V-rated 205/50R16 performance tires surround 'euro-flange' alloy wheels, not as aggressive in diameter as some of its competitors but larger than the 15-inch wheel and tire package on the LS. Braking is enhanced with standard ABS while a slightly more expressive exhaust belts out a raucous note.
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| The Sportback Ralliart gets an impressive 162-hp 2.4-L 4-cylinder, a lot of power for a small car. (Photo: Mitsubishi) |
Of course the engine behind that growl will be of more interest to sports fans than merely the sound of it. The Sportback Ralliart gets a spicy 162-hp 2.4-L 4-cylinder that develops 162 lb-ft of torque. That's a lot of power for such a small car, easily besting all but the new breed of hyper-sport compacts like the John Cooper Works MINI, SVT Focus, MazdaSpeed Protegé, Dodge SRT-4, Subaru WRX and VW GTI. Of course, only the WRX offers the versatility of five doors, but to be fair it's closer in price to Mitsubishi's own Lancer EVO 8 (U.S. only for now).
Something to consider is that the Lancer, whether in sedan or wagon form, has basically the same overall architecture as the championship winning EVO. That's why Lancers feel solidly built and hang onto the road with sports car agility even in base trim. The Sportback has been additionally bolstered with structural ring frames surrounding the cargo area, stiffening the body to benefit both handling and impact safety.
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| The difference between the LS and Ralliart models in terms of horsepower is next to nil. (Photo: Mitsubishi) |
For this reason even the LS should manage the corners quite well. I was surprised when reading the press material Mitsubishi supplied to find out that even the base engine doesn't give up much over the sportier Ralliart. Really only 2-hp and 2 lb-ft of torque have been lost, probably the effect of the upgraded model's trick exhaust system alone, resulting in a maximum of 160-hp and 160 lb-ft of torque for the LS.