First Glance
Just as I'm settling into a habit of restrained driving as befits my "senior" years, someone hands me the keys to a hot little number and I'm terrorising the neighborhood again. This time the culprit was a Lancer Ralliart, a performance-rated 4-door compact that's so much fun it peeled off the years as quickly as it peeled rubber on the pavement. Understand, I'm not really into frightening my fellow-drivers, it's just that they're not used to a white-haired man acting like a boy racer.Obviously the Ralliart isn't aimed at geezers like me. Its market is the young person who fancies sport compacts, has no interest in building his/her own, and has a small family or a need for a sedan. He or she gets a roomy 4-door that's been kitted-out with goodies derived from Mitsubishi's experience in world rallying, where its cars have dominated one of the most demanding forms of motorsport.
Modifications include a 162 hp 2.4 liter engine, close-ratio 5-speed manual, sport-tuned suspension with larger anti-sway bars, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, full-body ground effects and rear spoiler. Sport front seats, aluminum pedals and 16-inch alloy wheels complete the performance list.
In the Driver's Seat
This is a car that embraced me just as I embraced it.The moment I sat in the Ralliart I knew the experience would be a pleasant one. It took only moments to get comfortable with the simple, well-placed controls while sightlines, all-round, were excellent. I could fire it up and drive off with the confidence one gets from an old pair of running shoes.
The interior has a sporty feel although Mitsubishi, thank goodness, resisted the temptation to overdo the details. So there's just the right amount of carbon-fiber-style interior accent plus a touch of racy-looking patterned inserts on the doors to make it interesting. Aluminum pedals add a reminder that the Ralliart is a driving machine. The seats are very supportive, a good thing when I discovered how well the car hangs on in the corners. And I was delighted to note that a sunroof came with my test car because, even in February, weather in Canada's Pacific Southwest (i.e.; similar to the US Northwest) is such that the roof can be left open, at least when it isn't raining.
I appreciated the leather-covered tilt steering wheel and was pleased with the 8-way adjustable driver's seat. For me, finding the ideal driving position (laid-back like an old racer) is essential.
On the Road
When I first drove away from the curb I was momentarily caught off guard. Because the Ralliart is an inexpensive 4-door sedan, I anticipated little more than a nominal power boost. Wrong! This baby took off like a frightened ferret, causing a quick change into second gear before things got out of hand. After that I learned how to use the close-ratio box and relatively brief torque curve to get best performance.Mitsubishi has tuned the Ralliart to North American conditions. Meaning, 0-60 acceleration as opposed to high-speed Autobahn-style cruises and passing ability. It's a car that quickly gets your adreneline running by encouraging flat-out performance. Is that a good thing? Yes, if you know how to handle it safely (see previous remarks re terrorising the neighborhood) but less so if you don't understand the difference between "fast" and "quick."
With every day I drove the Ralliart my confidence grew. Roadholding was such that familiar corners were taken at a higher speed. The steering was responsive though I'd have preferred a faster ratio. And the pedals were perfectly placed for heel-and-toe downshifts, unlike many pseudo-sports sedans. The ride was firm (no surprise) but well-controlled.
Journey's End
I recall being impressed with the Lancer's interior spaciousness, resulting from a long wheelbase, and having fun driving over empty roads in Quebec, not far from Canada's capital city of Ottawa. Since then the competition (except for Nissan) has gone to high sills, smaller windows, wedge shapes, and various video game-influenced shapes. Is that a reason to bypass Mitsubishi with its Lancer Ralliart? Not by my standards.
Those claustrophobic interiors that others promote do little to add to the pleasures of driving. The Ralliart clings to a shape that favors driver and passengers. To drive one is to say "the hell with convention" and go your own way: keep your Ralliart because time may prove you right. Not so incidentally the Ralliart also comes with air, power windows/locks/mirrors, 140-watt CD audio with six speakers, daytime running lamps, advanced front air bags, front seat-mounted side-impact air bags.
It only looks like a humble sedan.
