Mitsubishi

2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart

By: Juan G. Robbin

A sporty, five door hatchback that puts the fun into driving!

Sometimes word pairs put a smile on ones face, this was the case when a call came in announcing that I would be spending a week with the 2010 Lancer Sportback Ralliart. All I could do was grin.

The hatchback version of the Lancer four door sedan is simply a blast to drive! Add the optional ultra-supportive Recaro sports seats and the sensory overload explodes. Yes, for some, who may have a J-Lo-esque rear rump, these super-sport seats may be a tad too supportive, for others, specially the Gen X crowd, they see them as the perfect seats to have for a vehicle like the Lancer Sportback Ralliart.

The front will look familiar, as it is all Mitsubishi, featuring the now standard corporate signature grille design as well as the cool looking boy racer, NACA inspired center air intake. The rear hatch glass area features a dramatic spoiler that also acts as a nifty sun shade for the rear passengers. Below the bumper, there are two chromed sporty exhaust tips that keep with the Ralliart persona and look.

Inside the Lancer Sportback Ralliart there is a mix of sport-sedan together with a clean, modern look that is typical of the Lancer. We love the steering column-mounted magnesium paddle shifters that are simply a delight to use. The rest of the dash layout is simple enough to be almost minimalist, yet all of the needed accoutrements are there. Rear seat is comfortable for two, snug for three. Cargo room in the Sportback version is much greater than the sedan, thanks to the flexibility of the hatchback, as well as the ability to flick a lever and fold the rear seats forward. Presto! You have an instant mini SUV.

Mitsubishi and its Lancer series has carved a well deserved reputation for having impeccable handling manners, and the Sportback Ralliart didn’t disappoint one bit. Some say that its slow off the line due to the lazy turbo spool up, but we found it to be quite the opposite, with excellent throttle response and oh, those glorious paddle up-shifts! The 4 cylinder, 237 HP turbo engine felt strong and competent, only when pushing it to its highest revs does the power-plant give up some of its smoothness and becomes a bit buzzy, typical of most 4 cylinder engines. The brake discs and calipers are large, giving us a good reason to sample some hard stops to try out their performance and they came through with flying colors. Pedal feel is excellent and so is the control, and the lack of fade even at threshold braking.

Interestingly enough, during our one week sojourn with the Lancer Sportback Ralliart, we hardly got a glance. Only the Mitsubishi aficionados really knew what this car was, making it a bit stealthy and definitely a low key alternative to the sometimes, in-your-face sports versions of some sedans. Even though the Sportback offers greater flexibility in cargo space, we still find the sedan a tad more attractive overall though. Regardless, this is one fun hatchback to flick around the curves.

Comfortable, capable and fun to drive; the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart is an excellent, well rounded vehicle, suited for an active and sporty lifestyle.

The Essentials:

• MSRP: $27,590.00 MSRP (As tested): $31,210.00
• Fuel Economy (Observed): 18.5 MPH
• Engine: Inline 4 cylinder turbocharged, 2.0 liter, 237 HP
• Popular Options: Recaro Sports Package
• visit: www.mitsubishicars.com

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR

By: Juan G. Robbin

Taking a Sports Sedan to a new level
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR (2008)

Super ! Super ! Super ! Those are the words that I kept repeating over and over again every time I drove the Evolution MR during its week long sojourn as a test vehicle. Is the Evolution MR really a rally car for the street? Yes, without a doubt it is. The Lancer Evolution MR has more grip in a turn than a gecko has on a wall. Power comes from a tremendously agile 4 cylinder turbocharged engine. The suspension design and set up of course, is legendary. It feels tight and at times almost on the edge of being too sporty, yet never harsh or brash, thanks to the superb dampening dialed in by the factory suspension uber-wiz engineers. Manual shifting with the twin-clutch sportronic, six speed transmission managed by using paddle shifters was sheer ecstasy; up-shifts are lightning fast, especially under full acceleration. Downshifts, with the perfect rev-matching, double blipping throttle effect felt as if you have been magically elevated to race car driver status. Steering is a joy. Feedback and sensitivity are exactly where you want it to be. Direct yet subtle, tight yet comfortable.

The front of the Evolution MR looks all business, with its large air intakes and aggressive spoiler, all it takes is for a driver ahead to see you in their mirrors and they intuitively move over to let you pass. Wheels have an elegant dark metal finish to them that actually help accentuate the red Brembo brakes and large brake rotors. Rear spoiler is really a wing, giving the Evolution MR the well deserved bad-boy aggressive look from all sides.

Front seats are so good looking they make the young tuner kids look away with envy. These are simply the perfect balance of seat ergonomics and keeping you in place regardless of the type of driving you decide to do. Rear seats are typical in size and comfort for a small sports sedan, yet quite usable. Dash and instruments are well placed and presented; regrettably my only gripe during the week long driving experience with the Evolution MR was the maddening multi-function display and its controls. I’m sure that for an 18 year old this system is quite intuitive, but for me, a forty-something male, it just wasn’t that easy to manage, regardless how much I practiced with it.

Fit and finish is good, with nice touches that include contrasting stitching and sporty Evolution-only details throughout the interior. Center dash controls are typical Lancer layout, reminding you every time you see and use them of the roots from where the Evolution MR came from. Trunk is large and well finished, but the intrusion of a long, sloping rear window restricts the height of the cargo you can fit into the trunk.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR is an every day car that can take you to and from with ease, but why ? This is a car you want to drive simply for the enjoyment of driving. Just remember, one word will be repeated over and over in-between ear to ear grins every time you press the accelerator or go into a turn; Super ! Super ! Super !

The Essentials

MSRP: $38,290.00 MSRP (As tested): $41,515.00
Fuel Economy: (Observed): 18 MPG
Engine: 4 cylinder, 2.0 liter, 291 HP Turbocharged
Popular options: Technology Package
Visit: www.mitsubishicars.com