• HOME
• 
• AUTO LISTINGS
• 
• FINANCE
• 
• NEWS
• 
• DIRECTORY
• 
• REVIEWS
• 
• FORUM
• 
• BLOG
• 

2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Road Test

As Close as Most People Will Ever Get to an EVO

I had just parked the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart over town, put money in the meter and started to walk away when two young chaps on bicycles stopped behind the silver sedan. One exclaimed "Whoa, look, its a Lancer Evolution!" The other replied with hopeful curiosity, "Is it?" I then remarked, "Close, its the Lancer Ralliart and its the closest thing most people will ever get to an EVO VIII."

We all engaged in car talk for a while and my closing remarks included something along the lines of "the Ralliart handles amazingly, has a lot of zip, looks good and overall is a great sedan. I can only imagine what the EVO would be like."

My editor had an opportunity to drive the street-legal EVO VIII (which to this day I still envy) and had nothing but good things to say. In the

The Lancer Ralliart is the closest thing most people will ever get to an EVO VIII. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

case of the Ralliart, I feel the same way. Although its not laced with 276 smooth galloping stallions under the hood, or a boisterous rear deck spoiler, my test Lancer did have a smooth-revving 2.4-liter 16-valve, MIVEC SOHC 4-cylinder engine producing 162 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, not to mention a humble rear spoiler.

What I particularly liked about the engine was the generous amount of torque. Recently I tested the Honda Civic Si-R and Toyota Corolla XRS which provided more horsepower, both making 170, but lacked

The Ralliarts smooth-revving 2.4-liter 16-valve, MIVEC SOHC 4-cylinder engine produces 162-hp. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

torque at 132 and 127 respectively. Therefore, each required higher revs to get off the line. The Lancer Ralliarts 2.4-liter made a world of a difference during acceleration, improving the cars overall ease of driving. Compared to Volkswagens GTI 1.8T, for instance, or Hondas Civic SiR, where power kicks in at a higher rpm, the Ralliart offered a comfortable range to operate in, whether driving around the city or out on the highway.

Its handling is great too. The Ralliart offers up a modified suspension in the form of front MacPherson struts and a multi-link rear setup to provide its driver with optimal road-taming skills and a firm but not-too-rough

An extremely slick 5-speed short-throw manual gearbox and semi-stiff clutch make the top-line Lancer a user-friendly yet ultra-feisty sports sedan. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

ride. The rack-and-pinion steering further adds to its tight ride, exhibiting quick turn-in and excellent stability at higher speeds.

That responsive steering wheel works in concert with the cars extremely slick 5-speed short-throw manual gearbox and semi-stiff clutch, making the top-line Lancer a user-friendly yet ultra-feisty sports sedan. Its nice to get behind the wheel of a sporty car and not be beaten up by an overly harsh package. Shifting a notchy gearbox, depressing a heavy clutch and sustaining a rigid chassis can sometimes be rough on the system, but not in the Ralliart. In this case, I was the bully and the Lancer my latest victim!

Four 205/50R16 all-season radials combine with 16-inch Euro-flange aluminum

Sixteen-inch Euro-flange aluminum alloy rims wrapped in 205/50R16 all-season rubber enhance the cars driving dynamics. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

alloy rims to enhance the cars driving dynamics. The rubber commendably grips dry roads in tight turns and winding roadways. In the rain, however, traction was not as impressive. The tires didnt grip as well as I thought they should when accelerating from standstill. Braking in both wet and dry conditions, mind you, is short, quick and to the point, due to power-assisted 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS and EBD.

Page:  1  2

AUTOMOBILE REVIEWS BY MAKE

Acura  Audi   Bentley   BMW   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Chrysler   Daewoo   Dodge   Eagle   Ferrari   Ford   Geo   GMC   Honda   Hummer   Hyundai   Infiniti   Isuzu   Jaguar   Jeep   Kia   Lamborghini   Lexus   Lincoln   Lotus   Maserati   Mazda   Mercedes-Benz   Mercury   MINI   Mitsubishi   Nissan   Oldsmobile   Plymouth   Pontiac   Porsche   Saab   Saturn   Scion   Subaru   Suzuki   Toyota   Volkswagen   Volvo