After a disappointing 2008 model, engineers stepped it up a notch when redesigning the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer. The 2008 declared itself a speed demon. What it delivered was a speed problem. In the 0-60 sprints it performed well, but at low performance speeds drivers had to deal with a loud engine noise at 3,200 rpm in order to go anywhere.

To fix this problem, Mitsubishi dropped a 2.4-liter, 168 horsepower, four cylinder engine into the 2009 model. It comes standard with a 5 speed manual transmission that gets 21 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway, which is average fuel efficiency for cars the size of the Lancer.

Government crash testing rates the 2009 Lancer with a 5 star rating in both driver protection in the front and from the sides. This is likely because of the variety of airbags that come standard in the 2009 model (front seat side, full-length head curtain, driver's knee airbags, etc). However, it only received a 4 star rating for front passenger crash protection and rear seat side protection. But, despite the small drop in ratings, the 2009 Lancer still receives the highest rating of "Good."

If the Lancer has a weakness, it would be the interior. When looking at the outside of the vehicle, consumers expect the inside to look just as sharp as the outside of the car. What they get is poor quality upholstery and unimaginative dash controls. There is little room for adjustment for taller drivers, but at least the seats are comfy.

The outside of the car sports a sunroof, rear wing, body kit, chrome exhaust and 18 inch alloy wheels giving the Lancer a sporty feel with aggressive styling. Its major competitors are the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla, but really the Lancer isn't much like either. It has less fuel economy and less reputation than the Honda and Toyota comparable models but the Lancer has better handling than either and looks quite a bit better.

Those that want a sportier car would do better with a Mazda 3, but in terms of looking for an alternative to the boring small sedan cars out there, the 2009 Lancer is worth a bit of your time. Overall, the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer is a solid car for those looking for a more aggressive alternative to other economy cars. It's not without its faults, but it is quite a bit better than the 2008 model with a starting MSRP of $13,990.