Here's the inherent problem with buying a car only to mod it, you're going to spend more in the long run doing it and if something goes wrong, you've pissed your warranty down the drain. Styling is just as easy to fix as performance and you don't ruin your warranty doing it. If you can afford the evo, buy the evo. A hopped up Ralliart won't make you happy if that is your only goal (ie. to have an evo without buying an evo).

 

the ralliart seems to be a waste of money. mitsu needs to step it's game up and give the ralliart and EVO both more power before everybody starts wiping the floor with them.

 

i actually prefer the look of the hatch wrx

 

I can't figure why they would roll out a new engine and get no gains on fuel economy. While I realize these are performance based and that is not the top priority, the RA is not even close to the others. That adds up to be even more in the long run. I also think the Subies look better in person that in picks. While not great they are not terrible. Besides, everyone thinks they look like Corollas, I think the older models look like Mazda Proteges.

The only thing I see as the whole package is better seats, better AWD system and SST and Styling. Seats are easily replaced. The AWD is not helping the car at all in perfromance handling as the new Mazda 6 just got tested and beats the RA on all performance data including skidpad and I believe it is a much larger car.

For me, the Subie styling is less boy racer. I like the boy racer look with wings vents ducts etc. But I have decided to shop the Evo. I am not saving anything with the RA IMO. With some guys developing piggy back systems for the EVO with PNP 100 WHP and 100WT. I thought the trans was the big draw, but as Amby has pointed out and now this new review also mentions how bad it is in city traffic and the 1-2 thunk is concerning for the testors...yikes. That is two bad reviews out of the handful that have been done. I am sure all the major rags are going to be running the RA/WRX battles over the next few months.

 

sounds like the price need to be dropPed by $10K

 

THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.... all the hype around AWD and superior handling and it looses to the maz6..WTF?

 

AWD cars with performance-focus turbo 4-cylinders haven't ever gotten particularly good gas mileage, and I don't expect that to change anytime soon.

Riiiiight. $17,000 base, $22,000 loaded? Only if you want Mitsubishi to go out of business.

 

So where are they gonna go selling a slow car with poor performance at too high a price?

All they need to do it get rid of the base lancers, let the GTS be the "base" lancer and price it as such and drop the ralli art to the price the GTS was... That would be smart business that would build the brad but capitalist greed always prevents that...LOL

 

But you are a fanboy.

 

If I had to do it all over again and spend the same money that I did when I bought my MS3, I would seriously look at the WRX. I didn't the last time just because of looks. Now that I drove one, I know better than go on looks alone. The RalliArt is great and is what Mitsubishi should have done when the first launched the RalliArt, but I didn't want a RalliArt nor did I want to wait for it to be released. I wanted an EVO but I could not afford one. As for the Colbalt SS, I'm not sure about that until I drive one. At under 3000lbs, it should be a fun car to drive.

Now to go put my MS3 on a diet.

 

Just how naive are you?

 

ralliart still overpriced, underpowered, and has poor MPG. Good to see how well the new WRX performs. To me it looks like Subaru was making a desperate move to get their car back in the game. Its still ugly though, and the Cobalt is also hideous. We test drove cobalts and they have some very nasty interiors IMO. The Ralliart, despite its shortcomings is still a cool car though. I don't think the price range warrants a competition including the cobalt and ms3 though, they are not really going against the ralliart or WRX IMO. Good article though.

 

My point is, whether I bought a Ralliart or an EVO, I'd end up making all the same mods. I'm not going to keep either car stock.

Aside from that...while the MR will always out handle the Ralliart because of the AYC, the lack of AYC (-130 to 180 lbs depending on where you look) on the Ralliart will lead to Ralliart's with faster straight line performance than the MR as soon as shops get a hold of them. Just wait and see...

 

Did you even read the test results? the price on the Ralliart is high, but I wouldn't call it slow. Considering it's 281 lbs heavier and 30 hp less than a WRX, and pulled a 14.1 to a 13.8 I wouldn't call that a shocking result.

It's clear the Ralliart's suspension is soft, but it seems like people around here don't understand that Mitsubishi was never going to make this car handle like an EVO from the factory. If they can't sell EVOs now, why would they make a car to knock themselves out even further.

 

Exactly. The 4B11 is obviously the strongest engine in the group when you consider ithe Ralliart hangs with the other cars in a straight line despite carrying the equivalent of an NFL offensive lineman on it's back.