The First Meeting
Edmunds Inside Line
At almost the same moment, Mitsubishi and Subaru have slammed the door on the past. The flame-spouting, wheel-churning rally-specification sedans of recent years have been tossed onto the ash heap, and in their place we find the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X and 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI — two cars that are about sophistication as well as speed.
But some things never change. The Evo and STI are still trying to seize the same bit of turf, caught up in a sparring match that's been going on nonstop for more than 13 years. The Evo and STI are like high school bullies that can't resist a punch-up, and they're now matching up ever-tricker all-wheel-drive systems, more turbocharged engine power and levels of cornering grip that defy the laws of physics.
So we put the 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X and the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI together on the road in Japan for their first meeting, a title fight in the shadow of Mt. Fuji.
Suits of Armor
We've been here before, as we've compared the Evo and the STI in a comparison test in both 2006 and 2003. Each time, the Evo IX proved slightly faster, turned into corners more decisively and gave us more feedback about the driving experience through the controls.
This time we've brought the new Evo X with its 276-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 matched with a five-speed manual transmission and put it together with the Japan-specification STI and its 304-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter horizontally opposed 4 matched with a six-speed manual transmission. Though the Evo is available with a dual-clutch six-speed automated manual, a production car hadn't come off the assembly line for us.
In the search for a more sophisticated visual identity, Mitsubishi has replaced the Evo's taxi-on-steroids appearance with a stance of grown-up machismo, a look highlighted by an Audi-style full-frame grille, a higher beltline and more subtle rear wing. There's a larger passenger package beneath that sits on a wheelbase that has stretched 1 inch, and a track that's wider by 1.2 inches. More important, the new Evo is 1.2 inches taller and 1.6 inches wider. We think the overall proportion of sheet metal to glass gives the Evo X a graceful look that's light-years ahead of its predecessor.
The new STI also couldn't be more different from its predecessor. The Subaru bosses decided that a hatchback profile is a good choice for two reasons: First, it allows the Impreza lineup to appeal to a broader customer base; and second, as Subaru WRC rally driver Petter Solberg says, "the hatchback has better aero balance." This five-door hatchback has dramatically shorter overhangs than the former STI sedan, while the front track is 3/4-inch wider than the current WRX and the rear track is 7/8-inch wider. Apart from the swooping rear tailgate, what really gives the new STI its character are those fender blisters, huge hood scoop and vestigial rear wing.
Though the STI is far more aggressive-looking than its WRX brother, its front end has been sanitized, and the generic headlights and grille detract from the overall muscular appeal of the rest of the car. The Evo X, meanwhile, has a Euro-style presentation that we find really appealing.
The Evo takes first blood.
Power Stakes
The Evo and STI are each powered by turbocharged 2.0-liter fours that are tuned to develop about as much low- and midrange grunt as your innards can take.
The STI's 2.0-liter boxer turbo pumps out 304 hp at 6,400 rpm and a surprising 311 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. The major modifications over its predecessor are a different twin-scroll turbocharger, a bigger intercooler and variable valve timing now on both the inlet and exhaust cams. Subaru claims the STI will sprint to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. (The American-spec 2.5-liter turbo manages the same task in 4.8 seconds in our hands.)
This engine produces a tsunami of thrust much lower in the rev range than the outgoing model. Power delivery is smooth if not restrained up to around 2,800 rpm, and then a wave of torque carries you forward toward 6,000 rpm. Keep your foot buried and the power remains strong right up to the redline at 8,000 rpm.
Channeling the torrent of torque to the tarmac is Subaru's revised six-speed manual transmission that gets newly fitted with triple synchros on 1st and 2nd gears and double synchros from 3rd up to 6th. The shift action feels leagues ahead of the Evo's clunky five-speed manual.
One thing that really makes the new STI stand out is the metallic ring from the engine and the pronounced exhaust burble, and it makes this engine sound both more refined and beefier than that of the Evo.
The Evolution of Power
Mitsubishi's 4G63 engine, with its iron block stout enough for turbocharging, has been replaced by the all-aluminum 4B11 inline-4, which represents an overall weight savings of 28 pounds. To enhance its ability to withstand the stress of turbocharging, this engine features forged connecting rods, a forged crankshaft and a block with a semi-closed deck. The compression ratio has risen slightly to 9.0:1 and variable valve timing has been adapted to both chain-driven cams.
This turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 produces 276 hp at 6,500 rpm (the U.S. version is expected to produce 295 hp), and it makes 300 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Thanks to the close-ratio gearbox, the Evo X gets to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
Less manic than the outgoing Evo IX, the Evo X generates boost cleanly starting around 3,000 rpm, and the power builds in a linear fashion all the way up to the redline at 7,000 rpm. Compared to the STI, though, the Evo doesn't maintain the same kind of grunt at the top end.
The Evo X's close-ratio manual gearbox is clearly meant to be the racer's choice, because 5th gear is so tall it's only usable for highway cruising, and it handicaps the Mitsubishi against the Subaru.
The STI just pips the Evo in thrust and power.
The Swinging As: S-AWC, ACD, AYC, ASC
One aspect of the Evo's makeup that takes it to the next level is the upgraded Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC), which integrates control over the active center differential (ACD) with the rear differential's active yaw control (AYC). New additions to S-AWC include active stability control (ASC), active brake control and a yaw-rate sensor. The front limited-slip differential remains a conventional helical type. Put simply, the S-AWC actively manipulates wheel torque during acceleration and braking in order to control the car's cornering attitude.
If you drive too hot into a corner with the Evo X, the S-AWC four-wheel-drive system instantly redistributes torque to where it's needed most, while the ASC dabs the brakes to slow the progress of any overzealous wheels, alleviating the need for huge handfuls of opposite steering lock. Once the weight shifts slightly forward, the Evo X turns in quickly and then holds its line without understeer.
Thanks to the S-AWC, it's just about impossible to spin the Evo X. But once you switch off the ASC, you can slide the car at will, although you'd better be ready to catch the rear when it snaps around.
Even with an additional 200 pounds in curb weight, the Evo's revised steering setup, tweaked multilink rear suspension and stiffer chassis rigidity help keep the driver in touch with what's going on better than ever before, and the car even rides better. And if things go bad, the four-piston calipers for the Brembo brakes offer loads of fade-resistant stopping power.
Two Parts Legacy, One Part Impreza
Subaru has attempted to close the gap on the Evo's superb S-AWC system by refining the STI's three-way adjustable center differential (DCCD: Driver Controlled Center Differential). In addition, the AWD system now incorporates the Legacy's three-way throttle programming (SI Drive: Super Intelligent) and stability control (VDC: Vehicle Dynamics Control). Subaru has done a pretty good job of delivering an AWD system that can be adapted to a wide range of conditions.
Automatic is the DCCD's standard setting, with 59 percent of engine power sent to the rear wheels and the rear differential set neutrally. Auto-plus tightens the rear diff for more traction in slippery conditions. Auto-minus loosens the rear diff for navigating challenging, twisty roads where you need sharper turn-in and less traction at the rear. Six individual settings also allow torque going to the rear wheels to be varied between 50 and 59 percent. The helical front differential maintains front-wheel traction while helping the tires carve through a turn, and the Torsen rear differential adapts traction levels to the conditions.
The SI-Drive alters the engine and throttle mapping to three settings: Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp. It tailors the action of the throttle-by-wire system and the turbo boost to driving conditions, offering better traction when you need it and more aggressive torque when you want it. The VDC stability control can be switched off in two stages, with the first halting engine intervention by relying solely on the brakes. Switch it off completely and you let the STI strut its stuff without electronic interference.
Yet another feature that helps the STI get around corners faster than before is its new rear strut-type suspension. It not only delivers more predictable suspension action, it allows the car to be set up for more lively response and even significantly improves ride quality. And no complaints about the four-piston Brembos on the STI either.
Beyond the Specs
So with the tech spiel out of the way, what does it all mean?
The STI's steering effort feels slightly better weighted than that of the Evo, although the Mitsubishi's overall level of feedback through the wheel is still superior. Once you get the Evo into a rhythm, it corners more quickly through the twisties, but not by much, as the STI reveals slightly more understeer.
At the limit however, the Evo's S-AWC electronics make the driving experience oddly digital in a way, as if you are leaving too much of the cornering to the car. On the other hand, the STI's newly fitted VDC works surprisingly well. It intrudes when it's needed, but it never detracts from the spirit of the driving experience.
When you lay into the throttle, the Evo's turbo inline-4 responds with more eagerness and sharper throttle control than the STI, which needs to be spun over 4,000 rpm to deliver sufficient boost for rapid progress. This Evo's close-ratio five-speed gearbox also handicaps the engine in road driving compared to the STI's six-speed.
The Evo looks better on the road, while the STI boasts the practicality of five doors. Inside, the STI incorporates a slightly more appealing dash design, while the Evo X has inherited the former Lancer's plasticky interior. Seats in both cars are excellent, with good lumbar support.
Ready To Make a Choice?
Both the 2008 Mitsubishi Evo and the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI have graduated from high school bullies to scholarship-toting college athletes, and all in just one generation. So which do we choose?
It's not going to be easy. The STI wins if you want a wagonlike car that handles with a more intuitive, analog feel. The Evo gets the nod if you're happier with a good-looking sedan that has excellent throttle response.
For those who don't care about body shapes, then the STI just pips the Evo, thanks to its better ride, smoother gearbox and especially the cool sounds the engine makes. But this might all change once the Evo gets its dual-clutch automated manual transmission.
It's not an easy choice. Who would you pick as your bodyguard: Jean-Claude Van Damme or Jet Li?
Edmunds Inside Line
At almost the same moment, Mitsubishi and Subaru have slammed the door on the past. The flame-spouting, wheel-churning rally-specification sedans of recent years have been tossed onto the ash heap, and in their place we find the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X and 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI — two cars that are about sophistication as well as speed.
But some things never change. The Evo and STI are still trying to seize the same bit of turf, caught up in a sparring match that's been going on nonstop for more than 13 years. The Evo and STI are like high school bullies that can't resist a punch-up, and they're now matching up ever-tricker all-wheel-drive systems, more turbocharged engine power and levels of cornering grip that defy the laws of physics.
So we put the 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X and the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI together on the road in Japan for their first meeting, a title fight in the shadow of Mt. Fuji.
Suits of Armor
We've been here before, as we've compared the Evo and the STI in a comparison test in both 2006 and 2003. Each time, the Evo IX proved slightly faster, turned into corners more decisively and gave us more feedback about the driving experience through the controls.
This time we've brought the new Evo X with its 276-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 matched with a five-speed manual transmission and put it together with the Japan-specification STI and its 304-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter horizontally opposed 4 matched with a six-speed manual transmission. Though the Evo is available with a dual-clutch six-speed automated manual, a production car hadn't come off the assembly line for us.
In the search for a more sophisticated visual identity, Mitsubishi has replaced the Evo's taxi-on-steroids appearance with a stance of grown-up machismo, a look highlighted by an Audi-style full-frame grille, a higher beltline and more subtle rear wing. There's a larger passenger package beneath that sits on a wheelbase that has stretched 1 inch, and a track that's wider by 1.2 inches. More important, the new Evo is 1.2 inches taller and 1.6 inches wider. We think the overall proportion of sheet metal to glass gives the Evo X a graceful look that's light-years ahead of its predecessor.
The new STI also couldn't be more different from its predecessor. The Subaru bosses decided that a hatchback profile is a good choice for two reasons: First, it allows the Impreza lineup to appeal to a broader customer base; and second, as Subaru WRC rally driver Petter Solberg says, "the hatchback has better aero balance." This five-door hatchback has dramatically shorter overhangs than the former STI sedan, while the front track is 3/4-inch wider than the current WRX and the rear track is 7/8-inch wider. Apart from the swooping rear tailgate, what really gives the new STI its character are those fender blisters, huge hood scoop and vestigial rear wing.
Though the STI is far more aggressive-looking than its WRX brother, its front end has been sanitized, and the generic headlights and grille detract from the overall muscular appeal of the rest of the car. The Evo X, meanwhile, has a Euro-style presentation that we find really appealing.
The Evo takes first blood.
Power Stakes
The Evo and STI are each powered by turbocharged 2.0-liter fours that are tuned to develop about as much low- and midrange grunt as your innards can take.
The STI's 2.0-liter boxer turbo pumps out 304 hp at 6,400 rpm and a surprising 311 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. The major modifications over its predecessor are a different twin-scroll turbocharger, a bigger intercooler and variable valve timing now on both the inlet and exhaust cams. Subaru claims the STI will sprint to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. (The American-spec 2.5-liter turbo manages the same task in 4.8 seconds in our hands.)
This engine produces a tsunami of thrust much lower in the rev range than the outgoing model. Power delivery is smooth if not restrained up to around 2,800 rpm, and then a wave of torque carries you forward toward 6,000 rpm. Keep your foot buried and the power remains strong right up to the redline at 8,000 rpm.
Channeling the torrent of torque to the tarmac is Subaru's revised six-speed manual transmission that gets newly fitted with triple synchros on 1st and 2nd gears and double synchros from 3rd up to 6th. The shift action feels leagues ahead of the Evo's clunky five-speed manual.
One thing that really makes the new STI stand out is the metallic ring from the engine and the pronounced exhaust burble, and it makes this engine sound both more refined and beefier than that of the Evo.
The Evolution of Power
Mitsubishi's 4G63 engine, with its iron block stout enough for turbocharging, has been replaced by the all-aluminum 4B11 inline-4, which represents an overall weight savings of 28 pounds. To enhance its ability to withstand the stress of turbocharging, this engine features forged connecting rods, a forged crankshaft and a block with a semi-closed deck. The compression ratio has risen slightly to 9.0:1 and variable valve timing has been adapted to both chain-driven cams.
This turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 produces 276 hp at 6,500 rpm (the U.S. version is expected to produce 295 hp), and it makes 300 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Thanks to the close-ratio gearbox, the Evo X gets to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
Less manic than the outgoing Evo IX, the Evo X generates boost cleanly starting around 3,000 rpm, and the power builds in a linear fashion all the way up to the redline at 7,000 rpm. Compared to the STI, though, the Evo doesn't maintain the same kind of grunt at the top end.
The Evo X's close-ratio manual gearbox is clearly meant to be the racer's choice, because 5th gear is so tall it's only usable for highway cruising, and it handicaps the Mitsubishi against the Subaru.
The STI just pips the Evo in thrust and power.
The Swinging As: S-AWC, ACD, AYC, ASC
One aspect of the Evo's makeup that takes it to the next level is the upgraded Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC), which integrates control over the active center differential (ACD) with the rear differential's active yaw control (AYC). New additions to S-AWC include active stability control (ASC), active brake control and a yaw-rate sensor. The front limited-slip differential remains a conventional helical type. Put simply, the S-AWC actively manipulates wheel torque during acceleration and braking in order to control the car's cornering attitude.
If you drive too hot into a corner with the Evo X, the S-AWC four-wheel-drive system instantly redistributes torque to where it's needed most, while the ASC dabs the brakes to slow the progress of any overzealous wheels, alleviating the need for huge handfuls of opposite steering lock. Once the weight shifts slightly forward, the Evo X turns in quickly and then holds its line without understeer.
Thanks to the S-AWC, it's just about impossible to spin the Evo X. But once you switch off the ASC, you can slide the car at will, although you'd better be ready to catch the rear when it snaps around.
Even with an additional 200 pounds in curb weight, the Evo's revised steering setup, tweaked multilink rear suspension and stiffer chassis rigidity help keep the driver in touch with what's going on better than ever before, and the car even rides better. And if things go bad, the four-piston calipers for the Brembo brakes offer loads of fade-resistant stopping power.
Two Parts Legacy, One Part Impreza
Subaru has attempted to close the gap on the Evo's superb S-AWC system by refining the STI's three-way adjustable center differential (DCCD: Driver Controlled Center Differential). In addition, the AWD system now incorporates the Legacy's three-way throttle programming (SI Drive: Super Intelligent) and stability control (VDC: Vehicle Dynamics Control). Subaru has done a pretty good job of delivering an AWD system that can be adapted to a wide range of conditions.
Automatic is the DCCD's standard setting, with 59 percent of engine power sent to the rear wheels and the rear differential set neutrally. Auto-plus tightens the rear diff for more traction in slippery conditions. Auto-minus loosens the rear diff for navigating challenging, twisty roads where you need sharper turn-in and less traction at the rear. Six individual settings also allow torque going to the rear wheels to be varied between 50 and 59 percent. The helical front differential maintains front-wheel traction while helping the tires carve through a turn, and the Torsen rear differential adapts traction levels to the conditions.
The SI-Drive alters the engine and throttle mapping to three settings: Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp. It tailors the action of the throttle-by-wire system and the turbo boost to driving conditions, offering better traction when you need it and more aggressive torque when you want it. The VDC stability control can be switched off in two stages, with the first halting engine intervention by relying solely on the brakes. Switch it off completely and you let the STI strut its stuff without electronic interference.
Yet another feature that helps the STI get around corners faster than before is its new rear strut-type suspension. It not only delivers more predictable suspension action, it allows the car to be set up for more lively response and even significantly improves ride quality. And no complaints about the four-piston Brembos on the STI either.
Beyond the Specs
So with the tech spiel out of the way, what does it all mean?
The STI's steering effort feels slightly better weighted than that of the Evo, although the Mitsubishi's overall level of feedback through the wheel is still superior. Once you get the Evo into a rhythm, it corners more quickly through the twisties, but not by much, as the STI reveals slightly more understeer.
At the limit however, the Evo's S-AWC electronics make the driving experience oddly digital in a way, as if you are leaving too much of the cornering to the car. On the other hand, the STI's newly fitted VDC works surprisingly well. It intrudes when it's needed, but it never detracts from the spirit of the driving experience.
When you lay into the throttle, the Evo's turbo inline-4 responds with more eagerness and sharper throttle control than the STI, which needs to be spun over 4,000 rpm to deliver sufficient boost for rapid progress. This Evo's close-ratio five-speed gearbox also handicaps the engine in road driving compared to the STI's six-speed.
The Evo looks better on the road, while the STI boasts the practicality of five doors. Inside, the STI incorporates a slightly more appealing dash design, while the Evo X has inherited the former Lancer's plasticky interior. Seats in both cars are excellent, with good lumbar support.
Ready To Make a Choice?
Both the 2008 Mitsubishi Evo and the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI have graduated from high school bullies to scholarship-toting college athletes, and all in just one generation. So which do we choose?
It's not going to be easy. The STI wins if you want a wagonlike car that handles with a more intuitive, analog feel. The Evo gets the nod if you're happier with a good-looking sedan that has excellent throttle response.
For those who don't care about body shapes, then the STI just pips the Evo, thanks to its better ride, smoother gearbox and especially the cool sounds the engine makes. But this might all change once the Evo gets its dual-clutch automated manual transmission.
It's not an easy choice. Who would you pick as your bodyguard: Jean-Claude Van Damme or Jet Li?
