2006

MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTBACK RALLIART 2006

The Lancer has undergone a few exterior nips and tucks, together with a few minor changes to the interior. The Ralliart—the sporty member of the family—merits a 2.4 litre four cylinder engine to drive the front wheels, which can be paired only with an automatic transmission in the wagon version, known as the Sportback. Interior and trunk The cabin is easily accessible. The front seats are snug and very comfortable, but shorter drivers may not be able to adjust their seat high enough. For everyone else, the driving position is very good. There is no adjustment for lumbar support. Head and legroom are good. The rear bench provides comfortable seating and ample head and leg room for two adults. The seat back is split 60/40 and each section can be reclined at several angles. When the seats are folded down there is a space large enough for a pet to fall through between the front and back seats. In addition, the floor formed by the seatbacks is not flat, but tilted toward the front. The liftgate creates a large opening for the cargo area, but the bumper sticks out far enough to get in the way. Cargo capacity is good with the seat back up and very good when the seat back sections are folded down. Convenience and safety The cabin is well finished throughout, and soundproofing is good enough for a sporty vehicle. Exhaust noise is continuous and could become irritating. Storage compartments, few in number and small in size, are not this vehicle’s strong point. Photo : Mitsubishi

Instruments and controls are very well laid out, but only the driver’s power window control is lit up at night. The air conditioning barely manages to cool the passenger compartment, and is somewhat on the slow side. Safety-wise, the Ralliart comes with dual front airbags, two side airbags, big outside mirrors, four discs brakes with ABS and locking head restraints that adjust fairly high. Visibility is very good in all directions except toward the rear, where the head restraints can create blind spots, especially the middle one, which is full, whereas the two on the sides are of the see-through type. The horn, in the centre of the steering wheel, is tiny. The headlamps are reasonably effective. In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Lancer earned a rating of “good,” the highest possible, in a frontal offset impact. In a rear collision it was rated “marginal,” the second worst rating. Engine and transmission The 2.4L, 4-cylinder engine develops 162 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. It has electronic valve control that changes the cam profile at 3,500 rpm, which improves performance at both ends of the rev band. On paper this is all great, but in reality acceleration is a bit slow, although pickup is relatively good. This is a bit disappointing since the manual transmission is noticeably livelier—the difference comes to a little over two seconds in acceleration from 0–100 km/h. The engine meets NLEV (National Low Emission Vehicle) standards. The four-speed automatic transmission, the only available option in the Sportback, is quite smooth most of the time. The gears are spaced well with the exception of the fourth gear, which tends to rev the engine a bit too fast. The Ralliart will not start in second gear. On the road The Ralliart rides firmly and quite comfortably. However, on sharp bumps and cracks the suspension reacts harshly because of the 50-profile tires. The ride is typical of a sporty vehicle, and the Ralliart is definitely a sporty vehicle. Road holding is great on smooth pavement. Unfortunately, the moment the Ralliart encounters a rough patch, the stiffness of the suspension throws the car off course. The power steering is well weighted, stable, precise and quick. Its turning circle is rather long, however, and it has little road feel. The brakes lack power in emergency stops but show good fade resistance.

A once-over at a CAA-Quebec Technical Inspection Centre showed the Ralliart to be extremely well built. Rustproofing was good. The camshaft, both in the 2.4 litre and in the 2 litre engine available on other versions of this car, is driven by a timing belt. According to the magazine Consumer Reports the reliability of the Lancer should be better than average. Conclusion The Ralliart Sportback will interest buyers looking for a car that combines sportiness with practicality. Too bad it’s not offered with a manual transmission, since the automatic steals away some of the engine’s power and reduces driving pleasure. PROS: roominess, comfortable transmission, easy steering, warranty

seats,

manoeuvrability,

smooth

CONS: slow acceleration, lack of braking power in emergencies, protruding rear bumper, numerous unlit controls, barely adequate air conditioner, unavailability of manual transmission 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER Engine: 16-valve, 2.0L 4 cyl.; 16-valve, 2.4L 4 cyl. Horsepower: 120 hp @ 5500 rpm; 162 hp @ 5750 rpm Torque: 130 lb-ft @ 4250 rpm; 162 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Transmission: 5-speed man.; 4-speed auto. Suspension: fully independent Brakes: disc/drum (4-wheel disc: Ralliart) Wheelbase: 260 cm Length: 458.5 cm (station wagon: 460.5 cm) Width: 169.5 cm Height: 136.5 to 139.4 cm depending on model Weight: 1,225 to 1,380 kg Tires: P185/65R14; P195/60R15; 205/50R16 Towing capacity: Not recommended Airbags: dual front. Side airbags standard on OZ Rally and Ralliart, optional on ES Fuel consumption (2.4L engine and automatic transmission): − Transport Canada rating: city: 10.4 L/100 km (27 mpg); highway: 7.3 L/100 km (37 mpg) − Test result: 9.7 L/100 (28 mpg) Temperature: 120C to 27 0C Fuel tank capacity: 50 litres

Acceleration: 0-100 km/h: 10.5 seconds

60-100 km/h: 6.4 seconds

Competition: Chevrolet Cobalt et Optra, Dodge Caliber, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Pontiac Pursuit, Saturn Ion, Subaru Impreza,Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf et Jetta Warranty: − Full basic coverage: 5 years/100,000 km − Powertrain: 10 years/160,000 km − Surface corrosion: 3 years/60,000 km − Perforation damage: 5 years/unlimited kilometrage − Emissions control system: 5 years/100,000 km (full coverage); 8 years/130,000 km (catalytic converter, electronic control module and onboard diabnostic device) Factory replacement parts: Rear bumper: $1,328 Front brake disc: $136 Brake pads: $75 Muffler: $360 Front fender: $362 Average insurance premium (Quebec City, replacement cost endorsement, claim-free insurance record, female driver or male driver 30 to 40 years old): $816 to $1,095 Price according to trim line: ES: $15,998 O-Z Rally: $21,398 Ralliart: $22,778 Sportback LS: $21,598 Sportback Ralliart: $24,998 Main options: Automatic transmission: $1,100 Option packages: $700 to $2,000 Price as tested: $24,998 Freight and preparation: $1,095 Dealers: Québec: 16

Canada: 55

 June 2006. All rights reserved, CAA-Quebec