Road Test
Mitsubishi Evo FQ-300 GSR SST
Test date 23 April 2008
Price as tested £32,349
For Precise steering, strong brakes, outstanding levels of grip and traction
AgainstScratch-prone interior, lack of adjutsment in driving position, fuel range
So, the Evo is back, and the old rivalry, Subaru Impreza vs Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, is back on.
’s a strange coincidence that, after more than 10 years of simultaneous development, both the Impreza and the Evo should go through such a major model change at the same time. ubaru’s Impreza has gone from saloon to hatchback just as the Lancer saloon, from which the Evolution is as ever derived, begins its ninth generation since 1973.
The Evo itself, conceived as a rally homologation model for the faster-paced world of motorsport, is here notching its 10th iteration since only 1992, though there have been rally-derived hot versions of Lancers since the car’s launch in 1973. The STi and Evo are one of the more intriguing pairings of the moment.
Perhaps the fascination with rally replicas is not what it once was, however. When Mitsubishi executives talk about rivals for the Evo, there’s almost an air of resignation about the inevitability of its comparison with the STi. They now think, “Our car shapes up to the likes of premium German brands.” And that’s a taller order.
So just how good is the new Evolution X?
Your Say
Comments: 3 Join the discussion