Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart 2007 Review

Road Test

The small and light car classes may be booming but not everybody in the market for a car this size wants basic bread and butter transport. Ergo, along with the ever-growing number of brands and models have come an increasingly large population of hot hatches: cars that offer fun and thrills in a compact package that won't break the bank at the dealership the petrol pump.

Among the latest to join the throng is Mitsubishi's Colt Ralliart. And while it may be at the less expensive end of the hot-hatch spectrum it’s no less potent than some of its more established rivals.

Based on the small five-door hatch, the Ralliart adds a turbocharger to its 1.5-litre engine and a raft of modifications that have turned what is a competent light hatch into something that delivers a thrilling drive experience. And all without losing practicality -- like the base Colt, the turbo still delivers decent room, split-fold rear seats and plenty of storage places throughout the well-finished cabin.

But you don't need to look hard to see that the Ralliart version is an altogether different beast. Clad in an aggressive and purposeful body kit with a bonnet air vent for the intercooler, and sitting lower on low profile 205/45 16-inch rubber, the Colt Ralliart makes no bones about its intent.

Inside, there is more of the same with body hugging Recaro seats (that this tester felt were a little too narrow across the back) a thick leather-wrapped steering wheel and plenty of sporty cosmetic highlights. Alas the wheel only adjusts for tilt and the driver seat also lacks height adjust so you are limited in driving positions.

Ralliart is Mitsubishi's motorsport arm and the fettled Colt has plenty of motorsport characteristics, especially in the drive experience. This is not just a warmed-over hatch as all aspects of the performance and dynamics have a genuine raw edge about them. Whether that is a good thing for a daily driver is debatable though.

With peak outputs of 113kW at 6000rpm and 210Nm at 3500rpm, the numbers are not huge but a lack of mass means off-the-line acceleration is strong. Push the engine higher into the rev band anywhere between about 3500rpm and the 6500rpm red line and you will be rewarded with very meaty thrust and an accompanying rorty, if fairly loud, soundtrack.

The five-speed manual gearbox offers easy shifts to keep the engine buzzing heartily (although it lacks precise definition in the gate and could really do with another ratio) but if you are feeling lazy, there is more than enough grunt across the rev band to keep shifts to minimum.

But cruising around the suburbs is not one the car's high points. With a super stiff body and equally firm suspension and low-profile tyres, the ride quality on anything less than near perfect tarmac becomes jittery with tram tracks and potholes being particularly noticeable.

Over poor B and C-grade roads, it can even become quite harsh at times.

Driving around town, the car doesn't feel totally integrated either, with something not quite right about sitting relatively high in a tall-boy style of five-door hatch that rides so hard and feels so raw.

But there is a payoff and that is when you get out of town on a tight twisting -- but still relatively good quality -- tarmac. Push hard and the car sits very flat and stable on the road with only badly cut up corners unsettling its poise.

The big tyres offer huge amounts of grip and the steering is responsive with good feel, although the turning circle is enormous for a car of this size. Brakes are well up to the job of pulling the car up swiftly and effectively with good pedal feel and just the right amount of travel.

Overall, you come away from the Colt Ralliart feeling that while it would be great car for the enthusiast driver who likes to get onto a track or compete in club events, the shine would soon fade if it was the sole car you had to live with on a daily basis.