Sportback79

I'm just curious how many Sportback owners lurk in these forums. Post whether you have LS or Ralliart and what color you bought. Feel free to include what you like and don't like about it and what improvements you would have liked to see had Mitsu continued to offer it.

To start it off, I have a black Ralliart. It's been mistaken for a Volvo on many occassions. The wagon aspect has come in very handy a few times and the rear seat is quite spacious. I like the smooth high torque engine but hate the gas mileage and large turning radius. The reclining rear seats was a thoughful feature, but it would have made more sense had they allowed them to recline further, like the old Expo. I would have liked them to offer the sunroof and Infinity sound system. Or to make it even more unique, they could have offered a panoramic sunroof, ala Subaru Outback. Traction control would also have been a welcome addition. It's too bad Mitsu jumped ship so early with the wagon, but it also means we own one very rare car, even rarer then the EVO.

SlvrRalliart04

I almost bought a sportback myself. I showed pics of it to everybody and the first thing they all said was "station wagon".

I know they only came in automatic. I wonder what they run in the 1/4? cause I have an automatic Ralliart myself.

Canadian Canuck

Hey SB owner right here and happy to be one, I love that car. And just to peak your interes there is an Evo style sportback in Japan, man it looks sweet, anyways I agree with the panorama sunroof, I have found a company in BC that installs these style sunroofs, by holladia

http://www.webastoshowroom.com/22Pon..._524_2004.html instalss for about $750

ThyPunko_PR

iTrader: (7)

Hello from the sunny island of Puerto Rico. I have an Ion Blue Ralliart Sportback. I think I am the only one with that color in EvoM.... Here on the Island (100x35 miles) you can see a Sportback almost daily and a lot of the 4drs Ralliart cars. I really love the wagon....but I think that USA/Canada/Caribbean should have sold it with the Sportronic Auto or 5spd Manual as an option...I bet they could have sold a lot more of them that way!!! And there are a few wagons down here with a factory sunroof....they look really sweet.

Sportback79

Thanks for the link. Are you considering getting the panorama sunroof on your Sportback? I think it would definitely look sweet on this car and probably increase its desirability at trade-in time. The glass would probably be a safer bet then the folding fabric roof, but I like how the fabric one completely blocks out the sun when closed.

Sportback79

Wow, the Ion Blue was offered on the Ralliart there?? That is a sweet color and extremely rare. You could only get it on the LS model here. I'm very jealous because I would have preferred the Ion Blue since I live on a dirt road. My black car constantly looks filthy, making it appear much older then it is. So Mitsu did offer a factory sunroof in other markets? I wonder why they refused to offer it here. That is good to know though because that means the roof structure can handle a sunroof.

PR_Mivec

iTrader: (7)

^^
we ahve it here only on the wagon... i wish the car had it, i would have bought it in that color...

Joe Cool

I'm waiting for my loan to come through. I'm planning to get a Sportback Ralliart this Friday!!! Cool, I can hardly wait.

I hope to get a yellow one. If not I'll most likely get red.

It will be "my" first new car. My wife has had new cars but this one is mine

-Joe

redboy

I'm from Vancouver and I have a Black Sportback Ralliart with 17" 5Zigen Imperio S-08 rims.
I would have to agree with Sportback79 in that the turning radius sucks as well as the fuel economy. I used to have a 91 Civic hatchback and believe me, the difference for both is night and day.

On the plus side, I love the torque that the engine produces even if it is an automatic. The cargo capacity is awesome...I managed to carry 4 snowboards and gear and 4 passengers up to Mt. Baker room to spare. This is a rare car up hear and I love it when people stare and try to figure out what this car is.

Things I would like to see are 17" stock rims(like the Spec-V) , better quality paint that won't chip as easily, a sunroof, and a larger gas tank. A manual transmission would also be nice.

Sportback79

Yes, a larger gas tank would have been very much appreciated!! I wouldn't ***** as much about the poor mileage if the tank was larger and allowed me to go a lot farther. A 16 gallon tank would have been perfect.

evilralliart

I own a Yellow Ralliart Sportback and yes...alot of people think is some kind of volvo and others just dont know until they see the Diamond star i have also been told by a few people from the Car club that there is no way this cars got only 162hp(a Spec-V driver a GTI 1.8Tdriver and a WRX driver) anyone of you guy got your wagon pass the 130mph line..i just did Sunday night my friend i was been paced by a 350z and a STi and one said i got it o 134 and the other said 136...ill go with the 134 since 350z got the digital speedo in the center gauges...and there is plenty of rpm to go but wagon are not the most aerodinamic things...more power will help too...i was running 94 octane on top of the minor things i got.(another tip for high speeds....wash the car as soon as you get home or the bugs will not come off very easily)

Joe Cool

YES!!! I got mine Friday! I got a new RED Ralliart Sportback.

Sportback79

Congrats and welcome to the elite Sportback owners club. Be sure and keep us informed of your thoughts and any problems that crop up.

groundboundMU2

I am also a new owner of a Sportback LS. It was a leftover new 04 that a local Mitsubishi dealer for a song. For 14k, it seemed like a good time to trade in my Ford Focus.

I drive, A LOT, I work as a contractor for a courier service right now. I wanted something a little more capable of carrying a load then my Focus ZX3 ( and I had the new car itch too I would have bought another Focus wagon, but I didn't want another Focus. My Focus was a good car, but as it's been said," been there, done that, got the T-shirt." If I wanted another Focus, I would have just kept the old one.

I could have had a Sportback Ralliart, but after driving my Focus with 16 inch wheels and 50-series tires for a month and 3400 miles, I decided I needed a more compliant ride and an automatic tranny. Plus, 50 series tires are expensive, the 195/60/15 tires on the LS are not.

I wish Mitsu had put a moonroof into the car and that the mileage was better, but the extra power, the responsiveness of the tranny and the MIVEC don't have me missing the 5 speed too much. I've only put 100 miles on the car so far, but I am enjoying being one of the few Sportbacks on the road.

Anyone know the production run or sales numbers for Sportback in the US? My car sat on the dealer lot for over a year ( build date of September 03). There can't be many, which is nice.

ramazz

Yellow Sportback Ralliart. Apparently bought the last one in western canada according to my dealership when I snatched it up end of Nov 2004.

Things I would have liked
-the sportronic transmission
-6 1/2" rear speakers cause the stock ones suck and the 5 1/4 holes are too small and shallow to fit a decent aftermarket speaker
-a deep purple paint option :-D
-better headrests on the seats as I find these ones horribly uncomfotable and awkward though my 5 1" girlfriend likes them fine.
-powerwindow master lock does't work properly. Once locked not even the driver can control any of the windows which sucks if you have kids or dumbass drunk friends in the back.
-parking break should turn off all running lights. Every other car I'v driven or owned has done this and the way the mitsu is sucks at a drivein if you start the car to defog the
windows.
-turbo/awd option :-D
-110v accessory plugs. Toyota matrix has them and I think it was a cool idea
-map lamp with sunglasses holder (had this on my kia rio rx-v and it was nice)
-probably a few more I can't think of right now.

I do really like this car as its a hoot to drive and has lots of storage room.

I have had this thing up over 130Mph numerous times.

To answer groundboundMU2's question, I think there were under 2500 of these put out in north america but not sure what the sales #s were.