The dashboard has nothing to write your mother about; in fact, I'll say it's borderline dull. While the bright orange backlit instruments catch the attention, the three-dimensional circular gauges could use better execution.

Really, there is little to report here. Plenty of plastics, few colors and logically-positioned controls that perform exactly what they're told. There's no need to read the owner's manual to use the climate control system or the stereo. The sound quality of the latter, by the way, is decent at best.

Basically, Mitsubishi chose to focus on functionality rather than aesthetics. Given the complexity of some German cockpits, I think they're following the right trend.

A beast on the road
The road is where the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart truly shines. Of course, you can unleash all the ponies under the hood without much resistance and you're just a few firm clicks on the paddles away from a true sports car feel.

The interior is plain and decidedly less sporty than the Evo's.

Not as violent as the Evolution's, the turbo engine of the Ralliart responds quickly and enthusiastically; you can feel it at only 1,500 rpm. True, the exhaust note could be more pleasant (the low, burbly purr is far from sporty), but the car does not shy away upon takeoff.

Meanwhile, the brakes are sizeable and extremely solid. They allow quick, linear stops over short distances and induce little body roll when entering corners. As for the AWD system, it delivers sporty driving dynamics regardless of maneuvers.

Even at 50 km/h, the Lancer Ralliart knows how to please. This beast proves agile, relatively comfortable and spacious enough for a family of five and their luggage. As mentioned earlier, I found it quite civilized, making no compromises in daily driving conditions and sparing your back from tough pains.

In the end, the Ralliart sure does not achieve the same level of performance as the famous Lancer Evolution, but the latter is arguably nothing more than a race car. And, boy, do I hate driving a race car in rush-hour traffic!


Photo Credit : Matthieu Lambert