Mitsubishi has gained the reputation of having one of the sportier lineups on the road, and local Mitsubishi dealer, O’Brien Team Normal has gained quite the reputation along with it.  The Bloomington IL Eclipse began to gain real fame about a decade back, followed by the Galant, Outlander, Endeavor and now the Lancer continues to increase in popularity. Heightening the sporty appeal of the Lancer, comes the 2010 Lancer Sportback.

The 2010 Lancer Sportback packs a whole lot of punch for its low sticker price of $19,190. It’s practical, convenient hatchback styling, only available in the two upper trims- GTS and Ralliart- reveals more cargo space than the typical trunk design of the standard Lancer with 52.7 cubic feet. The 2010 also betters in handling, overall performance strength and a generous list of available high-tech equipment.

Though there aren’t significant differences between the two trims, some are important to mention. The GTS trim comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, 2.4-L 4-cylinder engine producing 168 hp and 167 lb/ft of torque, a sport-tuned suspension, tilt-only steering wheel, keyless entry, trip computer, sport bucket front seats, Bluetooth and a six-speaker CD/MP3 stereo, to name a few. The Sportback Ralliart adds a turbocharged engine with 237 hp, an automated dual-clutch manual transmission, and an even more aggressively tuned suspension.

The 4-door Sportback has entertaining available upgrades as well. Drivers can include the Sun & Sound package which is exactly what it sounds like- a little more sun with a sunroof and a little more sound with a nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system and an in-dash six-CD changer and satellite radio. The optional navigation system features a 30GB hard drive, while the Ralliart’s Recaro Sport package includes namesake sport seats and the Rockford Fosgate audio system.

In terms of safety, the Lancer Sportback ranks pretty high. It received 5-stars for driver safety and 4 for passengers. It’s built with front-seat side airbags, a driver knee airbag, full-length head curtain airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes and stability control.

Visit your Normal Mitsubishi dealer, O’Brien Mitsubishi, to test-drive the all-new 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback and get a feel for its improved handling and performance. Or if you’d rather put less pressure on your pockets, come check out a Normal used Mitsubishi Lancer and drive off in your new racy ride.