Edmunds Test Drive: 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

Anyone with a platelet's worth of enthusiast blood running through their veins knows what a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is. Sporting blistered fenders, hyperactive turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive, the "Evo" has fans as rabid as those of the Jonas Brothers. It's certainly a cool car and a stout rival to Subaru's equally popular STI.

But not everyone can afford the $35,000-plus needed to purchase a street-tamed rally car. For them, Subaru's WRX has been the lone budget buy. Not any longer. The 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart makes this a tight, two-horse race -- one so close it arguably comes down to tire selection.