Mitsubishi has had a presence in the U.S. market for many years, selling cars under the Mitsubishi brand and producing cars sold as Chryslers. Recent management and financial troubles had left Mitsubishi in a precarious position, but the company has found some success with their redesigned Lancer compact sedan.

For 2009, the Lancer GTS gets a new 2.4L four-cylinder engine to help distinguish it from lower trim levels. A new all-wheel-drive Ralliart model with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine aims to bridge the gap between the FWD Lancer models, and the range-topping AWD Lancer Evolution.

The underperforming Galant gets more attractive front and rear fascias for 2009. The Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder also receive new front-end styling.

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• Mitsubishi for 2009
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Performance

For many, the way a car performs is a key criterion for which car to purchase. Our Velocity Index helps determine which vehicles are the best all-around performers taking in to consideration a balance of factors such as acceleration and handling.

For more information, view our new car performance guide.

What would we drive?

Based on our Velocity Index analysis, the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution seems to provide a good trade-off between price and vehicle performance.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy has long been a key decision factor when buying a new vehicle. While the EPA estimates may accurately predict your mileage with a given vehicle, they are useful for broad comparisons of vehicles. Note that many trucks and large SUVS are too heavy to be required to specify their fuel economy.

For more information, view our new car fuel economy guide.

What's popular

Here are the five cars that draw the most attention from our readers.

• 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
• 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
• 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse
• 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander
• 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder