The Ralliart models have a firmer ride with their sport-tuned suspensions. The shocks have significantly higher damping rates and the front springs and anti-roll bars have higher rates as well, all of which means less body lean in corners and less dive and squat under braking and acceleration. Indeed, the Ralliart leans very little in corners. Bumps are heard and felt and the whole affair feels stiffer, but it's not harsh.
With 120 horsepower, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that comes on ES and O-Z Rally models is by no means the strongest in its class, but Mitsubishi has tuned it to generate more muscle at low- and mid-range engine speeds. Specifically, it develops 130 pound-feet of torque at 4250 rpm. With this engine, the Lancer feels zippy around town, leaps off the line, and feels downright aggressive when running though second and third gears. It cruises comfortably at high speeds and there's still power left for passing. And it gets good fuel economy, earning an EPA City/Highway estimate of 28/35 mpg.
The manual transmission has a short stick and shifts quickly. It feels tight and precise, even sporty. The available four-speed automatic transmission uses electronic controls and adapts shift points to the individual style of the driver. We drove it and were impressed by the smooth and quiet shift work, but noticed the automatic dampened Lancer's spirit, as automatics tend to do with four-cylinder engines. Also, the automatic drops the fuel economy to an EPA-estimated 25/31 mpg.
The 2.4-liter engine that comes in the Ralliart model has lots of low-rpm power, generating 162 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. With its strong torque, the 2.4-liter engine works very well with the automatic, making for a responsive combination. When cruising in traffic, it quickly yet unobtrusively downshifts with a touch of the throttle. It's very responsive around town and generates 162 horsepower.
The Lancer Evolution is very fast. We've driven Evos on roads and on racing circuits. The steering is super quick. The Evo turns in very quickly and eagerly takes a set going into corners. The suspension is very tight, very well controlled. The car is stable and fast going through the corners with excellent grip from the Yokohama A-046 tires. It feels stuck, planted to the pavement. Its incredible grip allows hard acceleration when charging out of corners. The brakes are excellent. Its all-wheel drive is a huge advantage whenever grip is even slightly compromised: bumpy pavement, wet pavement, snow, ice. A second set of tires is recommended for winter use (and we'd recommend a second set of wheels to go with them). Also, putting grippy tires on a four-wheel-drive rally car means buying tires a bit more often.
The new Evolution MR edition uses a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission, which makes it easier to drive on the track since you can keep the engine revs and pressure from the turbocharger up near maximum output. On the road, you might find yourself skipping a gear or two in traffic because the ratios are so close. The center differential is programmable via a dashboard switch for pavement, gravel, or snow conditions, and we suggest a class in the nearest rally school to learn how to use it. The MR gets a helical front limited-slip differential, although we did notice any detrimental effects on the steering of the car, a common characteristic of high-performance front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive cars with limited-slip front differentials.
The Evolution feels like a competition car even when cruising. Whine from the driveline and rumble from the tires are faintly reminiscent of the sounds that rally cars make. The tires tend to follow ruts in the road similar to the way competition tires behave. This is a serious sports car so a few compromises must be made. The Evolution rides quite well compared with aftermarket suspensions, however. Next Page