Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Range : GENERATION X

Expert Rating:

The tenth generation of the iconic Mitsubishi Lancer Evo rally replica isn't an evolution at all. It's revolutionary. Jonathan Crouch reports

More refined, more advanced but still an absolute hooligan, the tenth generation of Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution moves the game on yet again. Those expecting supercar slaying performance on a cheap budget may need to chat again to their Bank Managers but there's no doubting the awesome capabilities that the Evo X offers up in return.

In many ways, the previous nine generations of Mitsubishi Lancer Evo were just the warm-up acts to this model. Yes, there have been some great cars - the Evo VI and Evo VIII models stand out - but never in the history of this iconic all-wheel drive turbo sports saloon has there been a step change quite as massive as the shift from generation nine to Evo ten. Although the ethos remains much the same, the hardware has been radically altered, which is just as well since arch-rival Subaru is waiting in the wings to hoover up any disillusioned Mitsubishi buyers with its Impreza STi. One recurrent Evo theme is that each subsequent generation has become bigger, heavier and more complex. That's continued here but the end result, though hi-tech, is just as accessible and intoxicating as it ever was. The word that springs to mind when at the wheel of an Evo X, and it's probably not the word you'd expect beforehand, is `polish'. All of the controls feel that little bit better resolved, without the rather uncouth feel of previous generation cars. The onset of the turbo is less of a wrecking ball to the back of the head and more of an F-22 fighter aircraft on afterburner take-off. Of course it's still monstrously quick, the FQ-360 model capable of sixty from rest in just 4.1 seconds on the way to an artificially limited top speed of 155mph. We're not allowed to say in a family publication what the `FQ' fully stands for but if we tell you that the second word is `quick', then you can probably guess. The range-topping FQ-400 lives up to its name with a supercar-humbling 3.8s time for the 0-60mph increment.

"Every enthusiast should drive one at least once in their lives. It's as good as thatâ€¦."

The Lancer Evo was never a car that was defined by its straight line sprinting ability though. Instead it amazed with its astonishing grip and cornering agility and the Evo X is no exception there. The Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system features an Active Centre Differential (ACD) and Active Yaw Control (AYC) which is not dissimilar to the Evo IX, but the latest car adds Advanced Stability Control (ASC). With this riot of acronyms weighing the Evo X down, it would take a very special kind of idiot to punt one into the scenery. ASC features a middle setting between fully on and fully off that permits a degree of driftability but intervenes if it thinks you have relinquished control of your vehicle. Perhaps the most interesting design feature is a technical one. Alongside a standard five-speed manual gearbox, Mitsubishi is also offering a semi-automatic six-speed SST Sports Shift Transmission in the FQ-300 and FQ330 variants. This is a sequential twin-clutch manual gearbox using similar technology to Audi's acclaimed DSG system which pre-selects gears to smooth your changes up and down the `box. The SST system can be marshalled via a fore/aft gearlever or wheel-mounted paddles - or it can be left to do its own thing, holding gears through corners and blipping the throttle on downshifts as you brake. Truth be told, the software seems quite a bit smarter than the DSG alternative you'll find fitted to potential rivals Audi's S3 or TT RS models - especially if you leave it to do its own thing. Although it might sound heretical to leave an Evo in automatic, it's still devastatingly effective. The exterior lines of the Evo are bang on message for the target market. The blackened maw of the front grille and intercooler are flanked by slit-eyed headlamps. Walk round the side and the rising waist line of the car shouts aggression. Certain Evo trademarks continue, the three-box silhouette, the big rear wing and the gently blistered wheel arches all signalling the Mitsubishi's intent. This car's most obvious rival is Subaru's £25,000 295bhp Impreza STi. Mitsubishi however, offers a much wider choice in its Evo X line-up, which starts from around £30,000 and runs up to just shy of the £50,000 mark. Whether you see the asking prices as being strong value will depend upon what you're comparing this car to. £35,000 to £50,000 is certainly a lot of money but it won't buy you much if you're in search of another practical four-door saloon capable of taking five people and their luggage from rest in sixty in just four seconds. A £50,000 BMW M3 can't even do that. There are basically four Evo X models from which to choose, with power poutpus clearly suggested by their badgework. The line-up starts with the FQ-300, progresses through the FQ-330 and FQ-360 models before topping out with the deranged FQ-400. The standard specification gives you 18" alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon headlamps with a clever Adaptive Front Lighting System, Recaro seats, Bluetooth compatibility, automatic headlamps and wipers and remote central locking. There are even plusher trim options of course but in many ways, the less gear you put inside your Evo, the more sense it makes. Even though the latest generation car is a good deal more mature, with a few rough edges chamfered off, it's still no smoothie like an Audi S5. It is what it is. Budget big in terms of your running costs for this car: they remain challenging to say the least. Very short service intervals, a prodigious appetite for 98 octane fuel and insurance premiums that read like telephone numbers are all part of the Mitsubishi Evo ownership experience. This might come as a surprise to some who expect supercar slaying capability on the cheap, but the truth is that Evos have always been extremely high maintenance cars. Depreciation for this tenth generation version will be a good deal less than for the Evo IX, which was very much seen as a swansong model, little changed from the VIII. It's a decent bet that the Evo will also hold its value better than a directly comparable Subaru Impreza. CO2 emissions vary between 246 and 328g/km, depending on the model you choose, whilst the best that you can hope for at the pumps, even in restrained day to day motoring, is around 28mpg. The market for the Mitsubishi Evo is a strange one. Almost exclusively working class male, the Evo is the poster child for a generation who would once have goggled through dealer windows at Ford Sierra Cosworths and before that at 2.8-litre Capris and Opel Manta 400s. The Mitsubishi Evo X feels a more refined, cleverer car than its predecessors, but it's still going to reward its owner with the adulation of teenage boys and a neurotic awareness of flashing blue lights. By any measure it's a towering achievement and a devastatingly effective performance car. The problem for Mitsubishi lies with customer loyalty. So many Evo owners graduate on to Porsches or fast BMWs and never return. This tenth generation model gives the brand its best chance yet of retaining customers of this kind, a smoother and more usable, better quality everyday product. Yet one that still keeps the raw appeal that makes you feel like you're at the wheel of a rally replica. Nothing else gives you quite the same feeling as you get flat out at the wheel of this car. Every enthusiast should drive one at least once in their lives. It's as good as that.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Mitsubishi Evo X range
PRICES: £28,499-£49,999 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 19-20
CO2 EMISSIONS: 246-328g/km
PERFORMANCE: [FQ-360] 0-60mph 4.1s / Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [FQ-300] (combined) 27.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Super All-Wheel Control, Advanced Stability Control, ABS, twin front and side airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height mm 4505/1810/1480