Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
17 -25 City / 22 -34 HWY
Horsepower
148 -291
Seats
5
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Tara D
Mitsubishi Lancer 2012. I really like the radio
I really like this car. It runs smooth, the radio is beautiful and I really love the color of the car as well.
accountCircle Tye C
Mitsubishi travel car. The best car for off roading and tons of space
My car is huge and has amazing stereo system, built in Bluetooth and GPS system. The brakes aren't so great. Has extra floor storage compartment. It drives great on all types of roads. Extremely reliable and so uncomfortable. I would recommend this car to absolutely anyone especially with a big family
accountCircle Kaitlyn W
The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer GT is a nice performance vehicle for the price.
The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer GT is 2.4 Liter 4 door sedan with around 168 horsepower. It's not the fastest car in the world and doesn't compare to the Lancer Evo or Ralliart but for the price I can't complain. Especially with all the bells and whistles (Leather black interior, sunroof, heated seats, CVT transmission, paddle shifters, factory sound system, etc). At 92,000+ miles I've had no serious issues with it. Only doing your typical maintenance (oil, brakes and upkeep). All in all I'd say it's a great car.
accountCircle Jennifer A
An interesting detail would be the flash drive capability that I have through a USB port in my glove box so that it is out of sight.
I like that I have USB capabilities as far as being able to listen to over 200 songs on a flash drive. I like that I have heated seats in the front. I wish though that I had automatic locks and lights and access to satellite radio.
accountCircle Tyler C
Great car, as long as you keep up with it.
Great car. Barely any problems. Upkeep is easy and not too expensive for maintenance. Mitsubishi has a good track record. Comfortable and good on gas. Great sound system. Cannot really go wrong with this one. Easy on the transmission it has a safety switch that will start to decelerate your car.
accountCircle Amira D
Eco mode kicks in and helps you save gas you have until you get to a gas station
So I won't lie in the beginning we had some troubles but that was only because the previous owner did not take care of it. After we got our 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer ralliart fixed up and working properly, I couldn't be more happy with the reliance and the comfort of it. It's very dependable and a nice well done car, I recommend for anyone to have this car!
accountCircle Ronnie M
The ralliart has aggressive lines.
No issues ac Bluetooth airbags back up sensors good choice and reliable it is never left me on the side of the road. I like the color option octane blue I have blue courtesy lights and led dome lights from the factory. Drives good I will be a repeat customer.
accountCircle Rebecca F
It is has great seats that recline comfortably.
I have no complaints on my vehicle. It does the job and does it well. It is a great car and will drive it until I no longer can.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Reeja
Awful
Awful. Windows always get foggy at any time of the year any time of the day
accountCircle Cal B
Reliable, easy to drive car
It is a nice and reliable car. I haven't had any issues with it since buying it new from the dealership. It gets good gas mileage and has not required any unforeseen maintenance. There are currently about 67,000 miles on the car I drive and it still is running perfectly fine'again with no unforeseen issues.
accountCircle Cal B
Reliable car that gets great gas mileage
I have had my car for about seven years now. I haven't had any problems with my car and it hasn't required any unforeseen issues. The car has been incredibly reliable, with good gas mileage. Currently, my car has about 67,000 miles on it and still runs perfectly fine.
accountCircle Alejandro P
An interesting detail is the reliability.
I have not had many problems with this car, just the usual maintenance you would expect. My car is at about 80000 miles, sometimes it takes a couple tries to get it on, but it does the job. It's not the most comfortable car but for the price you cannot complain. There's enough space in the back for 3 adults, I've sat back there and I am about 6'1 and I fit no problem. There's not many features, the car is a little behind as far as technological aspects go but it's enough.
accountCircle Mel B
Before you decide to buy, take a look at what I wrote.
Pretty reliable, good on gas, not much storage space in the front that I was used to in my other car. Trunk is pretty small. Car is very easy to drive in all weather situations. If you need a repair, browse the internet first! Mitsubishi is very expensive!
accountCircle Amanda F
Great first car for teens.
It takes a while to get up to 60 mph. Does not have GPS or other features that is normal to have in cars made today. My Bluetooth stopped working after a week of having the car. It is a pretty smooth drive though and I enjoy riding in it. The look of it is pretty sleek. It has heated seats and the seats are cloth so I Does not get too hot or cold in the different seasons.
accountCircle Victoria M
Great if you are looking for a small car for yourself and not the family.
The performance and reliability of the car are amazing. It is a great car, holds up really well in all types of weather unless there is a huge snow storm and that is just because it is a low to the ground sedan. Safety features are what drew me to the car in the first place as I was in an accident in another lancer that resulted in it being totaled and walked away with just bruises. The only thing I would say about this car as a bad thing is it is very small. If you have a family and you are looking for a small car this one is not the one for you. The back seats are very cramped. The front seats however have quite a bit of room. Overall perfect for if you are looking for a small car for just yourself or a spouse and yourself. Great gas mileage, great safety features, great performance. Just a small car.

Mitsubishi Lancer Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
DE
152 HP 28 MPG 5 Seats
car
ES Sport
148 HP 27 MPG 5 Seats
car
ES
148 HP 27 MPG 5 Seats
car
SE
168 HP 25 MPG 5 Seats
car
GT Sport
168 HP 25 MPG 5 Seats
car
GT
168 HP 25 MPG 5 Seats
car
Ralliart
237 HP 20 MPG 5 Seats
car
GSR
291 HP 19 MPG 5 Seats
car
MR
291 HP 19 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Owner Reviews

4.43
65 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 57%
4 stars 32%
3 stars 9%
2 stars 0%
1 star 2%
accountCircle David R on June 20, 2021
Best performance bang for the buck.
The mitsubishi lancer evolution x is a high-performance sports sedan made for rally racing. Its turbocharged engine, high torque, and all-wheel drive make its speed and handling ideal for track use and daily driving, as it is fast and nimble. It comfortable seat five.
accountCircle Albert M on April 5, 2021
Very fun to drive! Turns heads and keep a smile on your face.
I absolutely love my car. I have had zero major issues since I bought it almost 7 years ago! The only downside to this car is that it is not fast as the ralliart or evo but it is still quick enough to have a lot of fun with. Other downside is it is not very soundproof, you can definitely hear a lot of road noise when driving. Other than that this car has been a blast to drive.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Breezy A.

The pros are that I have 200,000 miles on it & have had no issues other than one very expensive repair which was the transmission that had to be rebuilt. The vehicle has all wheel drive & is fuel efficient. It has been very dependable.

likeFilled Brendan K.

Very reliable and rugged. It is fun to drive. Minimum repairs needed. Has 130 thousand miles with no major problems it has a good size trunk. The interior controls are easy to use the stereo works well.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Breezy A.

The repairs are expensive. The transmission had to be sent away to Colorado to a special technician for rebuild because the dealerships do not have people capable of this repair or rebuild due to the rarity of the transmission. It is for racing & is not like a regular lancer. The Ralliart is few & far between & they do not get them often enough to confidently work on them.

dislikeFilled Brendan K.

It has loud road noise. It is hard to do any minor work on it myself. The interior is kind of cheap and not very modern. It does not get very good mileage for its size. It has big blind spots for the driver.

Ranks #9 Small Cars by Owners

The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer has an average owner rating of 4.45 out of 5 which ranks it #9 of 36 other Small Cars.

1
car
4.8
2
car
4.76
9
car
4.41

Ranks #8 Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer has a combined MPG of 38 which ranks it #8 of 36 other Small Cars.

1
Tie
car
42 MPG
1
Tie
car
42 MPG
8
Tie
car
34 MPG

Is The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer A Good Car?

It isn't bad, it doesn't have as much power as I would like it to have thought.But it looks nice. The radio isn't very good, and the ride is very loud.
Cha Z.

How Reliable Is The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer?

I haven't really had any problems with the Lancer in the 7 years I have owned it so yes I guess I would say it's reliable.
Sheens W.

Is The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer A Good Value?

I think it cost in the low to mid twenty thousand range back in 2012. I guess that isn't a bad value for that specific car but I would prefer it to be a little cheaper due to the annoying road noise.
Emily H.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer have a timing belt or chain?

Answer: Both the 2.0 L 4Cylinder engine and the 2.4 L 4Cylinder engine in the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer come with a timing chain. The chain works to make sure Your intake exhaust valves open up at the correct intervals. A...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety