Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 82%

Despite launching the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution back in 1992 through nine generations, it wasn't until early 2008 that Mitsubishi launched an all-new model.

The Japanese car maker says it offers levels of build quality and refinement never seen before in an Evo. And Mitsubishi is confident it can attract buyers who would have previously bought BMW M3s and Audi S4s.

Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor | Rivals

1. Looks

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X looks as though it has bare naked aggression pumping through its veins. It's not what you'd call pretty but the traditional Evo spoilers, scoops and vents from remain, albeit reined in for a less boy racer look. Mitsubishi wants to take sales from the more elegant BMW M3, Mercedes C 63 AMG and Audi S4 and Audi RS4, which goes some way to explaining the more sober styling. But hardcore Evo fans needn't worry; it still stands out in a crowd.

The front end has a big gaping black grille which hides the intercooler for the turbo and the bonnet features functional cooling vents, as do the front wings. The rear end still carries a huge spoiler; and an Evo wouldn't be an Evo without one.

8/10

2. Looks inside

The interior was something Mitsubishi needed to work on if it was to attract buyers from premium brands, and the Evo X's cabin has been improved by a country mile over previous models. But compared to its rivals from Germany, it’s a bit of a let down, although vastly better to that of the Subaru Impreza. The dash is a little hit and miss, with clear dials surrounded in a stylish binnacle, but the main dashboard fascia looks bland, and the dark, shiny strip that runs along it looks a little cheap. The Recaro bucket seats look the part, especially with the slots which harnesses would be run through in a race car.

The Evo X comes fitted with a touch-screen Rockford Fosgate sat-nav and stereo with hard drive. The system is not as intuitive as most manufacturer's systems, but is loud, especially with the large subwoofer in the boot which is standard on GSR models.

7/10

3. Practicality

For such a big car, the Evo X has a tiny boot, with much of the space taken by the battery and other ancillaries being relocated to the luggage compartment. This also means the rear seats don't fold, limiting space further. More room is taken up by the large subwoofer, which sits on the near-side edge of the boot. There's a good amount of space in the front, while headroom is slightly limited in the rear. The driver's seat doesn't adjust for height and the steering wheel doesn't adjust for reach, meaning it can be tricky to find a comfortable driving position.

And although it's surprisingly tractable around town, with a lighter-than-expected clutch for the manual, the turning circle is vast. The SST semi-automatic we drove also proved quite jerky at very low speeds, and displayed a lack of performance below 20mph, when the turbocharger isn't spinning.

7/10

4. Ride and Handling

The Mitsubishi Evo has always been one of the fastest ways to cover ground this side of a supercar, and the X has lost none of its ability. What it has gained is a level of ride comfort unusual for a bare knuckle streetfighter. While the Bilstein and Eibach suspension is still very firm, it is much more forgiving than previous models, such as the Evo IX. The steering is sharp, direct and responsive, while the engine is muted in comparison to earlier cars.

It has astonishing levels of grip, which can be enhanced further depending on road surface, by selecting tarmac, gravel and snow modes from a dash-operated button. Like previous cars, it comes equipped with all manner of electronic aids which monitor and controls yaw (sideways angles), operates the ESP and ABS and utilises an electronically-controlled centre differential to strike the best balance between handling and steering responses.

10/10

5. Performance

All models in the Evo range offer vicious levels of performance. The slowest of the three engines, the 290bhp FQ-300 will launch the car to 62mph in just 4.7 seconds. The 324bhp FQ-330 will reach 62mph in 4.4 seconds, while the 354bhp FQ-360 will cover the same benchmark in 4.1 seconds. All models have a limited top speed of 155mph. There's staggering performance from around 2,000rpm, under which the engine can bog down when the turbocharger is off-boost. This is particularly noticeable in SST semi-automatic gearbox equipped cars, where the clutch can’t be slipped to overcome it. This gearbox is only available in the FQ-300, but is expected to make up half of all sales.

The SST 'box is a twin-clutch unit, like Volkswagen's DSG gearbox, and offers fast, snappy gearchanges and rarely gets caught out by unexpected burst of power through bends. Drivers can shift manually via steering wheel-mounted paddles or by moving the gearstick. There are three shift modes, Normal, Sport and Super Sport. Sport shifts faster and later in the rev range than normal. Super Sport is only recommended for track use and can only be activated when the vehicle is stationary and the switch held for five seconds. When in Super Sport mode, the gearbox will only shift gear at maximum RPM, for maximum performance.

9/10

6. Running Costs

Emissions, insurance and fuel bills aren't for the faint hearted. All models fall into the top tax band, G, which currently costs £400 a year. Until this generation, all Evos had fallen into the top insurance band, 20; but the Evo X range is the first to have a model rated at 'just' group 19; the GQ-300. All other are in group 20. Fuel economy is reasonable for the FQ-300, with an average of 27.4mpg (26.2 for the SST), but the FQ-330 falls to 25.4mpg, while the supercar-baiting FQ-360 will cover just 19.9mpg. Depreciation is fairly good, with the cars retaining around half their new value after three years/36,000 miles.

6/10

7. Reliability

Mitsubishi builds solid cars – just look at its reputation in the Dakar rally for proof. As long as the Evo is serviced correctly, it should be the most painless ways to supercar speeds. Just budget for frequent tyre and brake changes, and the odd clutch, depending on the sympathy it's driven with.

8/10

8. Safety

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X has been strengthened to cope with its awesome power, and Mitsubishi says extra work has gone into the car to improve its impact performance. The brake pedal collapses in a collision to avoid damage to the driver's legs, and the driver's knee is protected by an airbag. Other airbags include dual-stage driver and passenger, which deploy depending on the severity of collision, as well as side and curtain 'bags. There's no EuroNCAP crash test data available at time of publishing.

9/10

9. Equipment

Two trim levels are available; GS and GSR. The GS comes with 18-inch Enkei alloy wheels, Brembo brakes, a category 1 alarm and immobiliser and a tracking system, folding door mirrors, tinted glass, bright xenon headlamps, climate control, CD/radio, steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth, automatic headlamps, wipers and electric windows. The GSR adds a Rockford Fosgate hard-drive-based stereo and satnav with subwoofer, MP3/iPod connection, and leather seats (FQ-360 only).

9/10

10. X-Factor
 
There are few better, or cheaper ways to eat miles quickly. The Mitsubishi Evo X has broadened the Evo's appeal by being more comfortable, quiet and less in-yer-face, while still capable of putting a smile on any petrolhead's face.

9/10