Baby got back!

MIAMI, Fla.— Competing hatch-to-hatch with the Subaru Impreza WRX265 and Mazdaspeed3, the new sporty Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Sportback five-door hatchback starts at $33,498 with power coming from a 2.0-litre turbocharged and intercooled Mivec four-cylinder (4B11) engine.

It’s basically a detuned Evolution powerplant with 237 hp and 253 lb.-ft. of torque and it comes with Mitsubishi’s award-winning super all-wheel control (S-AWC) system and the six-speed automatic with sequential shift TC-SST. A smaller single-scroll turbo, smaller intercooler and different intake plumbing account for other main hardware differences.

Ralliart models sit squarely between the ordinary Lancer and extraordinary “EVO” (which isn’t available in the new Sportback bodystyle). You get about the same fuel economy as the 290-hp/300-torque Evo with slightly better highway estimates.

Other standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, a dual exhaust system, rear wing, HID height adjustable headlamps, Recaro front seats, power windows and locks, heated mirrors, seven airbags, four-wheel ABS and a one-touch 60/40 split-folding rear seat with actual legroom for passengers.

For this application, S-AWC maintains three of its four main functions, including stability (ASC), active centre differential (ACD) and ABS. Active yaw control (AYC) is not available.

Regardless, an AWC button on the centre console lets you choose either tarmac, gravel or snow mode to automatically control the amount of torque going from front-to-rear via the ACD and, side-to-side, via the front and rear limited slip differentials, to either match road conditions or driver preference.

The TC-SST in the Ralliart is also missing Evo’s “supersport” mode. Accessed via a simple switch near the shifter, the choices are normal or sport – paddles, manual stick or regular automatic modes. I prefer paddles that are fixed to the steering wheel rather than the column itself as they are here, but these are still long enough to be practical in most cases. For best control I also like sport mode, which offers faster gearshifts with only a small sacrifice in smoothness.

The Ralliart DOES give you crisp Evo-like steering that’s responsive and quick, lightweight and precise. The tilt-only steering wheel could be a nuisance for taller drivers, but fine for my average 5-10 frame, which doesn’t normally require a telescoping adjustment unless an interior is totally messed up.

Acceleration is spirited. It’s not as quick as in Evo – which further benefits from a launch control system – but it’s actually smoother with the pedal fully down. There’s noticeably less jerkiness and smoother gear shifts and the four-wheel independent suspension is definitely more comfortable when just cruising. It soaks up bumps well and isn’t overly jarring – certainly more forgiving than an Evo, day-to-day.

Brakes could have more initial bite, but are good enough for the everyday stuff. My relatively short drive time and location didn’t really allow for much abuse. The diameters of the front rotors are the same as on GTS, but they do get two-piston callipers to help improve efficiency.

The WRX265 has more power and arguably better brakes than a Ralliart. It’s also got a nice six-speed manual and excellent dynamic handling characteristics in its own right, but the S-AWC system is what makes the Mitsubishi superior at this price point.

With the rear seat backs folded down, cargo volume goes from 390-litres (13.8 cu.-ft.) to 1,320-litres (46.6 cu.-ft.), which is more than the WRX265 (1,257-litres) and Mazdaspeed3 (1,229-litres) have. In the upright position, however, the others offer a bit more volume – 467 and 538 litres, respectively – as a result of the Mitsu’s more aggressive rear glass angle.

The Ralliart exterior has some subtle differences from its current kin and is vastly improved over the previous generation (2002-04), which is boxier and taller. It’s not quite as aggressive looking as the Evo, but still a bit intense with that pointy nose.

The front-wheel drive Lancer GTS Sportback starts 10 grand below and gets a 2.4-litre Mivec engine (4B12) making 168 horsepower and 167 lb.-ft. through either a five-speed manual or CVT, both offering pretty decent fuel economy on 87 octane.

The 2009 Lancer Ralliart Sportback has the bite to back up its bark. It has a great combination of performance, style and utility. Yes, it takes high test fuel and, no, it’s not Mitsubishi’s benchmark performance model but if you haven’t driven one, you won’t even know what you’re missing.

As it is, the performance-to-value factor is higher on the Ralliart editions – especially the five-door for its more functional hindquarters. Another cool thing is that Canada is getting these cool hatches a full six months ahead of the States.

So, what is missing in this equation? Ralliart already comes as a four-door sedan for $500 less. Perhaps the Evolution now needs a “Sportback.”