Mitsubishi Colt 1.5 Ralliart 3dr Car Review - February 2012

The Ralliart’s 1.5 litre 4-cylinder petrol engine packs 147 bhp at 6,000 rpm, with the torque figures standing at 155 lb-ft at 3500 rpm. This translates to a top speed of 131 mph, with 0-62 mph arriving in 7.4 seconds.

This model delivers a far more exciting drive than the rest of the Colt range. It tackles corners ably and grips well. However the tall shape does produce body lean and the steering is inconsistent and it is in this area that the Ralliart fails to match its rivals.

The ride quality is reasonable over most surfaces but never truly smooth and the Colt’s suspension has a tendency to clunk over sharp bumps and uneven surfaces. Wind noise is present at motorway speeds with a high level of sound infiltrating the cabin and the engine can be noisy when the turbo kicks in.

The car has an uncomplicated exterior design that fails to match some of its sleeker rivals. However the interior is well put together with a good range of standard equipment offered - although the plastics look and feel cheap.

The Ralliart comes with a range of skirts and spoilers that set it apart from the rest of the Colt range. It boasts 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control, sports seats, upgraded stereo and MP3 connectivity as standard.

The car also comes with steering wheel-mounted stereo controls and front fog lights, with metallic paint available for an additional £399.

The Colt 1.5 Ralliart 3dr has enough head and leg room for four tall adults but boot space is disappointing. With the seats up only 160 litres of space is on offer and the 568 litres available when the seats are folded down is still fairly unimpressive.

The dash is well-organised with large buttons that are easy to use. The steering column only adjusts for height and not reach but there is plenty of height adjustment for the seats to combat this.

However, the Ralliart matches its rivals for safety equipment by providing six airbags, stability control, deadlocks, remote central locking and an immobiliser as standard. The Ralliart should be reliable as Mitsubishi is well renowned for offering reliable cars.

The Ralliart is priced at £13,949 which is competitive for its class. Unlike the CZ2 there are also good discounts to be had and the car delivers top-notch fuel economy which keeps the running costs low.

The car has excellent fuel economy for a performance car, offering 40.9 mpg, and comes with a three year warranty.

While the car has low running costs and comes under the low cost road tax band G due to carbon emissions of 161g/km, it incurs a high insurance premium coming under the insurance bracket of 28 and buyers will need to take the compromised practicality of the boot into account.