It would be fair to say that the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart is a bit of a poseur — and that’s a positive. Let’s be honest, many of us love the power and styling of hot sports cars, but how many of us really want to pay the big bucks for the horsepower and uberprecise handling those cars offer? And, if we do, is it really a wise investment when the driver can’t unleash such horsepower on a regular basis? It’s like paying top dollar for a thoroughbred and leaving it locked in a stall 95 percent of the time.
So if you want the look and some of the feel of the sports car with a reasonable thirst — 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway — you owe it to yourself to check out the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.
You’ll likely notice right away that the looks don’t disappoint.
| 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart |
| » Engine: 2-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder, 237 horsepower |
| » Transmission: 6-speed Twin-Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission (TC-SST) |
| » Fuel economy: 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway |
| » MSRP: $27,665 |
The Ralliart shares the same wedge-shaped silhouette, stretched headlamps and big, bold grilles that its superstar relative, the Lancer Evolution, sports. The Ralliart’s bold, athletic stance certainly looks the part of a sports car.
But Mitsubishi calls the Ralliart a kissing cousin to the Evolution because of more than just a physical resemblance. The models share plenty of similarities under the hood, too.
The intercooled engine of the Ralliart is similar to that of the Evolution. Add to that fast-shifting 6-speed automated manual Twin-Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission and all-wheel drive and you begin to understand the car’s power and excitement.
There are also plenty of high-tech safety features that include Active Stability Control, Traction Control Logic and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
Another potentially lifesaving extra is the automaker’s Hill Start Assist that holds the car for several seconds when descending or ascending a slope. That gives the driver seconds to shift from the brake to the gas pedal.
If there’s one downside to the car — and many auto journalists agree on this — it’s the interior.
For all the sports extras that the exterior boasts, the interior of the car is spacious but less than well-appointed. The greatest interior flaws include all of the plastic and low-end-appearing materials plus a cramped driver’s seat that is compounded by the lack of a telescoping steering wheel.
But the inside story is not all grim. Comfy split rear seats that fold flat into a 60/40 configuration are a nice bonus, as is the automaker’s Fuse voice activation system, which many believe could rival Ford’s Sync.
The bottom line is that buyers who want sports styling, power and comfort in an affordable package owe it to themselves to consider the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.
