Rally Wannabe ; Capable commuter, but no Evo.

While most Mitsubishi Lancer OZ Rally Edition owners who contacted us gave the car a thumbs up, we expected more from it. Most of those owners didn't expect many thrills from it, but we say it doesn't live up to its sporty-sounding name.

The Lancer OZ Rally Edition is no rally car, but it is a competent commuter/cruiser.

Those owners like (as we do) the Lancer's tight chassis, quiet ride, comfortable interior and fit-and-finish.

However, there's nothing that conveys ``rally'' about this car, except that its maker is heavily involved in rallying. The only things different about this Rally Edition from the regular ES and LS Lancers are its cool OZ wheels (wearing the standard all-season tires), badging, some not-so-cool body cladding and an optional rear deck spoiler.

We loved our nimble 1997 long-term Mirage. The Lancer, its replacement, is larger overall (including a four-inch-longer wheelbase) but not more exciting. It makes us think some Japanese automakers are feeling pressure from their Korean challengers. As one staffer noted, ``This Lancer may be an attempt to address the `Hyundai gave me a bigger car for less money' problem.''

The Lancer's four-cylinder is a bit more potent but the car's extra weight cancels the power boost. To wring out maximum power, we've found the first step is to choose the five-speed manual version. Then turn off the air conditioning, which soaks up a surprising amount of the ...