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2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Road Test

A Personal Favorite

I was talking with one of my friends on the phone, and during our conversation he randomly asked me, "Guess what car I went and test drove today?" I asked him to give me a hint. He said, "It ends with an i." So I listed such exotic brands as Maserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, then Audi, but all my guesses were wrong.

Finally he dropped another hint, saying, "You test drove one recently and I thought it was pretty sweet." After that, I immediately guessed the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. I was right. Perhaps my constant praise about the Ralliarts overall sweetness was the inspiration for him to finally get behind the wheel of one himself. The passenger seat obviously didnt cut it.

While the 2005

While the 2005 Lancer Ralliart is a carryover from 2004, it is still the same great-handling, clean-looking and mean-sounding sports sedan I remember. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

model is a carryover from 2004, it is still the same great-handling, clean-looking and mean-sounding sports sedan I remember. What particularly gets my motor revving is the raspy, gurgling sound that comes from the stainless steel exhaust - its gets my spine tingling.

Unlike some of its competitors, such as the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V or even the Honda Civic Si, the Ralliarts free-flowing sport exhaust matches

The Ralliarts free-flowing sport exhaust matches its personality, ready to rip at the drop of the clutch. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

its personality, ready to rip at the drop of the clutch. The exhaust note isnt so loud or throaty that it would wake the neighbors if I came home at 3:00 am (not speaking from experience!) or set car alarms off while cruising in first gear in an underground parkade, but its vocal enough to make its presence felt just the same.

The Ralliart voices its opinion in more than one way, mind you. For example, my tester came with a great tuneage system, the optional 315-watt Mitsubishi/Infinity six-CD changer stereo with seven speakers and an enclosed eight-inch subwoofer located

My tester came with a great tuneage system, the optional 315-watt Mitsubishi/Infinity six-CD changer stereo with seven speakers and an enclosed eight-inch subwoofer located in the trunk. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

in the trunk. The system is fabulous and really adds to the factory-tuned tuner experience. A swell audio system and a tricked-out sedan go hand in hand. While the six-CD changer was located just below the climate control switches, a non-traditional location, it was nevertheless easily operable. Also included was an additional single-disc in-dash CD player which, combined with the optional system, made a total of seven discs that could be loaded at once. Now thats music to my ears.

It wasnt just the stereo system that had me singing - essentially it was the whole car, but more specifically, the combination of a nicely-powered engine and finely-tuned sport suspension. One thing I

One thing I love about the Lancers 2.4-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder, SOHC MIVEC engine is the nice balance of power and torque. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

love about the Lancers 2.4-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder, SOHC MIVEC engine is the nice balance of power and torque: 162 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The ample torque makes for quick acceleration, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 7.3 seconds, and let me make effective use of the engine as a brake while descending hills.

Furthermore, the stiff-and-sporty four-wheel independent suspension and power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering carve the path for precise handling. The Lancer Ralliart just begs to be pushed into tight turns, and when called to task, answers with gleeful enthusiasm. The reinforced unibody structure and large front anti-sway bar enhance the cars nimble and agile handling to the point where its almost impossible to lose composure, thus even making novice drivers feel like pros.

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