Forbes names versatile and sporty Mitsubishi Lancer to its select list of "The Safest Small Cars, 2011" [US]

Forbes names versatile and sporty Mitsubishi Lancer to its select list of "The Safest Small Cars, 2011"

Thu, Feb 17, 2011 - CYPRESS, California -Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is honored to have its best-selling Lancer compact sports sedan - a consumer and media favorite for its outstanding combination of style and value - recognized by renowned business and lifestyle publication Forbes as one of its choices of "The Safest Small Cars, 2011."

Forbes bases its selection process heavily on crash test data compiled from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent nonprofit research and communications organization that is funded by the automotive insurance industry; the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer received the IIHS's highest rating in all of the agency's crash test evaluations including high-speed front and side crash tests, rollover test and seat and head restraint protection against neck injuries in rear impacts.

"We greatly appreciate major publications like Forbes recognizing our efforts in making all of our vehicles – in this case our very popular Lancer sports sedan – as safe as possible," said Mitsubishi Motors North America President Shinichi Kurihara. "This reflects very well the hard work done by all of our highly skilled engineers and designers in the pursuit of safety."

With a starting MSRP of only $16,995, the stylish Lancer compact sport sedan comes equipped with a long list of standard safety enhancements including Active Stability Control (ASC), traction control, seven airbags including a driver's knee airbag and a Tire-Pressure

Monitoring System (TPMS), and is powered by a capable 148 horsepower (143 bhp for PZEV version) 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that features Mitsubishi's Innovative Valve Timing Electronic Control (MIVEC) technology that produces lower exhaust emissions and excellent fuel economy of 33 mpg highway.