Lancer Gets More Power; Outlander Gets Less

Mitsubishi made a small announcement today: Both the regular Lancer sedan and the Outlander SUV will get Mitsubishi's latest 2.4-liter engine. Mitsubishi calls the engine its next-generation four-cylinder; power is up to 168 hp, nominally more than last year's 2.4-liter.

In the Lancer, the engine will go in the GTS trim, while other versions retain a smaller, 152-hp engine. A manual or CVT automatic is available. The Outlander gets the 2.4-liter engine with a CVT in ES and SE trims, while LS and GTS trims have a V-6.

The extra power should help the Lancer, which is engaging to drive but could use a little more oomph. The Outlander, meanwhile, gets 3 mpg better in the city (20/25 mpg city/highway with either FWD or AWD) with the four-cylinder versus the V-6, but highway mileage stays about the same.

The figures stack up about even with the four-cylinder Saturn Vue (19/26 with FWD) but fall slightly short of the Honda CR-V (20/27 and 20/26 with FWD and AWD, respectively) and four-cylinder Toyota RAV4 (21/27 or 20/25).

A Mitsubishi product manager told us the four-cylinder Outlander is a 2008 model and will go on sale early next year, while the upgraded Lancer GTS is a 2009 model and will go on sale in the spring.

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2007 L.A. Auto Show: 2008 Subaru WRX STI

• Competes with: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Volkswagen R32
• Looks like: Demonic hatchbacks have a new hero
• Drivetrain: 305-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with six-speed manual
• Hits dealerships: Early 2008

It’s rare when two classically opposed models debut at the same time. The Subaru WRX STI hits the show floor at the same time as its archrival, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. That’s like debuting the new Camaro alongside the new Mustang. The differences between the two, however, have never been more clear: The Subaru is a hatchback, while the Mitsubishi is a sedan.

Obviously there’s a lot more to distinguish the two, but like the Evo the STI is a turbocharged-four-cylinder all-wheel-drive sports car. It puts out more horsepower — 305 versus the Evo’s 291 — but has less torque, with 290 pounds-feet versus 300 pounds-feet in the Evo. Still, the STI should be an impressive ride.

Up Close With the Nissan GT-R

• The first thing you notice when you sit in the GT-R is that the sport bucket front seats are rather narrow. The large bolsters grip your back mightily, which doesn't normally happen to me when I'm in a performance car; there's always a little space between the side of my back and the bolsters. The dash of the GT-R is a mishmash of design themes. The round air vents are in contrast with the angular center portion of the dash, which is dominated by a large infotainment screen. I didn't find the outside of the car very cohesive, either; there's just too many elements in play, like circular taillights matched with angular headlights and a slab-sided body. That said, I'm inclined to think some time in the driver's seat might change my tune. — Mike Hanley

2009 Jaguar XF Starts at $49,200

Jaguar's latest sedan, the XF, will start at $49,200 for the base, Luxury trim. Stepping up to Premium Luxury costs $55,200, while the 420-hp XF Supercharged runs $62,200. All prices exclude a $775 destination charge.

Standard features include power seats and a power-adjusting steering wheel, a moonroof, leather upholstery and a 320-watt stereo. The Premium Luxury adds a navigation system, heated seats and more, while the Supercharged caps the lineup with 20-inch wheels, higher-grade leather and a Bowers & Wilkins stereo. Naturally, most of the higher-end features are optional in lower trims.

Fifty large might seem like a hefty price for a midsize luxury car, especially when competitors like the BMW 5 Series and Infiniti M start at thousands less. But the XF comes standard with a V-8 engine; others have V-6s. Are the Jag cachet and engine worth the cost? Sound off below.

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Up Close With the 2008 Toyota Sequoia

• The operation of the new Sequoia's second- and third-row seats is particularly interesting and well-executed. Lift a lever and the second row slides forward and out of your way for easy access to the third row.
  
  As for the third row itself, it wins points for its power-reclining feature, which makes the seat more comfortable than the third row in the Ford Expedition, which has been one of the leaders in this regard. Getting out of the third row is simplified by a foot kick on the back of the middle row that lets it slide forward and out of your way. — Mike Hanley

L.A. Auto Show Day 1 Recap

The first day of an auto show is a hectic time, with a full slate of new cars being revealed every half hour or so. We scoured the floor and brought back reports and lots of photos from each new car, SUV and truck. Check out the full stories on the Cars.com Auto Show pages, complete with original photo galleries.

Production Cars
2008 BMW 1 Series
2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
2009 Chevy Aveo5
2008 Chevy Silverado Hybrid
2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt
Honda FCX Clarity
2009 Lincoln MKS
2009 Nissan GT-R
2009 Nissan Murano
2009 Pontiac Vibe
2009 Toyota Corolla
2009 Toyota Matrix
2008 Toyota Sequoia

Concept Cars
Audi Cross Cabriolet
Hyundai Genesis Concept
Volkswagen Space Up! Blue

Up Close With the 2009 Nissan Murano

Do the wild looks of the Murano hold up in person?

• I'm glad to see Nissan recant the original Murano's quasi-experimental dashboard for something more old-school. Quality is everywhere: Soft-touch panels overlap each other with nary a gap in between, and the center controls look like the ones in the Infiniti G35. Very impressive. The leather upholstery feels like an Infiniti's, too, which will probably irk your neighbor who spent thousands more on his EX35.
  
  If the Murano has flaws, they have to do with the way things work, not how they look or feel. The massive glove compartment opens on the passenger's shins, like the glove box in the smaller Nissan Rogue. The power-raising rear seats are a nice touch, but there's no one-touch functionality so you have to hold down the switch while they ... slowly ... motor upward. And on a quirkier note, the wipers are three different lengths — the left-front is longer than the right-front, which is longer than the rear-window wiper. No doubt when the blades wear out you'll need to buy specialized (read: expensive) replacements at a Nissan dealership. — Kelsey Mays, 4:50 p.m. 

BMW 1 Series Priced Less Than $30,000

BMW's new 1 Series coupe will have a base price including destination of $29,375 for the 128i and $35,675 for the 135i. The 128i is powered by a 230-hp inline-six that can hit 60 mph from a standstill in 6.1 seconds with the manual transmission, while the 135i does the run a whole second quicker. Under the 135i's hood sits the BMW's 300-hp twin-turbo six-cylinder.

The coupe hits dealerships in spring 2008, and a convertible version of the 1 Series will be shown at the Detroit auto show in January.

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2007 L.A. Auto Show: Hyundai Genesis Coupe Concept

• Looks like: Hyundai still hasn't found its styling call
• Defining characteristics: Not a lot; the lines are aggressive but don't go anywhere new
• Ridiculous features: Staggered carbon-fiber hood, enormous air intakes
• Chance of being mass-produced: Confirmed; expect a production version at next year's New York auto show

Though the Genesis coupe shares styling elements with the upcoming Genesis sedan, the shared name puzzles us. Hyundai bills the sedan as a full-blown luxury car, but when the production coupe arrives at next spring's New York auto show, it will compete with cars like the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Nissan 350Z.

One Hyundai product planner told us the company benchmarked the Infiniti G37's performance, but he added that the rear-wheel-drive coupe won't replace the front-wheel-drive Tiburon, which will likely get its own replacement down the road.

As concept cars go, the Genesis coupe's over-the-top quotient is low. There are no gull-wing doors or computerized dashboards. In fact, there's no dashboard at all; the car on display had windows tinted so dark we couldn't make out anything within, and Hyundai wasn't letting anyone open the doors.

Full mechanical details aren't available yet, but Hyundai says the production coupe will have a standard turbo four-cylinder and an optional 300-plus-hp V-6.

Hyundai says the production coupe should hit 60 mph in less than 6 seconds with the V-6, and it will be the "most affordable" 300-hp sports car on the market. The current title goes to the $25,840 Ford Mustang GT — which does zero to 60 in well under 6 seconds, mind you— so expect the V-6 Genesis coupe to start around there, with the turbo four-cylinder costing a few grand less.

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Up Close With the 2009 Dodge Journey

• I know from photos that the Dodge Journey looks pretty good, but for any new car — especially a Chrysler (including Dodge and Jeep) product — the interior quality is an important consideration. This is a new model and another chance for Dodge to step it up, and my first impression is blah. Overall, the materials don't knock me out.
  
  Oddly enough, the dash top is soft to the touch, but it doesn't look great. More often we see surfaces that look pretty good but don't pass the touch test. Most puzzling is the LCD screen, which appears at the bottom of the center control panel. This one appeared to be audio only and not a navigation system, but I'm not sure it matters. This is awfully low for a driver who's supposed to be watching the road. — Joe Wiesenfelder, 4:02 p.m.

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