundai Elantra (8779).

The current-gen model’s best sales year was 2010, when 23,076 Lancers found homes in Australia.

It has sold 6052 units so far this year, fewer than four per cent under its score at the same period in 2014.