Introduced for 2009, the sedan version of the Lancer Ralliart has won plenty of praise from our staffers for being a kinder, gentler Evo and the answer to the Subaru WRX that Mitsubishi never had. The Diamond Star is taking things a step further for 2010 with the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart, its latest offering that has the WRX hatch squarely in its turbocharged sights.
Unsurprisingly, the spec sheet reads remarkably similar to that of its Ralliart sedan sibling. Under the hood is the same 4B11T 2.0-liter turbo-four, tuned for the same 237 horsepower and 253 lb-ft, mated to the same SST twin-clutch automatic. It's almost the same size too, at just 0.4-inches longer and 1.0-inches taller. The 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback is barely heavier too, weighing in at 3539 pounds instead of the sedan's 3463.
In testing, the Lancer posted numbers comparable to those of the similarly-powered 2008 Subaru WRX, accelerating to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and running a 14.2 second quarter mile at 96.6 mph. In handling tests, the 2010 Lancer Sportback and its Yokohamas were slightly outhandled by the WRX and its Bridgestones, posting 0.81 average g on the skidpad and 27.3 sec @ 0.63 average g in our figure eight test while the 2008 Subie put up 0.83 average g on the skidpad and 27.2 second @ 0.65 average g in the MT figure eight. Unfortunately for the Mitsubishi, the 2009 WRX received a substantial boost in power and a set of Dunlop summer rubber, which making it .7 sec faster than the Lancer in a straight line and 1 second faster in the figure eight. No SST on the Subie, however, for what that's worth.