Introduced in 2002 as a replacement for the aged Mirage sedan, the Lancer came to market boasting upscale style and more rear-seat room than most of its rivals. Apart from that, there was really nothing that separated the Lancer from the Civics, Corollas, Sentras and Elantras slugging it out in the economy sedan arena, especially since the only engine choice was a weak 120-horsepower four-cylinder. An effort was made (and still is today) to market the O-Z Rally as a sporty sedan, but with just the base engine, it remains all-show and no-go. For 2004, continuing its quest for young, active buyers, Mitsubishi introduced a new compact wagon known as the Sportback and brought out more powerful Ralliart versions of both the sedan and the wagon. For 2005, Mitsubishi discontinued the Sportback wagons, leaving only the sedans once again. The lone remaining Ralliart sedan model still offers 162 horsepower, much better than the base 120.
Ralliart is Mitsubishi's international performance brand, engineered by the same people who worked on Mitsubishi's high-performance Lancer Evolution sedan. Mitsubishi uses the Ralliart sedan to grab a little market share in the econosport sedan and hatchback group. In service of this mission, the Lancer Ralliart has a sport-tuned suspension for tighter handling in the turns.
Despite their well-appointed interiors and smooth ride quality, the base and O-Z Rally models handle a little too sloppily for our taste, and their lack of power doesn't help matters. The Ralliart, with its more potent motor, better suspension and standard safety features is a much better choice. These aspects, combined with the Lancer's attractive interior, make for a pretty compelling small sedan.
The Lancer economy sedan is available in three trim levels: ES, O-Z Rally and Ralliart. ES sedans come with items like 15-inch wheels, air conditioning; power windows, locks, and mirrors; a tilt steering wheel; a height-adjustable driver seat; and a CD player. The O-Z Rally trim adds O-Z Rally alloy wheels, ground effects, white-faced gauges, cruise control, a split-folding rear seat, keyless entry, unique interior trim and embroidered floor mats. Top-of-the-line Ralliart models add foglamps, lower body kit moldings, 16-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension and sport seats. The ES can be had with most of the O-Z's additional equipment through a convenience package, and O-Z Rally and Ralliart buyers can further upgrade with the Sun and Sound package, which provides a power sunroof and a 315-watt Infinity stereo.
Antilock brakes and side airbags are standard on the Ralliart models, and optional on the ES and O-Z Rally. In government crash testing, the Lancer scored four (out of five) stars for driver and front-passenger protection in frontal impacts. In side-impact tests, the Lancer received a subpar two-star rating for front-occupant protection (without side airbags) and four stars for rear-occupant protection. In frontal-offset crash testing conducted by the IIHS, the Lancer received a "Good" rating (the highest possible). In IIHS side-impact testing, a Lancer without side airbags received a "Poor" rating (the lowest).
The Lancer's interior is surprisingly stylish and constructed with quality materials. This car also has one of the roomiest cabins in its class. Rear-seat legroom, at 36.6 inches, comes close to what many midsize sedans offer. Ralliart models provide an all-black interior with carbonlike accents and sport bucket front seats.
Like its Galant sibling, the smooth-riding Lancer does a fine job of isolating passengers from nasty jolts on the roadway. Base models provide adequate power around town, but highway travel will make you wish you had more than 120 hp. With 162 horses to go around, the Ralliart model is much more enjoyable, especially when equipped with the slick-shifting five-speed manual. Although standard Lancers offer modest handling capability, the sport-tuned Ralliart model has sharper reflexes and is fun to drive.
Automobile Magazine has bestowed its prestigious Automobile Magazine 2006 All-Stars Award to the ninth generation Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
It is the second consecutive year the Evo nameplate has won this honor. The Evo will be featured as one of only six winning vehicles in the January 2006 issue of Automobile Magazine, scheduled to hit newsstands on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005. This year's All-Stars slots were reduced from nine to six, making the competition even more challenging.
Every year, Automobile Magazine’s entire staff, including worldwide contributors, gathers for a week to test drive and identify the year's best vehicles. This year, the staff went to Southeastern Ohio to push the limits of the vehicles along 50-mile stretches, driving competitive-class vehicles back-to-back. The staff selected the six most impressive vehicles as Automobile Magazine 2006 All-Stars.
The Evo competes with the world's best performance cars by offering top-notch engineering and handling at a reasonable price. It is truly one of the most amazing performance vehicles on the road today.
The Lancer Evo continues its winning streak with this award, in addition to being awarded Automobile Magazine's All-Stars Award in 2005 and Automobile of the Year in 2004. Additionally, Sport Compact Car magazine named the Evo one of the Eight Great Rides in 2005 and 2004, Car of the Year in 2005 and 2004, and the number one choice among the 100 Best Sport Compact Cars of All Time in 2004.
Built on Mitsubishi's historic rally championship legacy, the 2006 Lancer Evolution represents the ninth generation of this high performance four-door sedan that continues to evolve with significant performance, rally styling and useful driver enhancements - raising the adrenaline of driving enthusiasts at every turn.
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