2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Road Test

As Close as We'll Get to an EVO Anytime Soon

I had just parked the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart over town, put money in the meter and started to walk away when two young

The Lancer Ralliart is the closest thing Canada is going to get to an EVO VIII anytime soon. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

chaps on bicycles stopped behind the silver sedan. One exclaimed "Whoa, look, it's a Lancer Evolution!" The other replied with hopeful curiosity, "Is it?" I then remarked, "Close, it's the Lancer Ralliart and it's the closest thing Canada is going to see when it comes to the EVO VIII."

We all engaged in 'car talk' for a while and my closing remarks included something along the lines of "the Ralliart handles amazingly, has a lot of zip, looks good and overall is a great sedan. I can only imagine what the EVO would be like."

My editor had an opportunity to drive the street-legal EVO VIII (which to this day I still envy) and had nothing but good things to say. In the case of the Ralliart, I feel the same way. Although it's not laced with 276 smooth galloping stallions under the hood, or a boisterous rear deck spoiler, my test Lancer did have a smooth-revving 2.4-liter 16-valve, MIVEC

The Ralliart's smooth-revving 2.4-liter 16-valve, MIVEC SOHC 4-cylinder engine produces 162-hp. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

SOHC 4-cylinder engine producing 162 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, not to mention a humble rear spoiler.

What I particularly liked about the engine was the generous amount of torque. Recently I tested the Honda Civic Si-R and Toyota Corolla XRS which provided more horsepower, both making 170, but lacked torque at 132 and 127 respectively. Therefore, each required higher revs to get off the line. The Lancer Ralliart's 2.4-liter made a world of a difference during acceleration, improving the car's overall ease of driving. Compared to Volkswagen's GTI 1.8T, for instance, or Honda's Civic SiR, where power kicks in at a higher rpm, the Ralliart offered a comfortable range to operate in whether driving around the city or out on the highway.