2005 Mitsubishi Sportback Concept

The current Sportback is, well, a Lancer wagon. Its name is sporty, and it goes pretty well since Mitsubishi figured out that only outfitting it with a conventional (read no manual-mode) four-speed automatic gearbox wouldn't exactly attract the sport compact crowd that was hot on the five-door market segment when it debuted. Now, a five-speed manual is also available, at least in the U.S. The Canadian division either didn't have the foresight or couldn't substantiate the nominal sales it would experience to keep the updated model around. But the Lancer will soon be getting thoroughly updated, and with that comes an opportunity to redefine the Sportback model, and hopefully in doing so come up with something that will be more enticing among sport compact buyers.