泡网俱乐部

Mitsubishi Evolution: A rocket with a hard ride

Automaker starts with a Lancer and adds a whole lot of muscle
May 8, 2003

Memo to prospective buyers: do not despair. It may be possible for you to convince concerned parties (girlfriends, parents, parents of girlfriends, in-laws) that this car is a sensible, thrifty little compact, thereby projecting an image of yourself as a cool, canny guy who has his priorities straight.


Footnote: I am gender specific here because that's who Mitsubishi expects to see buying its Lancer Evolution: Guys. Young guys.)

So, guys, here's a potential preamble to your skeptical loved ones: Hey, it's basically a Mitsubishi Lancer, but with all-wheel drive!

See? But don't get too confident, because there will undoubtedly be many questions, like, what's with that big carbon-fiber wing sticking up off the trunk lid?

After all, everyone knows a rear wing is a badge of intent.

The truth is, this compact sedan is one bad little hombre. And if it's not exactly what your mother-in-law had in mind, it is nevertheless one of the hottest factory hot rods around, as well as one of the best performance buys going.

The Evolution -- better known as the Evo -- begins life as a humble little Mitsubishi Lancer, a 120-horsepower, four-cylinder sedan that blends into the compact econocar landscape almost to the point of invisibility.

But early in the assembly process, certain Lancers are rescued and given the Evo treatment: extensive body and chassis stiffening, aluminum hood and front fenders, aluminum suspension pieces, stiffer springs, firmer shock damping, massive brake rotors, and just a bit more muscle.

Instead of the anemic engine that tows the standard Lancer, the Evo packs a 271-horsepower punch from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four, paired with a slick five-speed manual transmission.

The extra thrust is enough to propel Mitsubishi's little rocket to 60 m.p.h. in 5 seconds flat.

That's quick, folks. Not quite Corvette quick, but quicker than a Nissan 350Z, a Mazda RX8, or a Ford Mustang GT.

And the car is just as quick as its engine, light on its feet and essentially devoid of body roll.

The Evo's responses fall into the realm of a race-prepared sedan, only slightly muffled by a thin veneer of civilizing to make it acceptable as a daily driver.

This is not too surprising, since the new Evolution, uh, evolved from several generations of Mitsubishi Lancers developed for the ultra-demanding world of performance rallying. That's why plentiful power, right-now responses, and four-wheel drive are so important.

No one spends much time thinking about ride quality.

And that , of course, is the central problem of the street-going Evo.

Mitsubishi works hard to preserve the hard-edged persona of the racing version, which is laudable, but it raises a question: Did the engineering team do its work too well for the U.S. market?

Maybe.

The Evo has become a cult car in a number of countries, where it's loved for its race car rascality.

Americans are not immune to cult cars. There are squadrons of Ford Mustangs, Chevy Camaros, and Pontiac Firebirds that have become focal points for owner and wanna-be owner groups. Corvettes, too, of course.

But in this country we have also come to appreciate smooth ride quality more than most. There are lots of aggressive suspension setups offered in other parts of the world that just don't make it to the United States.

The suspension tuning in the Evolution does make some concessions to comfort. But when the Evo encounters anything remotely nasty underfoot, the driver and passengers are going to know about it right away.

Besides transmitting sharp bumps into the Evo's cabin, the suspension also transmits quite a bit of road noise. This is not uncommon in thinly disguised race cars, but it's not quiet, either.

The engine and drivetrain also contribute to the mechanical chorus.

To some, this is music. But unless your mother-in-law is Michelle Mouton, the former Peugeot rally ace, I can practically guarantee she's not going to like the foregoing very much.

And I'd be willing to bet she's not going to care much for the interior, either.

Considering the Evo's price tag, the cloth upholstery, the undistinguished dashboard with its cheap vinyl, the minimalist instruments (memo to Mitsubishi: where's the turbo boost gauge? Oil temp? Oil pressure?), the non-folding rear seatback (fixed in place to cover the massive bracing that lurks just behind) -- all of this looks pretty low rent.

The cheapness is offset by the sporty Momo steering wheel and the secure grip of the excellent bucket front seats.

But adrenaline quotient notwithstanding, to the untutored eye, this just doesn't look like $30,000 worth of automobile. Even with that big hood scoop and 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, the Evo doesn't have the cachet of a Nissan 350Z or Mazda RX8, a couple other cars that fall into this price category.

Then again, there is no way you'd ever convince anyone the Z-car or RX8 are just economy cars in fancy wrappings.

Bottom line: The Mitsubishi Evolution is a pure driver entertainment device that happens to have four doors. The only other car that's directly comparable is the new Subaru WRX STi.

Although I happen to enjoy this car a lot, it's hard to defend it as an everyday driver, particularly at this price. Hence the relatively low rating.

But for the driver who prioritizes handling and thrust above all, well, here's your ride. You can't beat the performance for the money.

And if you really want to sell the econocar fiction to the in-laws, here's your ace in the hole: The rear wing is optional.

TONY SWAN is the executive editor of Car and Driver.

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