2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Road Test

With such readily accessible torque, dropping gears to pass becomes an option rather than a necessity, but there's nothing wrong

With such readily accessible torque, dropping gears to pass becomes an option rather than a necessity, but there's nothing wrong with stirring the Ralliart's gearbox. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

with stirring the Ralliart's gearbox; it is one of the Lancer's 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, there's 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 that's 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 Ralliart's natural

Push the Ralliart and one thing will quickly become clear - you're more likely to run out of talent (or luck) before the car loses composure. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

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. There's no body shake, crash, or skip and there's certainly no flex due to a three-point brace across the front strut mounts.