It's been around five years since we saw the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X being sold new at car dealerships. The beloved name has gone silent as the manufacturer has shifted its focus to electric vehicles, as well as crossovers. However, we – in addition to many gearheads – haven't forgotten about it. It's left behind quite the legacy and remains an amazing performance sedan to this day.
Subie fans think the Evo was never better than the STI, despite many gearheads still splurging on used Evo X's over modern STIs. This is partly because the 2008 Lancer Evolution, in its base form, puts out almost the same power as the latest WRX STI that came out 12 years after it. Why Subaru decided to keep the STI's horsepower the same remains a mystery, but one line of thinking states that the axing of the Evo might have something to do with that. Indeed, after the STI's arch-enemy bowed out, Subaru lost the only reason to keep making their cars better.
But cool as the Lancer Evo X was in its prime, is this famous four-door sports car still awesome enough to compete with the latest Subaru WRX STI? Well, here are ten reasons why we think it indeed is.
10 The Evo's Handling in Still On Par With The STI's
Despite the car being discontinued after the 2015 model year, the Evo X's handling remains fantastic, even by today's standard. It has tons of grip and its sophisticated all-wheel-drive system provides the car with plenty of agility, adjustability, and poise.
The way the Evo X shoots off the line and whips around bends is of a high enough standard to give the current WRX STI and its driving dynamics a proper run for its money.
9 The Pair Produce Similar Amounts Of Power
If you think that, in the five extra years the STI has plowed on, it's gotten way more powerful than the Evo X, you'd be mistaken. In North America, the base Evo X produces 291-hp from its 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, while the Final Edition (pictured above) gets 303-hp.
The WRX STI, in its current form, produces 305-hp from its 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four motor, which (as you can see) isn't leaps and bounds ahead of the Evo X. In fact, the STI only produces two more horsepower than the Evo X Final Edition.
8 The Two Cars Weigh Roughly The Same
Weight can have a huge effect on many aspects of a car, such as acceleration, handling, braking distance, fuel economy, etc. This is why it's worth noting that the Evo X and WRX STI have similar weights.
The curb weight of the Subaru is 3,263lbs, while the Mitsubishi comes in at 3,131lbs. There isn't too much between them, although – as you can see – the Evo X is slightly lighter than the WRX STI.
7 Both Are Capable Of Ample Tuning
Tuning is huge in the automotive world, especially when it comes to turbocharged JDM cars. Fortunately, both the Evo X and WRX STI can be made more powerful and subsequently faster without too much trouble.
Many tuning packages are available for the Evo X and WRX STI. Some will take the Mitsubishi well over 400-hp, and some can push the Subaru higher in the 300-hp range.
6 They Are Only One Generation Apart
When the Evo X first arrived back in 2008, its Subaru competition at the time was the previous generation Impreza WRX STI. That car was replaced by the new one in 2015 – the same year the Evo X became no more.
This means there's only been one new Subaru WRX STI (the current model) since the Evo X's demise, so there isn't a huge gap between the two. Plus, the STI isn't leaps and bounds better than the last, Evo-competing one.
5 The Evo Looks Just As Mad As The STI
Both the Mitsubishi and Subaru thrive off of being rally cars for the road – and having the exterior styling to go along with that image. This means hefty rear wings, lots of scoops and ducts, as well as a menacing stance.
And while which car looks better is entirely subjective, we believe most will agree both appear rather mad – in a good way. Arguably, both would look at home barrelling down a rally stage at 100mph.
4 Used Examples Of Both Cars Go For Similar Money
The cheapest Evo Xs – with not too many miles on the clock – tend to be listed on used car sites for around $18,000. Used WRX STIs of the current generation, on the other hand, tend to go for around $22,000 at least.
With this in mind and not dwelling about age – as there's not much between them – neither stands out in terms of offering better value for money than the other. The WRX STI isn't your bargain choice between the two, though neither is the Evo X.
3 The Evo Can Be Had With A Manual Or Automatic Gearbox
One area where the Evo X beats the WRX STI is the number of available transmissions. You see, the Evo Xs were produced with a five-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automatic. Meanwhile, the WRX STI only comes with a six-speed manual.
And while many gearheads, including us, will state that the manual is the more important of the two, some will still want an auto box. That's something the Evo X offers, however, the WRX STI doesn't.
2 Both Are The Same Body Style Now The STI Hatchback Is No More
The Evo and WRX STI has always mainly been known as four-door performance sedans. However, for the previous generation STI, Subaru introduced a hatchback version to sit alongside the sedan variant.
This was something the Mitsubishi didn't offer, as it stuck to solely being a four-door. That being said, Subaru decided not to produce a hatchback STI for this current generation car, meaning it has now lost its upper hand in that area.
1 The Pair Have Their Respective Special Edition Versions
Both the Evo X and WRX STI have their fair share of special edition models. These versions improve upon the already great formula of both cars, adding horsepower and other performance-focused goodies.
For example, the Evo X has the Final Edition, which received 303-hp. It also got a black painted aluminum roof and special wheels. In the UK, they got a limited-edition model called the FQ-440 MR. This Evo X produces an incredible 440-hp – only 40 were made.
On the Subaru side, we have the likes of the WRX STI S209. In addition to a carbon roof and wing, the S209 gets 341-hp and a limited production run of 209 units.