If Mitsubishi was ever behind the curve, engineering-wise, those days are over.

With its whole new cycle of vehicles Mitsubishi has pulled out the engineering and styling stops to get its message across. For 2009, Mitsubishi Canada is expanding the range to include a pair of five-door hatchbacks known as Sportbacks.

If the name rings a bell, there was a Lancer Sportback model offered in 2006. It was a station wagon that was only sold in Canada and was there more to flesh out the meager offerings on showroom floors in Mitsubishi’s first years.

The new five-door is a world away from the dowdy 2006 model.

Like the rest of the family, it is built on the forth-generation Lancer platform and carries the same very aggressive shape and styling that changed the image of the Lancer from cold to cool.

There are two Sportback versions.

One is based on the Lancer GTS with its bigger 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine producing 168 horsepower and the other on the Ralliart with the 2.0L engine and its 237 horsepower. The latter shares the same powerplant as the EVO but comes with a smaller intercooler and a smaller single-scroll turbo.

The GTS is available with a standard five-speed manual or an optional constantly variable transmission. It features Sportronic sequential shift that gives the artificial feel of a six-speed manual for those who don’t want to use the CVT for what it was designed for, which makes no sense to me.

The Ralliart borrows the twin clutch – Sportronic shift transmission from the EVO. Using a toggle on the transmission tunnel, the driver can select the normal mode for regular use or sport for more spirited driving. In addition there are paddle shifters on the steering wheel that can be used for sequential shifting.

The Ralliart Sportback also comes with Mitsu’s version of all-wheel-drive that, in turn, is based on the same system as found on the EVO. The big difference is the deletion of the active yaw control on the Sportback. But it retains the active centre differential four-wheel drive, active stability control, sport ABS brakes and front and rear limited slip differentials.

It is all controlled by a rocker switch that can be set with the differentials tuned to various road surfaces and conditions. The choices offered are tarmac, snow and gravel.

Tarmac is for dry roads and provides the fasted cornering. Gravel routes torque bias to the rear for wet roads with loose surfaces. Snow increases torque for the best traction where needed. There is a readout of what mode you are in shown on the multi information display tucked between the speedo and the tach.

I spent all of my time driving or riding in the front and back seat of the GTS and found it, well, like the sedan except for a rear liftgate.

This makes for 390 litres of cargo space behind the rear 60/40 split/fold rear seat and 1,320 litres with the seat upright.

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On the GTS only, the cargo floor panel can be lowered 90 mm for large parcels. It is not available on the Ralliart as the rear differential takes up the room.

The CVT is much sharper than I remember while the turning circle was very tight for a front-driver.

The back seat had ample legroom and, even though the roofline slopes to the rear, getting in and out wasn’t a tussle. More importantly there was lots of headroom, something that’s always at a premium in a compact hatch.

I did get in a few highway miles where the CVT effectively used the torque by feeding it in linearly with the actual speed being matched by the precise amount of engine rpms to get the job done as efficiently as possible.

Standard equipment is extensive including seven airbags (one over the driver’s knees).

There are also packages like the Sun and Sound leather package for the CTS that include leather trim, proximity power entry key, power sunroof and the thumping 650-watt Rockford Fosgate, nine-speaker audio system. On the Ralliart, the premium package adds to the Sun and Sound with leather Recaro sports front seats instead of the standard cloth and rain sensing wipers added to what comes with the Sun and Sound group.

Alsostandard is the great looks of the Lancer from its aggressive nose and grille treatment to the way the rear and hatch have been grafted into the Lancer. In electric blue, it was a standout even in a posh neighbourhood in South Beach, Fla. where Ferraris outnumber Hondas.

The 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Hatchback mixes looking good, utility and responsive driving into one very reasonably priced package.