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2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Preview

More Dance Room Inside

When I was a kid wagons had all the sex appeal that minivans have today, about as alluring as a back seat full of kids with ice cream all over their faces can be. But today no such stigmas are attached. Rather, wagons, or 5-doors as they are now affectionately called, are all the rage.

While the premium brands, such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, have produced sport wagons for some time, only a few entry level brands like Suzuki and Subaru have consistently produced wagons from early on, with their Esteem and Loyale, the latter which was replaced by the Impreza. More recently, Ford

Mitsubishi and other entry level brands are bringing sporty wagons into the market, following in the footsteps of the premium brands. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

and Mazda began offering their Focus Wagon and Protegé 5 while Toyota and Pontiac followed up with their twin Matrix and Vibe models. Volkswagen also got into the game with the Jetta Wagon.

With all the focus on 5-doors it makes sense for Mitsubishi,

The 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback being introduced at the New York Auto Show. Check out the red EVO 8 hovering just above. The EVOs sporty DNA trickles down to all Lancers. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

the automaker of choice for the up and coming generation, to offer the sporty styling and active lifestyle convenience of a two box design.

The Lancer Sportback, as Mitsubishi calls it, shows off its reworked grille and front fascia, a feature common to all 2004 Lancers. The design is a big improvement over the Lexus-like grille

In true wagon fashion the Sportback has plenty of carrying room, over 42 cubic feet. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

of the current car, sportier and more in tune with the youthful audience the car is targeting. The Sportbacks vertical taillight pillars give it an upscale appearance, similar in execution to Volvos V70 wagon - not bad company.

That square back end is especially well proportioned for carrying stuff, fitting up to 42.3 cubic feet of cargo with the split rear seatback folded flat. Passenger volume is impressive as well, 43.2-inches of front legroom and 36.6-inches in the theater style raised rear seating area. Altogether

Sport suspension, tighter bushings, and a stiff 3-point front strut are a couple of the added features on the special edition Ralliart Sportback. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

the Sportback LS boasts a total passenger volume of 94.5 cubic feet - thats a lot of dance room, cant wait for the TV ad. But wait, theres even slightly more at 95.3 cubic feet in the Ralliart edition.

The what? To be clear two trim levels are offered, the base LS and racy Ralliart edition. The latter shows off a lower body kit complete with front, side and rear aerodynamic aids, a unique grille, tinted headlamp lenses and projector-beam fog lamps.

The special edition deals up a few less immediately noticeable features too, such as a full sport suspension that includes

The Sportback Ralliart gets an impressive 162-hp 2.4-L 4-cylinder, a lot of power for a small car. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

uniquely tuned spring rates, specified damper tuning, tighter bushings, a more responsive steering rack and a stiff 3-point front strut tower brace.

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