New Car: Mitsubishi Lancer V Ford Focus

censuspro

I'm seriously considering buying a new car. I was originally looking at a Ford Focus but was in Swords today and there was a new Mitsubishi Lancer on display. Alloys, a/c and bluetooth all come as standard, 1.5 petrol engine and they reckon it'll get 50-55 mpg. Not to mention it's a fabulous looking car. Here's the best part €17,500 with a trade in! If I was to get a focus I'd be looking at €21K for a basic model.

Any posters have any opinions on the Lancer or why I should go for the Focus?

Saab Ed

If there's 50 cars in that segment then the Lancer must come in 47th. Poor car IMO.


...and these days for 17 grand you can buy just about anything. Keep looking OP.

steve french

you would probably have to drive it like your granny's granny to get 50-55 mpg out of it

Mc Love

Driven both and I would go for the Focus (slightly biased now that I own one though)

VolvoMan

I'm sure considerable discounts can be had on the current Focus at this stage, as soon it will be an outgoing model.

Make sure you avoid the base 1.4 litre by the way.

mullingar

Focus is in a different league than the Lancer, hence the price difference.

You get what you pay for

Lancer will average around 35mpg, Focus will average 45-50mpg, both with real-life mixed driving

BrianD3

If the Focus is a 1.4, I'd go for the Mitsubishi. Price being quoted is far cheaper and it is a newer design than the Focus. The Focus is an overated and dull car especially as a base model or 1.4. Better warranty on the Mitsubishi too and a 109 bhp engine compared to the 1.4 Focus's 80.

mullingar

BrianD3 wrote: »

If the Focus is a 1.4, I'd go for the Mitsubishi. Price being quoted is far cheaper and it is a newer design than the Focus. The Focus is an overated and dull car especially as a base model or 1.4. Better warranty on the Mitsubishi too and a 109 bhp engine compared to the 1.4 Focus's 80.

Spoken like a true accountant.

@OP, if you want a cheap car with extra toys go with the Lancer, if you want a car than handles & drives brilliantly with not so many toys and a bigger price go with the Focus

censuspro

mullingar wrote: »

Spoken like a true accountant.

@OP, if you want a cheap car with extra toys go with the Lancer, if you want a car than handles & drives brilliantly with not so many toys and a bigger price go with the Focus

Is that the reason for the price difference? Driving & Handling?

BrianD3

mullingar wrote: »

Spoken like a true accountant.

At least I know what i'm talking about. Your claim that the Lancer will average 35 mpg while the Focus will average 45-50 mpg is laughable.

BTW we owned two Focus IIs from 05-09 and yeah it is a good handling car. The difference between it and other cars in its class is wildly overstated. And most buyers of 80 bhp hatchbacks aren't looking for "dynamic" handling anyway.

JHMEG

I don't often agree with BD3 but in this case I do 100%. Focus is a grand car to drive but has absolutely no poke. The 35 vs 45-50mpg claim is dubious, but the "if you want less toys and a more expensive car go for the Focus" statement has me downright baffled!

Mc Love

the 1.4 has no poke. To the OP, if you research both cars, see what is the best in terms of the two, have a look on Honest John and Parkers.

A lot of people on here have their opinions much like I do, but I did look into both and the focus just ticked alot of boxes for me. Granted I have the 110bhp 1.6 tdci

delly

The base model Focus comes with nearly as much extras as the Lancer alloys, AC etc. I assume there loading the extras now what with it being an outgoing model.

pete4130

Not to mention Mitsubishis are a bit more pricey for parts/repair......the 1.4 isn't that bad on poke.....I had one in an estate and it was fine. If fully laden a bit sluggish and have to work through the gears hard but who, in every day life has 5 blokes, with 5 massive bags ad 5 bikes attached to their car traveling 150 miles? Not many people! The 1.4 was fine for everyday driving with 1-2 people in the car. I'm not saying its worth the money but its not as bad as people make it out to be.

EPM

I'd go with the focus. Even the base model now has alloys, air and Bluetooth. Diesel engine will be a lot more desirable. Plus the fact that it's a nicer car

censuspro

pete4130 wrote: »

Not to mention Mitsubishis are a bit more pricey for parts/repair......the 1.4 isn't that bad on poke.....I had one in an estate and it was fine. If fully laden a bit sluggish and have to work through the gears hard but who, in every day life has 5 blokes, with 5 massive bags ad 5 bikes attached to their car traveling 150 miles? Not many people! The 1.4 was fine for everyday driving with 1-2 people in the car. I'm not saying its worth the money but its not as bad as people make it out to be.

Mitsubishi comes with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty.

Drummerboy08

The Focus is a much nicer car to drive, be in, and look at. The base model (Style) now comes with alloys, A/C, bluetooth (I think) on top of whatever is standard.

IMO, the Focus will also hold its value better than the Lancer, even though it is more expensive. The initial bigger outlay will pay of when it comes to selling time in a few years.

I would also stretch to a diesel if possible.

By the way OP, there is a fairly large discount off the Focus at the minute, price around and I wouldnt think the Lancer is too much cheaper.

censuspro

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

The Focus is a much nicer car to drive, be in, and look at. The base model (Style) now comes with alloys, A/C, bluetooth (I think) on top of whatever is standard.

IMO, the Focus will also hold its value better than the Lancer, even though it is more expensive. The initial bigger outlay will pay of when it comes to selling time in a few years.

I would also stretch to a diesel if possible.

By the way OP, there is a fairly large discount off the Focus at the minute, price around and I wouldnt think the Lancer is too much cheaper.

I looked around at the Focus and the prices I'm getting are around €21K (for an outgoing model)

Drummerboy08

I'll check it out tomorrow, but I think they are going cheaper than that.

censuspro

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

I'll check it out tomorrow, but I think they are going cheaper than that.

Ok thanks.

Pdfile

focus as you'll never sell a lancer unless its a fast one....

Typewriter

Get the lancer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saab Ed

green_jesus wrote: »

Get the lancer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why?

censuspro

OP here: Advice here seems to be to go for the Focus, but can anyone tell me exactly why in order to justify the extra spend e.g. reliability, driving, handling etc?

Mc Love

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/ford/focus-hatchback-2005.aspx

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/mitsubishi/lancer-saloon-2008.aspx

argosy2006

why buy a new car, and throw all that vat down the drain,and as soon at u drive it home another few grand off of value,
but this instead,
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/E-Class/220-CDI-/200922192927587/advert?channel=CARS better than any new focus will ever be

bigbadbear

IMO Only fools/people who are VAT exempt/rich people should buy new cars. You will buy a much much better nearly-new car for the same money!

I drove a new model focus company car and it was the most annoying car in the world. Very good handling, good looking and diesel engine is excellent (Will be a 1.8 TDCi if you buy new)

Bad points:

• The petrol 1.6litre is frustratingly slow and really bad on fuel economy.

• The seats are windey-uppy so if you ever feel you want to lay back in your seat be prepared for a long wrist workout.

• The ESP always comes back on automatically (probably wont bother you)

• Everything in the glove box falls out when you opened it and gets stuck in the little gap so you cant close it again.

• The warning light that warns you that that your lights are still on is a single nice 'bing' noise that sounds like an acknowledgment of you stopping the engine (Sounds petty but left the lights on a few times)

All of the points above (apart from the poor petrol engines) are really small niggles but they compound enough for me to say I would never like to have drive one again. I actually used to drive my 01' corolla when i came from work!

I have never driven a lancer so don't know what they're like. You will be able to sell it though as loads of boyzzz buy them and put spoilers on them to make them look like the rally version.

Good luck in the search though!

squod

Try dealers in Kerry and Laois for the Ford. Has anyone sat in the back of the Lancer? I noticed it's a little tighter back there than the Focus. As far as I remember anyway.

Leonard Hofstadter

Mc Love wrote: »

the 1.4 has no poke. To the OP, if you research both cars, see what is the best in terms of the two, have a look on Honest John and Parkers.

A lot of people on here have their opinions much like I do, but I did look into both and the focus just ticked alot of boxes for me. Granted I have the 110bhp 1.6 tdci

Ford have dropped all petrol engines(bar the ST and RS of course:)) in the Focus for Ireland, including the 1.4 poverty spec Paddy spec one:)!

You now get the 1.6 diesel with 90 PS(not great by today's standards but better than the 80 PS in the 1.4 obviously) as the standard engine or else the 110 PS 2.0 if you want the Automatic model, unfortunately they don't offer the 110 PS 1.6 or even the 1.8 TDCi any more, the 1.8 would be my choice if it was still around, it may be an old engine but it is bulletproof!

cantdecide

Both cars are dullsville and they're a LOT more money than I've ever paid for a car (and I've had some fairly alright cars). When there are so many equally disappointing cars in their market segment, I don't know how one can single these out for special treatment but it was the Lancer I voted for. If it were me, I would fork out for upgrade alloys at least.

Henry Ford III

captainspeed wrote: »

Ford have dropped all petrol engines(bar the ST and RS of course:)) in the Focus for Ireland, including the 1.4 poverty spec Paddy spec one:)!

You now get the 1.6 diesel with 90 PS(not great by today's standards but better than the 80 PS in the 1.4 obviously) as the standard engine or else the 110 PS 2.0 if you want the Automatic model, unfortunately they don't offer the 110 PS 1.6 or even the 1.8 TDCi any more, the 1.8 would be my choice if it was still around, it may be an old engine but it is bulletproof!

Interesting ok.

I reckon the reasoning is that the 90bhp 1.6TDCI has lower Co2 than the 1.4/1.6 petrol engines, and is actually cheaper too.

Ford do some odd things with engine choices - making the 110bhp version of the 1.6TDCI unavailable on the Focus range was one, omitting the 125bhp version of the 1.6 on the current Mondeo another.