Category: Hot Hatchbacks 
Price Range: No data available
Fine engine, junior Evo looks, 4x4 traction, storming cross-country pace, decent ride.
Unresolved SST gearbox, expensive to run, cheap-feeling interior, no conventional manual option.
Capable, slightly oddball all-wheel-drive alternative to a more conventional hot hatch.
Despite engineers tweaking the suspension, gearbox, steering and brakes the Ralliart is still no cut-price Evo.
First off, the Ralliart desperately needs a conventional manual. Despite removing the torque limiters, the SST twin clutch auto is still a blunt device when accelerating from standstill.
Mitsubishi claims the 237bhp Ralliart sprints to 62mph in 7.1 seconds, but it feels slower than that. It's possible to pull off a launch control sequence in Sport mode, just like in the Evo, but it's neither practical nor socially acceptable in the city when trying to pull away from the car next to you and change lanes safely.
The SST is painfully unresponsive in Normal mode, whereas in Sport it surges violently up and down the gearbox and seems intent on holding third gear even on fast A-roads - not useful. Best thing to do is change gear yourself with the fixed paddles, leaving the 'box in Sport for the sharper throttle responses. Only then does the SST offer fast gearchanges and faultless blip-of-the-throttle downchanges. Shame then, that at low speed there's too much transmission shunt.
The Ralliart comes into its own cross-country. On fast and bumpy roads you don't get the Evo's white-knuckle feeling that, any minute now, a big bump will launch you into the scenery. On the other hand, the Ralliart has more body roll in the corners than expected. Along with the fast, yet vague steering, it becomes difficult to imagine that the Ralliart is related to the Evo.
There's a surprising amount of understeer if you push too hard, and we miss the Evo's active yaw control that shuffles torque between the front and rear axle, enabling a glorious tail-lead stance out of corners.
Finally, a Volkswagen Golf GTI is just as quick, offers more balance and is more involving, despite only having two-wheel drive. You have to be really committed to Mitsubishi brand if you decide to go for the Ralliart.
