Ten Point Test

Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 82%

The standard Mitsubishi Lancer is worthy, if lacking bundles of personality. But when it has an ‘Evolution’ badge, it turns into a fire-spitting monster.

Can a car conceived for the world’s rally stages make a useable everyday supersaloon car? We clocked almost 1,000 miles in the 366bhp turbocharged rocketship to find out.

1. Looks 9/10

In gunmetal grey, our Evo test car looked like the Batmobile for the new millennium. Whether you like the huge vents, wings and grilles dotted all around the car is a matter of taste, but there’s no denying it has massive presence from every angle.

The front bumper and bonnet sport no fewer than nine vents, which are essential for cooling that powerful engine. Our 360 version also has a carbon fibre front ’splitter’ at the bottom of the front bumper to aid downforce; it looks great, but proved kerb-baitingly low. The square number plate has been moved to the side to allow maximum airflow to the turbocharger’s intercooler.

Moving to the rear, a series of carbon fibre fins at the rear of the roof increase high-speed stability; although these are often overshadowed by the enormous wing at the rear. Once again, the centre part of the spoiler is light weight carbon fibre, and is necessary to keep the rear of the car stable at its limited top speed of 157mph.

The bottom of the rear bumper features a F1-style rear diffuser to improve under-car aerodynamics. A set of 17 inch multispoke alloys complete the racecar look.

2. Looks inside 9/10

Although the Evo’s interior is handed down directly from the standard Lancers, Mitsubishi has done just enough to make it feel special. There’s no need for the acres of aluminium worn by wannabe performance cars – just a leather gearstick and steering wheel to ensure the focus is on the driving, not the posing.

The centre console has three additional gauges providing information on voltage, turbo temperature and turbo boost. With the amount of power produced, these are vital to ensure nothing is amiss under the bonnet. The gearstick surround is silver plastic and provides a home for a plaque illustrating the build number of the MR FQ-360 – it’s limited to 200 cars in the UK.

The seats are trimmed in leather and suede-like alcantara, and with the huge side bolsters, are excellent for holding the driver and passenger in place, and are emblazoned once again with the IX MR logos. They even feature slots to accommodate full racing harnesses. The seats are extremely comfortable – unusual for such snug seats – although the more generously proportions may struggle on long journeys.

Our biggest criticism is the speedo, which highlights 20, 60, 100, 140 and 180mph in large digits, with the intervening numbers in micro-writing. Worryingly 30, 50 and 70mph are marked simply by a line.

3. Practicality 7/10

For a bona fide supercar, the Evo is superbly practical – four doors, five seats and a 630-litre boot big enough for a week’s holiday. It has electric windows all round, air conditioning and mirrors which fold in. The clutch is light, as is the steering, making it easy to drive around town as well as at speed. However, it’s difficult to load bulky objects in the boot, and the rear seats don’t fold so carrying abilities are disappointing. Parking in tight spaces or turning in the road is tricky too, due to the four wheel-drive system and wide wheels reducing the amount the front wheels can turn.

4. Ride and Handling 10/10

Sensational. The Evo is built to get from A to B in the shortest time possible, and thanks to some very clever technology, its able to harness its staggering power and get it to the tarmac efficiently and without fuss. It really does redefine what’s possible in a performance car. The steering is wonderfully direct, and with virtually no body roll, cornering at very high speeds is not only possible; but very easy indeed. It has a full-time four wheel-drive system to ensure maximum grip, aided by a system which changes the centre differential to shift the power to the wheels with most grip. The system can be altered depending on the terrain – tarmac, gravel and snow mode can be selected at the touch of a dash-mounted button. It also has active yaw control to keep the car stable in bends, and the obligatory traction control and anti-lock brakes. The ride is firm, but not so much to cause head or neck aches on long runs.

5. Performance 10/10

Devastating. There are few superlatives to describe the MR FQ-360’s pace. It will reach 62mph from standstill in 3.9 seconds, and scream all the way to a limited top speed of 157mph. Its overtaking ability is staggering; and even in sixth gear at motorway speeds, the engine is capable of thrusting the passengers back into their seats. Our roadtesters found familiar roads being attacked at substantially higher speeds than other performance cars. After almost 1,000 miles covered during our loan, we were still in awe of its pace – we’re not sure drivers could ever totally become accustomed to the Evo’s speed.

Equally impressive are the brakes – huge discs gripped by bright red calipers from Brembo who supply many F1 teams. Initially the brakes feel heavy and need a heavy foot to make them work, but they are more than capable than hauling the Evo down from high speed time and time again.

This particular Evo has been treated to a host of equipment from Japanese tuning experts HKS, including a huge and noisy exhaust. While it sounds amazing on committed fast runs, a motorway cruise will find the occupants reaching for the aspirin.

6. Running Costs 5/10

Ouch. Aside from the hefty £35,000 purchase price, the group 20 insurance and the highest tax band; Evo owners need deep pockets to keep their four-door supercar in fuel. Mitsubishi quotes an average fuel consumption figure of 19.6mpg, and we struggled to get the fuel tank to return more than 250 miles. It drinks expensive super unleaded too. Thanks to a highly-tuned 2-litre engine, the Evo will need to see a service every 4,500 miles or six months. Experts predict this model will retain less than half its value after three years, however due to the rarity of the model, it should perform slightly better.

7. Reliability 8/10

Mitsubishi build strong vehicles – they enter the Dakar rally most years, which is generally regarded as the world’s toughest. It performs better than average in the reliability index, too. However, with such a highly stressed engine, meticulous maintenance is paramount; and with lots of high-tech equipment there’s plenty to go wrong.

8. Safety 7/10

The Evo majors on preventative safety features, rather than a plethora of airbags. It has anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and huge and powerful brakes. There isn’t much inside the car to protect the occupants if it all goes wrong, although the driver and passenger will be protected by a pair of front airbags. There are no EuroNCAP tests at the moment, but it should perform better than previous Lancers.

9. Equipment 7/10

Most buyers will choose the MR FQ-360 for its performance, although at £35,000, Mitsubishi needs to justify its price in other ways. Our test car features remote central locking, electric windows front and back, electric mirrors which fold at the touch of a button, a water spray to keep the turbocharger cool, leather and alcantara bucket seats and a host of mechanical bits to help the car go faster. Satellite navigation is an odd omission though. Our test car has the optional Alpine iPod-ready stereo, which at £199 (+VAT) is worth the extra, and some uprated speakers, which sound the business – although at £351 (+VAT), they’re expensive, but necessary to compete with the boomy exhaust.

10. X-Factor 10/10

If you’re a driver who values performance above all else, the Evo is king. And you can still get the kids in the back and lug a bootful of gear. Drive to a trackday with the air conditioning on cool, and some soothing music on your iPod; blast around the circuit all afternoon and have a relaxing cruise home, and you’ll find the Evo is the most intoxicating car you’ll ever drive.

Specifications

Model tested: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR FQ-360
On the road price: £35,539
Price range: £34, 539 – £35,539
Date tested: March 2007
Road tester: Stuart Milne