On the market mostly unchanged for six years, you’ve probably read everything there is to know about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, from its turbocharged four-cylinder engine, to its amazing all-wheel drive system to its boy racer looks.
In other words, you’ve read lists of things to love about the Evo. But surely it must have faults. It does. And here they are.
A long straight highway drive on America’s crumbling infrastructure is the exact opposite of what an Evo should be used for. And yet that’s just the situation I found myself in, flying to Milwaukee and then driving an hour and a half to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. for the annual Midwest Automotive Media Association Spring Rally.
Not a half-hour in and I was thinking this awesome present left for me at the airport was more of a cruel trick. With racecar-like handling going unused on the long and straight highway, I43 North certainly made it feel like a race car’s suspension. The constant jolts didn’t just rattle the rearview mirror, on particularly poor stretches of road it actually became hard to focus.
With the optional navigation system not equipped on this model I had to rely instead on my iPhone, which just so happened to be low on power.
Not to worry, I thought, I’ll just plug it in to the car’s USB port. Or at least I would have done so if the car had one.
Weeks later and I’m writing this article, checking my facts and combing through the specs from the Mitsubishi press site only to discover that, to my surprise, it does have a USB port. It wasn’t on the dash, and it wasn’t in the center console either. As it turns out, a cursory glance of the glovebox didn’t turn it up either (though that’s where the port is… allegedly). I’m not alone either, a quick Google search and I came across numerous discussions on forums about the elusive Evo USB.
An hour into my drive and I’m more than ready to get out. The suspension is doing its best to compound the discs in my spine and its effects are only exaggerated by the Evo’s awesome sport seats. Normally they would be appreciated, holding me in place bombing around a track, but after a less-than-prolonged time cruising the highways in the land of Cheeseheads, the seating position feels as awkward as walking in on your parents.
And while I’m bitching about the seats; fake carbon fiber inlay? Really? Is Mitsubishi or Recaro to blame for this?
It’s hard to pick out other specifics with a selection of low grade components, buttons and switches inside the Evo. At a different point in time I’d argue that it doesn’t matter, but when you see how nice the cabin of a Ford Focus ST looks, the Evo’s cabin is embarrassing.
Not a fair comparison? Hardly. At the AutoGuide test track the Evo is only 1.5 seconds a lap faster. And it costs over $10,000 more.
No one is buying an Evo for fuel economy, and at 17 mpg city and 22 mpg highway it’s obvious why. Making matters worse is the fact that you’re more likely to get the lower number in every day driving – like I did.
For comparison’s sake, we registered 20 mpg in the 400 hp Porsche 911 C4S.
Outdated, with low grade components, poor fuel economy and a brutally stiff ride, the Evo is also a thrill to drive and is dialed-in like few cars you can buy (at any price). Once I arrived at Road America all the reasons to love it came quickly flooding back.
Like how old men buy Dodge Challengers because it reminds them of being young, so the Evo does the same for a new generation of aging enthusiasts.
Feeling nostalgic for the glory days of sport compact cars? Click here for full specs and details on the 2013 Evo or click here to build and price your own.