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What the Ralliart is—and where it sat in the lineup
Mitsubishi placed the Lancer Ralliart between the regular Lancer and the high-performance Lancer Evolution. Its appeal came from bringing turbo power, all-wheel drive, and a twin-clutch transmission to a less specialized sedan. That positioning is the basis for the “budget Evo” label, but period reviewers cautioned against taking the comparison too literally: Car and Driver’s Aaron Robinson called it “more of a Lancer in lipstick,” while Road & Track described it as “less of an Evo junior, and more of a maxi Lancer.”
Those descriptions capture the important distinction. The Ralliart borrows from the Evo’s mechanical family, but its turbo, drivetrain controls, suspension, and body are different. And “budget” here describes its original place in the lineup—not a claim about what a used example costs today.
Ralliart vs. Evolution X: the meaningful differences
| Area | Lancer Ralliart | Lancer Evolution X |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and turbo | The 2009 U.S.-market test car had a 1,998 cc turbocharged, intercooled four-cylinder rated at 237 hp at 6,000 rpm and 253 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm. It used a smaller single-scroll turbo. | Shared engine lineage, but the Evolution used a larger twin-scroll turbo. The cited period sources do not give a directly comparable Evo output figure here. |
| All-wheel-drive control | Car and Driver described its AWC system as simpler. | The Evolution had Super All-Wheel Control with active yaw control, according to Car and Driver. |
| Chassis | Narrower body, steel suspension arms, and Ralliart-tuned shocks; Road & Track characterized its suspension as based on Lancer components. | Wider body and a more specialized performance setup; the cited sources distinguish its suspension hardware from the Ralliart’s but do not provide a full component-by-component specification. |
| Transmission | Six-speed automated manual, commonly described as a twin-clutch transmission or TC-SST. | The cited period sources do not establish a full transmission comparison for all Evolution X years and markets. |
The figures and descriptions above are period U.S.-market reporting, not a specification sheet for every year or region. Mitsubishi’s engine lineage is real, but the hardware and tuning differences matter: the Ralliart does not have the Evolution’s turbo or its more advanced AWD controls.
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How quick is the Ralliart?
In its 2008 test of the 2009 U.S.-market Ralliart, Car and Driver measured 0–60 mph in 5.5 seconds, a quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 97 mph, 0.80 g on its 200-foot skidpad, and a 70–0 mph stop in 184 feet. Road & Track recorded 5.4 seconds from 0–60 mph in its 2008 comparison test.
These are results for the publications’ test cars under their test conditions, not promises for a used car. Car and Driver found the Ralliart brisk, but noted body roll and tire grip as limits; its handling performance trailed the strongest rivals in the comparison. The numbers show that the car could be quick in period testing, not that it delivers the Evo’s sharper, more specialized driving experience.
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Is a Ralliart the better everyday choice?
That depends on what you want from the car. The Ralliart’s Lancer-based chassis and less specialized setup support its role as a performance-oriented sedan rather than a dedicated track-focused model. It still provides turbocharged power, AWD, and a six-speed twin-clutch transmission, but its narrower body, simpler AWD control, and handling limits separate it from the Evolution.
If you are choosing between the two, compare the specific cars on power and turbo hardware, AWD system, suspension and track, transmission and service history, and the condition and price of each vehicle. The period evidence explains the mechanical gap; it cannot establish today’s asking prices, availability, or which individual car is the better buy.
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What to check before buying a used Ralliart
Give the TC-SST’s service history particular attention. Mitsubishi’s U.S. 2014 warranty and maintenance booklet covers the Lancer Ralliart and Evolution, while a March 2013 Mitsubishi bulletin adds TC-SST diagnosis and overhaul procedures for 2009–2011 Ralliarts. The bulletin says the mechatronic and clutch assemblies were available as service parts. It documents service procedures; it does not establish a transmission failure rate, predict a specific car’s condition, or state what a repair will cost.
- Identify the car’s year and market. Obtain the maintenance schedule applicable to that exact vehicle. Mitsubishi’s 2014 booklet is U.S. and territory documentation, except Puerto Rico; its terms should not be generalized to other regions.
- Request invoices and service records. Look for documented maintenance and any transmission diagnosis or repair. Do not treat unsupported anecdotes as a statistical measure of reliability.
- Arrange a specialist pre-purchase inspection. Ask a technician familiar with TC-SST to assess the transmission and review its service history, alongside a broader inspection of the car.
- Judge the individual car, not the period test. A publication’s acceleration or handling result cannot tell you the condition, maintenance, or value of a particular used example.
The Mitsubishi bulletin is TSB-13-22-003, dated March 2013. For maintenance and warranty references, see Mitsubishi’s 2014 U.S. warranty and maintenance booklet. Neither document supplies a fleet-wide failure rate or a universal fluid-change interval.
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What “budget” does—and does not—mean
Car and Driver gave the 2009 Ralliart an estimated starting price of $27,000 when new. That is a period estimate, not a current used-car valuation. Current prices depend on year, condition, mileage, location, and availability; the period sources do not establish what a Ralliart or Evolution X should cost today. Compare actual, current listings and the condition of the individual cars rather than assuming the Ralliart remains cheaper simply because it sat below the Evolution in the original lineup.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
