Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 2.0 Turbo FQ-300 Reviews

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Good Points: Absolutely manic speed and handling. Just about the scariest 5 seater I've ever driven, and that includes the old M5 and RS4 Audi. Looks as hard as nails. Whether you own a Saxo or a 911, this car surely is the real deal.

Bad Points: Plastic on the dash, in just one test drive I almost dropped the fuel gauge by a quarter! Service intervals too short for me.

General comments: Wow. That's to put it simply. I'm surprised Mitsubishi don't test a driver's ability on a track before allowing them to let loose with this weapon on the open road. I test drove the 320 bhp version from my local performance-car specialist, and I came away with my knees shaking. Seriously. This 2.0 Turbo is so fast, and more importantly so easy to drive fast it should come with a health warning. There are no fancy settings to preset like you get in most supercars, although you can change some settings for certain road conditions, but just stick in gear, nail the throttle, and once the turbo kicks in you're away. I imagine this is what it feels like to be fired out of a low-range cannon. 0-60mph comes up in around 4.2 seconds and it just keeps on going. Even on the motorway you reach legal speed limits in a matter of seconds and if you don't totally back off from the throttle you're well on your way to waving good-bye to your license. In the corners it feels so composed, so confident that your guts run out well before the car's talents are reached. A word of warning- do not try to reach those limits on a public road, anywhere. This machine needs a proper, smooth, fast test track. It has ample grip from it's 4WD system, but you can still end up in a bush if you loose concentration. The Evo is a madcap piece of engineering, but ignore fast and furious type films- no young rookie should try it on with this thing. You really need adequate track experience before you can really toy with the Evo, something I'm still lacking. I've driven a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 with similar power before, but the Evo feels more exhilarating, more aggressive. It made the 911 feel like a comfortable GT cruiser.
Ok, so once you get it on the road you're looking at around £32000 and the interior is pretty bland and plasticky for such a price. But, in black and black alloys, I cannot imagine a tougher looking car anywhere. And the best thing is that it far surpasses it's looks with the sort of traffic-light fireworks that will leave a Ferrari owner wondering what just slapped him in the face.
If you want the ultimate in driving thrills, this should be on your shopping list, even if you're considering Lambos and the like. Just drive one if you can. I was feeling cocky when I climbed in, but after my encounter with the Evo, I came away a humbled man. :)