Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X

Driving
This car is all about performance, and the Evo X delivers incredible pace. It’s available in three power outputs, and even the base 290bp car accelerates from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds. The engine is a gem, but the big news is the availability of a VW DSG-style twin-clutch transmission, called Sport Shift Transmission. Lightning-quick changes make this one of the best semi-autos we have ever tried. The car’s handling is also brilliant. Lots of technology means that grip is super and body roll is kept to a minimum. It’s amazingly surefooted, while the steering provides excellent feedback. Of course, stiff suspension produces a firm ride, but Mitsubishi has got the balance right – it feels composed in day-to-day use, yet remains hardcore enough not to alienate diehard fans.

Marketplace
The 10th incarnation of the legendary Mitsubishi Evo is the car, bosses hope, to be a genuine alternative to a BMW M3. The four-door model certainly provides plenty of road presence, thanks to a bold nose, flared wheelarches and short overhangs. It’s more subtle than before, though all models still get 18-inch wheels and a rear diffuser incorporating twin exhausts. There are three variants – the FQ-300, FQ-330 and FQ-360, the latter distinguished by its carbonfibre front splitter and ‘shark’s tooth’ spoiler above the rear window. There are also two trims, GS and GSR. Just the single 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine features, in various states of tune, with the option of either a five-speed manual or the SST semi-auto. Rivals include the Subaru Impreza STi and the Vauxhall Vectra VXR.

Owning
The interior, while no match for premium opponents such as the M3 and Audi RS4, offers a far better environment than the Impreza. The soft-touch dash, neat switchgear and three-spoke steering wheel give it a modern feel. It’s just a shame the dashboard looks so much like that in the Outlander compact 4x4 – and, thus, the same as that in the Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007. However, the driving position is good, Recaro sports seats are excellent and the practical bodyshell, coupled with a long wheelbase, means there’s lots of space for five and their luggage. Equipment levels are good, too. Prices are competitive and retained values strong – and Mitsubishi has stretched service intervals, from a previously-unacceptable 4,500-mile regime to a much more sensible 12,500-mile schedule. This should help save some money for fearsome fuel and insurance bills!Source

• Rating:
• On the road price: £27,499
• For : Sheer pace, excellent engine, brilliant semi-auto, easier to live with
• Against : Stiff ride, interior not a match for German alternatives