2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Road Test
A Thoroughly Satisfying Sport Compact
In the Canadian market, as far as Mitsubishis are concerned, Lancer and Evolution are two mutually exclusive entities. While you might catch a glimpse of the legendary machine that rewrote the rulebook on performance cars on magazine stands, or at an SCCA Pro-Rally event, its nothing in comparison to our neighbours to the south, who receive their very own version of the rally weapon.
Since Mitsubishis entry into the Canadian market in 2001, I, along with most enthusiasts, have been anticipating the arrival of the Lancer Evolution… but four years and three Evos later, still nothing. Every time I ask, theres always the same excuse - problems with Canadas “no-damage” five mph bumper regulation and the cars front fascia-mounted oil cooler (the U.S. makes do with a 2.5 mph regulation). But until our government either changes this ridiculous rule, designed solely to placate insurance companies, or Mitsubishi replaces the current EVO with a new model designed with the Canadian market in mind, the Japanese company at least has concocted a little something to soothe our adrenaline-fueled cravings - the Lancer Ralliart.
First things first: do not confuse the Lancer Ralliart with the Lancer OZ-Rally. There is much more to this machine than the OZ, which is a decently equipped and visually tarted-up version of the basic ES model. Aside from sharing a few exclusive colours with the Ralliart, theres nothing to back up the “Rally” claim its name suggests. To me, the whole model is rather pointless and lacks appeal, particularly when the only major difference is “special” 15-inch alloy wheels, a size that was cool a decade or two ago. Im also stumped about the partnership with OZ anyway - the Italian wheel maker doesnt even sponsor or supply Mitsubishis rally team with their wheels. But were not here to dwell on the marketing ploy that is the OZ; lets move on to the much more worthy Ralliart.
Ralliart is Mitsubishis skunk works tuner division. Like SVT (Ford) or AMG (Mercedes-Benz), the Ralliart team is responsible for churning out some of the worlds most capable race cars, despite being crafted from humdrum daily drivers. Their no-mercy attitude towards winning has netted the Ralliart-engineered Lancer Evolution one manufacturers title and four drivers titles in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Mention Ralliart in the same sentence as Paris-Dakar within earshot of a rally sport enthusiast and you will hear no end about Mitsubishis victories with their Pajero Evolution, a highly modified three-door version of its Montero SUV. In recent years, and as far as I can remember, Mitsubishi has taken home something to put on its mantle from this gruesome cross-continental adventure.
But to most North Americans, Ralliart has little to no meaning, and for that matter neither does Lancer in comparison to names like Corolla and Civic. In order to lift the cars nonexistent image onto the radar screens of potential buyers, Mitsubishi came to the conclusion that it had little to lose and much to prove and decided to build a proper sport compact - a critical decision in a market that targets the spirited driver.
But theres more to understand about the Lancer Ralliart. First of all, it is not a cut-price Evolution, a major fact which people fail to note. Expect this, and you will be sorely disappointed, but thats because this isnt the cars purpose. Mitsubishi wanted to reinforce its image of building spirited, fun-to-drive machines, like it did with the original DSM cars (Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, etc.). The main goal, instead, was too eat into the burgeoning sport compact market, and build up an image of a compact sedan that can tear apart “sporty” rivals such as the Civic SiR hatch, Cavalier Z24, Sentra SE-R and company.
Looks, style and street cred are extremely important in the puddle-deep market of sports compacts, trailed closely by horsepower (not torque), and then price. For not having the Evos turbocharged grunt or all-wheel drive, the Ralliarts axis of evil looks complete with enough scoops and intakes to suck up a forest full of furry animals, and a bi-plane spoiler which slices, dices, cubes and quarters, the Lancer Ralliart ranks favourable against its sport compact competition.
A tasteful, rather than excessive, skirt wraps around the Lancers lower extremities, matched up front by a pair of projector beam fog lamps, and a bow-shaped spoiler in back. Clear-lensed Altezza-like (Toyota-badge version of Lexus IS 300 not available in North America) taillights are a personal pet peeve on anything but an Altezza, but Ill forgive them here; as the car has the substance to back up its boy-racer mods and alongside its twin-star alloys, has turned the pedestrian Lancer into an object of desire.
Beneath the pinched hood and triple-diamond badge is Mitsubishis stalwart 2.4-litre SOHC inline four, which is available in most cars sold here and is the base block for the new Evo IX. Compared to its installation in the Galant and Eclipse, the Ralliarts engine has been fettled with for an additional lease on life.
While theres nothing wrong with the stock cast-iron steed, the Lancer benefits from a higher compression ratio for extra kick, a dual-port exhaust manifold for enhanced breathing, as well as lighter internal components such as the pistons, con-rods and crankshaft. The end result: more power, and a free-revving character thats eager to tackle the road ahead. Inarguably, the biggest advantage which the Ralliart packs is MIVEC, Mitsubishis variation on variable valve timing.
Variable valve timing (or VVT, for short) has been around since the early 90s, a prominent feature of performance-minded Hondas (VTEC). However, Mitsubishi has evolved the basic concept. Most systems (Honda, Toyota, etc.) have two distinct cam profiles with well-defined switchover points; this explains the sudden surge of power you feel when you cross the boundary on a Civic SiR or an RSX - it is the camshaft changeover. It also explains why the cars motor feels sluggish below certain engine speeds.
Based on this idea, Mitsubishi decided that having three profiles is better than two, and so the Lancer has individual cams for low, medium and high-lift situations. Having different profiles is a little bit like having more gears in a transmission; certain profiles benefit certain driving conditions, and can improve performance, as well as combustion. The net result is a more efficient, more powerful vehicle thats both smooth and tractable.
The bigger engine and MIVEC give the Ralliart a different character than the typical sport compact. With a larger bore and stroke, you might be surprised to find that power and torque figures are not only comparable, but identical at 162-horsepower, and 162 lb-ft of torque. Theres no massive torque deficit as with high-strung Honda-Acura VTEC motors, or Toyotas VVTi-L powered Celicas, Matrixes and Corollas. Flexing your right ankle brings forth the Lancers respectable wave of torque, regardless of whether youre above or below the low-ish high-profile switchover point of 3,500 rpm, leaving the competition behind in a wake of the aurally pleasing burble from its stainless steel exhaust.
With such readily accessible torque, dropping gears to pass becomes an option rather than a necessity, but theres nothing wrong with stirring the Ralliarts gearbox; it is one of the Lancers high points, having received some serious upgrading. Evo freaks will probably notice that the shift knob and assembly are straight out of the Evo VIII, and when it comes to shifting, theres little that can compare with its short throw (12 percent shorter than other models), and baseball-style stitched gear lever. With a light and progressive clutch thats easy to modulate, a triple-synchromesh second gear for smoother operation as well as clearly defined ratios, excessive ratio swapping might become your next bad habit. It should be said that Mitsubishi offers the Lancer Ralliart with a conventional four-speed automatic, but a car of this type really benefits from having a manual gearbox.
While traversing up and down city streets is fun, with bass-rich tunes ebbing out the lowered windows, the Ralliarts natural territory is corners. Mitsubishi took the time and the effort to upgrade the Lancer proportionally, concentrating equally on structural rigidity as well as the actual suspension itself, in order to guarantee the crisp reflexes that so many sport compacts lack.
Tucked under the wheel wells are sport dampers that have been firmed up to the tune of 150 percent in front and 85 percent in the rear, complementing the sport springs which are 20 percent stiffer, and the larger front and rear anti-roll bars. A job well done, as the suspension takes roads rough enough to be rally stages without upsetting the body. Theres no body shake, crash, or skip and theres certainly no flex due to a three-point brace across the front strut mounts.
Push the Ralliart and one thing will quickly become clear - youre more likely to run out of talent (or luck) before the car loses composure. The sharp, tight turn-in can be attributed to a recalibrated rack-and-pinion, which has reduced assistance for greater feel, masking the Ralliarts portly 1,290 kg (2838 lb) curb weight. Both the 205/50R16 Goodyear Eagle RS-As and the 272-mm front discs with ABS and brake force distribution, bite with surprising conviction, which builds the confidence to tackle corners with more speed. Surprisingly, theres little that can upset it through mid-corner; neither jabbing the throttle nor lifting off causes the drama typically associated with front-wheel drive cars. Dare I say, this is the best-handling front-wheel drive Mitsubishi product currently in production.
While Im head-over-heels for the Ralliarts dynamics, theres a little more to be desired when it comes to its interior - this is where the Lancer shows its age most. Because its design dates back to the 90s, prior to the tall-body styling trend, which is featured in the new Jetta, Civic and Corolla, its cabin is slightly more cramped, particularly for those taller than six feet. Its age also shows in the drab Simple Simon layout of the centre console, with oversized HVAC knobs, and a basic audio head unit. While the Lancers plastics are hard, theyre durable, and coated in a matte finish to prevent glare and reflection. Two different shades are used, as well as faux carbon fiber to lift the mood.
Other distinguishing features of the Ralliart include eight-way adjustable sport front buckets pulled from the Japanese-market Lancer Evolution GT-A and re-trimmed in a boy-racer red-flecked fabric weave, with faux Alcantara side bolsters. Sporty, white-faced gauges are also included, but they can be difficult to read at times when the headlamps are on; like the dash-top mounted clock, numbers as well as several of the illuminated icons become illegible while wearing polarized sunglasses.
The only major option available on the Ralliart is the “Sun and Sound” package, which groups a bass-heavy, powerful 315-watt Infinity-Mitsubishi sound system with a six-disc CD changer and eight-inch subwoofer, a power one-touch sunroof and side-impact airbags. Leather seat covers, additional pod gauges, and other accessories can be purchased at your local Mitsubishi retailer.
So, whatll the Ralliart run you? A lot less than you might have expected, with a starting price of just $22,188. Keep in mind, all the vitals, such as power windows, mirrors and keyless entry, and ABS brakes with brake force are all standard. In terms of price, its cheaper than its main rivals by around $2,000, and is (just) undercut by the torque-steering Nissan Sentra SE-R V-Spec, and the Mazda3 GT by a few hundred bucks.
The Mitsu, however, has one last trick up its sleeve, its best-in-the-industry five-year/100,000 km comprehensive and ten-year/160,000 km powertrain warranty. The Lancer is also relatively cheap to run, consuming approximately 10.4 litres of regular unleaded per 100 km when driven in the city and 7.4 L/100 km on the highway. Be forewarned: push hard and that figure will easily double; my first tank lasted all of 290 km!
No one said that building up an image of a car is easy work, especially for a vehicle thats lived its life in the shadow of one of the worlds most highly sought after performance machines, but the Ralliart has successfully laid the foundations for future sporty Mitsubishis.
By using the tricks of the trade, a handful of ingenious technologies and, (most importantly) not taking short cuts, Mitsubishi has produced a warmed-over compact sedan thats as satisfying to drive as it is to look at, and one that few can match in its overall bang for the buck. Its also one I could easily see in my driveway for a few years down the road, and thats saying a lot.
Milford, CT 06460
Tacoma, WA 98409
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Milford, CT 06460
Houston, TX 77065
Glendale, AZ 85301
Scottsdale, AZ 85257
Saint James, NY 11780
Schaumburg, IL 60194
Philadelphia, PA 19153
Until the five mph bumper regulation is changed, the closest thing Canada will get to the mighty Mitsubishi Evo is the Lancer Ralliart. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)
First things first: do not confuse the Lancer Ralliart with the Lancer OZ-Rally. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)
The Ralliart team is responsible for churning out some of the worlds most capable race cars, despite being crafted from humdrum daily drivers. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)
The Lancer Ralliart is not a cut-price Evolution, an important fact which some people fail to note. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)
Looks, style and street cred are extremely important in the puddle-deep market of sports compacts. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)
Beneath the pinched hood and triple-diamond badge is Mitsubishis stalwart 2.4-litre SOHC inline four. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)
Browse By Make
Browse By Body
Browse By Year