Used 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Wagon Consumer Reviews
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A Great Sportswagon
This sports wagon is perfect for me. It has everything I want and none of what I don't. I wanted; a used, fun-to-drive, reasonably priced, reliable, roomy, comfy, fuel efficient, wagon with great visibility, low insurance and a compromise between sporty handling and good ride quality. I didn't want; expensive repairs & maintenance, electric leather seats, a sunroof, climate control (A/C button & dials are best), paying extra for a badge, a boring vehicle, an SUV. The Lancer Ralliart wagon has all of this and more. It's a great car for; commuting, driving spiritedly (it's not fast but sporty and rewarding), highway cruising, moving furniture, grocery shopping, carrying sports equipment.
Update 10-12-06
My Lancer Sportback LS now has 63,000 mostly highway miles on it and is still going strong. It's been a much better car then my Ford Focus was, although I miss the handling from the Focus and I still prefer manual shifting. But this is a pretty good automatic and the 2.4 liter 160 hp 4-cylinder runs strong. My '89 Acura Legend was only 160 hp and it was a V6 that was 2.7 liters in displacement! A very enjoyable little wagon that has been very reliable and rather fun.
Long Term Review
Bought our 2004 Ralliart Sportback brand new in February 2005. Just turned 22000 miles (Jan 2008). Knock on wood the car has been free of any problems of any kind. Short of routine maintenance the only thing I've had to do is change a tail light bulb. Car is comfortable but about 5 hours into a long trip I find myself wishing for just a little bit more lower back support. Fit and finish is excellent inside and out. For a wagon it's peppy and handles very well. Gas mileage is what I'd expect for a sport wagon and the engine sings over 3500rpm which is when the engine kicks over to the second cam profile. Ride is stiffer but it's suppose to be - sport suspension. Very happy with the car.
A sporty commuter that'll make you smile
This is such a big change from driving my '00 Corolla. There's more space, the interior layout and design is far more stylish and I absolutely am in love with the sleek and boxy body. Wind has little impact on this substantial vehicle when traveling on the highway and you'll often feel like you're going faster than you really are. The seats manage to be firm, yet comfortable and provide the necessary support during highway trips. The interior looks classy and feels pretty sturdy and not altogether cheap. You won't mistake it for a luxury car but you won't mistake it for an economy car either. The engine delivers spirited performance overall and gaining speed in the highway or city is easy.
Very Sporty Wagon
Wanted manual trans but only automatic was available. Turned out it is a great auto trans, always seems to be in the right gear and shifts smooth. Car is great for carrying bicycles with roof rack because it's low enough to put them up without a step ladder. Lots of room for sports stuff inside, too. Accessory soft cargo liner saves the interior & looks good. Motor is surprisingly powerful and seats hold you in place for spirited driving. Could use better fuel mileage: avg 20 in town. Open road trip mileage OK at high 20's. It is the best combo of fun to drive and practical livability I could find.
1 year model only
Can't figure out why this model was only made in 2004. It is a great vehicle, my favorite of the 34 cars I've owned. This baby scoots when needed, love the exhaust note, very comfortable, I love the simplicity of the guages and control knobs. I'd love to buy another and keep it for a spare in case this one gets hit. My only complaint is the gas mileage: 20 in town, 25 on the highway.
I love this ride
This car is very fun to drive. It has pretty good pickup on the streets, handles well and looks pretty spiffy. its definately NOT a soccer mom car as so many say.
Love My Sportback; Gets Me Everywhere
Buying this car was a major improvement for me, and I previously owned a luxury sedan. The Lancer is extremely practical, I can easily sit five people and maintain ample comfort room, and in back I can store a great amount of groceries and packages (one of the many pros of having a wagon). I am around 112k miles and the Lancer hasn't failed me once, even when missing an oil change every now and then. Aside from the common Lancer issue with the climate control knob breaking, I haven't had to put much money into the car. Thanks to the reliability of my Mitsubishi I am definitely going to look into purchasing another from this company! (:
Good engine, poor interior
This car has a smooth, powerful 4-cyl engine tucked inside a body of average quality. It runs quietly, great acceleration and quick handling, with plenty of power for nimble highway and city driving. The frame is moderately stiff, and the ride can feel a little rough at higher speeds. The exterior design is cool, looking almost like a Volvo wagon from the rear. However, the paint job is horrible, easily scuffing and flaking after the slightest scratch on the bumpers or quarter panels. The console and dashboard designs are logical, with controls well spaced and easy to access, but the function of the cheap plastic controls is terrible, as is the design of the windshield defrost vent.
Buy it if it is cheap
When you need a cargo space, there is no better choice than this car, really. Mivech works great and runs surprisingly good for a wagon. In reliability and built quality, this car will not be as good as any other major Japanese makers, but again, this car got cargo space that no other matches, at least with good gas mileage of a car instead of an SUV. So, there is only 2 reason to buy this car, cargo space, cheaper price, at least in used market, Mitsubishi goes way cheaper than Toyota or Honda. If money and cargo space is important to you, this car is for you.
Still love it after 10 years
I just turned over 155,000 miles in my Sportback, bought new in 2004. Have to say that I still love this car! I've kept up with the annual maintenance, use fully synthetic oil and high-test gas, and it runs great. Smooth and quiet. One major repair -- the A/C -- in all this time. Everything else has just been regular maintenance. Love that it has good pick-up when I need it to and that it's got enough power to handle mountainous roads. Even after 10 years and 155K miles, I still get 25 MPG city / 31 MPG hwy.
Storage and performance
I bought this new. The seats are great, the head rests sit perfect so I can leave my head on the head rest while driving. The roof rack is great to hold cargo box. Suspension is stiff enough that the cargo loaded down for camping is forgotten about. I normal drive with a tool box in back and corners and pulls like a sport coupe. I bought this to keep up with my Datsun 280ZX that I still drive. The Sportback will out straight line and corner the Z but will not give you the precise feedback of the Z saying that about a wagon that gets the same MPG as My Z is amazing I now have 66k miles on the Wagon. MPG 29 hy "towing a HondaTRX450R" 26 hy PS this replaced my Dodge D-50 SP 5 sp
A fine vehicle
I just finished driving it hauling a 1500 lbs 5 by 8 moving trailer from Florida to California in 4 1/2 days. The longest day was acroos Texas, 750 miles day. No problem what so ever!! If you can be really gentle on the gas pedal like myself, 24mpg with that kind of load is possible. On the hills it struggles a bit. The sweet spot for the rpm is arond 2200 to 2600. I found that at the 4th gear this would give you 50~63 mph and really efficient. 32~35mpg on the high way is possible if you do this constantly. I had the car for more than 3 years now. Admitted, it is not a luxury car, but it's practical and you can almost say it's fun to drive.
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
I can't say enough about this vehicle. I like everything about it and the price is right, now I have two, I bought one for my daughter, I traded in a Fordd Focus Wagon. There is no comparison, I wish they were continuing to make the Sportback but I guess they didn't go over and they discontinued the model. Get one while you can, they are getting hard to find.
Excellent sports wagon
The Ralliart wagon offers an impressive compromise between excellent well controlled handling and a comfortable ride. The engine is surprisingly powerful and the tranny downshifts quickly and smoothly. Build quality is exceptionally tight and the structure is very solid. I found no defects on my car at all. The cargo area has lots of storage nooks and offers quite a bit of space. The knee level liftover height makes loading extremely easy. The front seats hold you in place well but could be more comfortable. The rear seat reclining feature is nice as is the ability to fold flat without removing the headrests. Very roomy interior. The warranty can't be beat!
Good Commuter Car
This is the first small car I've owned in many years. Seating and ride comfort good for this size car. Unbelievable power from a non-turbo 4 cyl. Fit finish etc seem top notch, have only put 200 miles on it, so haven't checked the gas milage, I'm hoping for better than I've read in other reviews on this site, I drive mostly highway and without a lead foot, I guess we'll see.
A Great Buy on SportBack LS...
Just got the sportback LS for 2k under invoice, after rebates. For the money, a great "mid-sized" wagon, nothing else in the market can touch its overall value! Strong engine, 160hp and 160lbs of torque, and tight sport tuned suspension - handles great right out the showroom! Also, surprisingly good stock stereo. But after 300 miles, I got this constant clicking noise around passenger side door and strange howling noise from passenger side wheelwell! Probably ill-fitted door lock ring and noisy stock tire.
Very cool vehicle
I'm really glad the dealer recommended this vehicle, after all we've been through with a previous Mitsubishi auto. Definitely a fun car!
Update-2-22-06
In my first review of the car (after just purchasing it) I said I was concerned with reliability. After 30,000 miles in 6 months, my fears have been unfounded so far. I have only made one trip back to the dealer for a minor problem. Its fuel mileage is OK, as mentioned the real culprit is the small fuel tank. I get about 25-27 mpg in the mix of driving I do (usually about 40% city / 60% highway). Paint is irritatingly cheap tough. My car already has lots of swirls and scratches and I generally don't use automatic car washes. As was also mentioned, road noise on the highway above 65 mph in this car is obnoxious. The seats are OK, but were never designed to spend hours in everyday. It does seem to run better on high octane fuel.
Gotta love it!
Just purchased mine, although I do not give high marks to the dealership, the Lancer sportwagon is fun, roomy, and easy to operate.
ralliart wagon
very agile and easy to drive. ample room for 5 adults. with the rear seats folded down gives me plenty of room for my two greyhounds. the motor is very responsive even with an automatic.
Just the best car I've ever owned
I've owned new and old cars for the last 30 years and this car make me AND my husband happy; I've got room and v'room... It looks cooler than any other car on the road. I read about Mitsubishi, checked out the Japanese version of this before I bought this. (never buy the 'beta' version) and this model is clean - I couldn't find anything bad about it. I've never bought a Mitsubishi and put my faith in the good opinions of it's customers. Have had this car for 8 months and it's the best.
Great car!!
This car is above expectation! Fast acceleration and pleasant drive.
sales and consulting firms
I've had my lancer for almost four months now and everything about this car is awesome ,great power ,very reliable ,and great fuel economy.The infinity stereo kicks and the handling of this car is almost like a evolution eight rally car. My wife and i took a trip to the coast recently and the car did amazing . Anyone looking for a smaller wagon or car period should definitely check out the lancer raliart sportback.
No Complaints with the Ralliart
I purchased a Ralliart about 10 months ago.The staff at Vancouver Mitsubishi,were extremely helpful and unlike other dealerships (eg.Honda,toyota, etc) were not aggressively pushy.They let a good car sell itself.The ralliart is an exceptional car for the money. All the other cars in the class are really just 4 door hatch's with little or no room in the back.My car has enough room for 4 six footers and my 2 mid sized dogs. Not to mention great performance and sound. good job Mitsubishi!!!!
Very pleased with Sportback LS
Needed more interior space than my Mazda Protege5 offered, which I traded to purchase this car. Paid $2000 below invoice. Tight turning radius, easy to park, ease of entry/exit, roomy interior. Stock stereo sounds good. Feels safer than my Protege5. Currently 1000 miles on odometer. Getting 20mpg city/25mpg highway. Overall I'm happy with my purchase.
WOW!
I just bought my Lancer Ralliart one week ago and I just love it. It handles better than any other car I have driven. I love the unique look of the car. I love the sound of the muffler when I take off from a red light. I love the smooth quiet ride I get when I take my lancer out on the highway. The 6 speaker stereo system sounds amazing. There is so much room inside, sometimes I feel like I am drving an SUV or Pickup truck. I would recomend this car to anyone who goes to the beach, or fishing, or plays sports, or goes camping or to anyone who likes to drive a quality car. Mitsubishi did I great job with this car, its a real shame they had to take it off the line. I hope its brought back.
Ralliart Supporter
Purchased in August 2004. Vechile has been excellent in -40 degrees to plus 40 degrees. Build quality is excellent. Service from dealer is very good. Only fault was squeeky rear bushings and fan door rotary switch. All replaced under warranty in a flash. Excellent winter and summer handling. Goodyear RSA's are poor versus Brigestones.
Get one if you can...
I traded an '01 Focus ZX3 in on this car, which was a leftover '04 that the dealer was selling for $4,000 under sticker. At sticker, I probably wouldn't have bought this car, but I consider it one of the best bargains I've ever got. My only complaints are that the gas mileage could be better, the A/C controls feel cheap, as do some other interior pieces. But I'm glad I bought this car instead of a Focus wagon. Someone estimated that there are only about 3,000 of these cars in the US, so it is rather rare to spot another Sportback. My only question is long term reliability and durability, Mitsubishis seem to be hit or miss in that department.
Great wagon
I just purchased this leftover, brand new 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart. I have no complaints at all after my first 600 miles. Its fuel economy could be better (23 city / 30 highway), for a 4-cylinder car, but it's much better than the Dodge Durango that I tradedin for it. This is a much nicer vehicle than the Mazda3 or Toyota Matrix that I was considering before I found it.
Sportback Soccer Mom
I bought my silver 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart on Nov. 8, 2005, with 800 miles on the odometer. I love the room in it and the way it looks...sporty and practical. It has quite a bit of interior space...I am 5'10" and my husband is 6' and there is ample room for our two children. There is more room in the rear seating than a full size SUV that we were testing. The cost was $14,500 out the door. This is one of the best buys remaining out there. My husband sold a roadster some time ago...but now he says that it has been recreated in this Lancer Sportback Ralliart. The sound of the muffler takes some getting use to...I am getting used to it and beginning to enjoy the sound. I think I'm now starting to understand my hubby's love for sport cars.
Much Happier on 93 Octane (or higher)!
I love my little Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback. I have owned a few budget sports cars (Mazda Miata, Dodge Daytona Shelby Turbo, Honda Civic S...) and I would say this car is as fun as the lot of them. Well maybe the Miata was a little more fun. The Lancer Sportback has the acceleration of my Turbo Shelby and the nimbleness of my Civic S...with a lot more room.
An Overlooked Bargain!
I was looking for a new ride after my Honda had an unfortunate meeting with a deer the night before New Years' Eve. I found a fully loaded leftover 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback LS sitting on the dealer's lot and after negotiating with the dealer ended up buying it for $4,000 under invoice. Overall, I am very happy with the way the car drives and handles, but at highway speeds the wind noise can be almost deafening. I have to turn the volume control on the factory stereo up to about 30 so I can hear it over the wind noise. Other reviewers have complained about gas mileage but the real culprit here a fuel tank that is too small. The mileage isn't really that bad.
New Car Broken Down Twice
We traded in our 2000 Galant for another Mitsubishi because we were so happy with our Galant, only I think somehow we bought a lemon. It has broken down on me twice with my two kids in the car. I had to wait hours for a tow truck. Thankfully the tow and repair were covered (yet the whole process still cost me $600 in "necessary" (according to the dealership) tune up fees, plus the cost of a rental car. Not four months after my tune up, my car broke again. The first time was a faulty crank sensor (whatever the heck that is) and second time was some accelerator sensor. Oh and they also had to fix a leaky shock and the mid rear restraint that never worked off the lot. Buyers beware. I;m done with Mitsubishi.
Update
I have stopped using the car for business (see previous reviews) and have started using it for commuting. The car is still holding up very well and has been one of the best cars I've ever owned mechanically. Still no squeaks or rattles, engine uses no oil between changes. The storage space is excellent for a small wagon and the overall performance of the car My only big complaint is that fuel mileage is awful and has decreased big time since I began all-city driving. I'm now lucky to average 18-19 mpg around town, which is absurd for a small, 4 cylinder wagon. I'm fairly conservative driving it 90% of the time, although I do like to have fun now and then.
Best car
Of the 16 new cars I've purchased, this one is far and away the best car I've owned and the least problematic. Only one warranty issue in 30k miles. Comfortable on my 17 hour drives between Portand and Palm Springs. Paint seems thin to me, lots of road rash on hood and windshield. Would have bought two if I could! I'm not overly concerned with mid 20s gas mileage as I would rather have the performance and smiles per mile. Would love to have this wagon in EVO form which they sell in Japan.
Great little grocery getter!
Got my 2004 Sportback Ralliart in 2009 with 26,000 miles. This car has been fantastic and is affectionately referred to as my Swiss army car. Now at 106,000 it has had nothing buy routine maintenance. Engine is still strong, interior held up very well with no rattles or squeaks from rubbing components. The cargo space is great including the gear storage tray under the boot floor, which has been the permanent home for tools, climbing gear, misc. camping supplies and all those small things you should have brought but always forgot. I can fold down the seats and fit my ski's and 29er Mt. bike or throw in some blankets and camp for the night with my 150 pound Rottie by my side. It's no speed demon but certainly no slouch either. Yearly 10-12 hour trips to the Carolinas have been comfortable and stable averaging 85 mph. I can pass at high speed with ease & jump into highway traffic from a stop without concern. The only cons I have experienced are the following: 1) The cooling fan has always run intermittently, even 2-5 minutes after the car is turned off. From what the forums say, this is known but never recalled for a fix. 2) I have had consistent uneven wearing of the break pads? 3) Factory replacement parts are stupid expensive from the dealer! OEM exhaust was $1300 + & only one company makes a aftermarket stainless steel replacement for the down pipe (Eastern Aluminum) at roughly $375 with CAT+ $400 (+/-) for the magnaflow CAT Back in stainless steel. While the aftermarket stainless Steel down pipe is less expensive, the flexible bend before the CAT turns to [non-permissible content removed] after a year of harsh NEPA winter driving and was replaced 2 times under the 1 year Mfg. warranty. 4) Factory paint job was crap!! Bare spots around hood edges and sun fading on all surfaces. The only place the Ralli red color held was the plastic bumpers. With only 3000 or so imported to UAS in 2004 it's definitely a rare animal to see around town.
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You will get noticed in this car
We purchased this 2004 car new from the dealer back at the end of 2005 with 46 miles on it. Mitsubishi had done no promotion of it and it sat unloved for almost a year at the dealer. We were replacing our 2001 Honda Odyssey after it was totaled by a bad/unfocused driver on the highway. We test drove nearly 70 new vehicles before we drove this one. It grips the road and the driver feels very connected without being beaten by it. It lacks many bells and whistles, but there is something so pure about the experience that it is hard to explain. There are faster and better MPG cars all around, but few can haul as much and look so unique doing it. I get thumbs up and comments from EVO guys all the time. It is like a secret held between those that know. I had a guy follow us into a parking lot to ask about it. He first thought it was a Volvo C70 wagon that had been chopped. When I have it waxed and shining, it still looks good. PROS: It can haul nearly as much as our Honda Odyssey did, but it is smaller. It sounds tough (the kid in me likes that). It has enough zip to get you moving as needed. It grips the road and the sway bars make the curves fun. This is a very mechanical car making it feel very connected to the road, in a good way. CONS: Parts are difficult to find for this car and they are moderately expensive. It has some EVO parts, some Lancer parts and some Ralliart parts. The AC blew and it took two weeks to get some new and second hand parts to fix it. I hit a huge pool of water during a nasty storm and now we have squeaking from the shock bushings. The shocks are still good, but I may have to replace them. OVERALL: I would buy this car again without hesitation. I know a day will come when finding parts becomes too painful and I will have to sell it. I hope it will go to someone that loves it as much as we do.
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Limited Numbered units in USDM
This car is not for everyone but it is a rare car sold only one auto year some parts are pain to find for body and glass but is well built car throughout.
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