Research · complaint index
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 5 model years of the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2009, 2010 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 16 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 3 | Typical |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2010 | 56 | 3 | 2.7 | 6 | 5 | Most complaints |
| 2009 | 98 | 5 | 4.4 | 2 | 11 | Most complaints |
| 2004 | 8 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
- 201416 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 20133 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 201056 complaints · 6 recallsMost complaints
- 200998 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
- 20048 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 11, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2013, 2004.
About this comparison
What Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2009, 2010 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 5 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.