Finally... 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII
07/17/2003
Greg A. Godsell
Amazing! Watch that tachometer closely... in first gear you will be at the red line before you realize it.
The Lancer Evolution VIII is the first version of the Evolution to make it to the US. The Evolution is a beefed up Lancer with AWD, large Brembo brakes, 235/45R17 tires, Enkei wheels, a 270hp twin-turbocharged 4-cylinder, and Recaro seats. The Subaru WRX and WRX Sti are really the only logical competitors to this vehicle. Chances are pretty good you know all this already. US enthusiasts have been salivating at the prospect of seeing the Evo in the states for years.
The test car is a blue color that looks very flat. Almost like it has been repainted. Walking around the car, you notice all the aggressive appearance bits that have been added to the car. On the inside, you see a roomy sedan that can comfortably seat 4 adults, even taller ones. The Recaro seats and the updated gauges are about the only significant clue.
On the street, that boy racer appearance draws attention. I had kids yelling at me when I drove this car. "Hey man, that an Evo?" "Nice Evo" And the best one... "I Love that Car... I've wrecked two of them" (on a PS2 maybe...)
The good news is that this car carries through on its looks. In fact, it's almost a sleeper. Despite the large wing and go-fast appearance bits, I still surprised the snot out of a couple of Camaro types.
The Evo commands attention from behind the wheel as well. I found the car surprising me over and over. Watch the tachometer -- it winds up quickly. Watch your lane position -- the steering is tight and the tires readily follow imperfections in the road. Watch the speedometer -- I looked down a few times and found myself in 3 digit speeds. Watch the fluids. It gulps gas. The car uses water to cool the intercooler. On a hot summer day, it drank more than I did.
Despite being a bit high-strung, the Evo is actually very well composed at speed and under heavy cornering. I never once doubted the ability of this car to hold the road as I darted from curve to curve. We blasted it down some mountainous-type roads. Loose gravel, tight curves, rough uneven roads were all handled perfectly. No surprise, this is what the car was designed for.
At about $30k, the Evo may be one of the best price/performance offerings on the market. It's a steal. Where's the rub? My rational side (and that of my spouse if she reads this) realize that this car will cost quite a bit of money to operate. I regularly turned in less than 15mpg with a small tank. That's a lot of fill ups. Add speeding tickets and possible jail time as potential costs. In addition, there are expensive replacement tires considering that they would wear out in about 1/10 of the supposed tread life. Winter tires. Yes -- I've convinced myself it's a bad deal. Now maybe I can stop driving 5 mi out of my way to see if the dealer has gotten one in.
