New car reviews » 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
Better than: Lancer GTS
But not as good as: Lancer Evo X
GRM Bang For The Buck Index: 71.15
After taking a spin in Mitsubishi’s latest iteration of the Lancer, it’s clear that the war between the all-wheel-drive superpowers isn’t slowing down yet. When it comes to driving thrills, the Ralliart falls a bit short of its big brother, the EVO. However, it does offer a lower-cost alternative for faithful Mitsubishi fans.
We loved the TC-SST gearbox, especially in its Sport mode. The specs say that the Ralliart is about 50 horsepower down from the EVO X, but from the driver’s seat it doesn’t feel much different in town. Narrow bodywork helps the car keep a low profile, avoiding the sort of attention garnered by the bolder-looking EVO.
Our criticisms of the EVO still hold true with the Ralliart, however. Interior quality is kinda shabby, and even though the Recaro seats are supportive, they are an expensive option that pushes the car ahead of its peers in cost.
Other staff views:
David S. Wallens Editorial Director:I have to admit, I kind of lost interest in this car when I saw that it only had two pedals—go and stop. But a late-night drive converted me. Mitsubishi has done an excellent job with their take on the whole twin-clutch setup. I think they may have taken the lead from VW.
The Ralliart’s upshifts are crisp, and when in the Sport mode the downshifts accompanied by some nice rev-matching. Run it in manual mode, and you can drive around while bouncing off the rev limiter. Honestly, I didn’t miss the clutch.
Okay, some things that didn’t impress me about the car. I stand by the comments I have made about other Evos in that the interiors are substandard. Where Subaru took the most recent Impreza up a notch, Mitsubishi didn’t follow suit. True, you don’t purchase a car like this for the interior accouterments, but still, you don’t want to feel like a chump when you’re making a real payment.
Reader comments:
No comments have been posted. Perhaps you'd like to be the first? You'll need to log in or register!
2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Specs:
- Drivetrain Layout:
- Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
- Engine:
- 2.0 liter Inline-4
- Horsepower:
- 237 bhp at 6000 rpm
- Torque:
- 253 lb.-ft at 3500 rpm
- Transmission:
- manumatic
- Suspension:
- MacPherson Strut front; multilink rear
- Wheels:
- 18x7.0-in.
- Tires:
- 215/45R-18
- Brakes:
- 11.6-in. disc front (front)
11.9-in. disc rear (rear) - ¼ Mile Time:
- 14.1 seconds @97.0 mph
- Weight:
- 3470 pounds
- Price:
- Base: $26490
- MPG:
-
EPA City: 17
EPA Highway: 25
Staff Ratings:
- Stock Performance:
-
- Performance Potential:
-
- Daily Driver Manners:
-
- Fit and Finish:
-
- Overall:
-
Save & Share:
-
Tell a friend
-
del.icio.us
-
Digg
-
StumbleUpon
-
FaceBook
What's this?If you're reading this, you've probably seen these odd links with funny names somewhere on the site and want to know what they're all about. Well, prepare to feel a bit more Net savvy. Those links are what the geeks call "social networks."
Social networking sites allow you to store and share links and pages across the Internet. It's like taking your bookmarks list and being able to see it from any computer.
Even better, social networks allow you to steer friends, relatives, colleagues and pretty much anyone else to the cool stuff you've found, so they have something better to do online than watching the skateboarding squirrel video on YouTube for the thirtieth time. You're making the world a better place.
The only catch is that while all the social networks are free, you do have to register. Each site has a slightly different focus, so take a look through the links and see which service suits you best.