Review: 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR

In 1992, Mitsubishi came up with a winning formula: Take the Lancer sedan, turbocharge it, give it all-wheel drive, and take it rallying. They called it the Lancer Evolution.

Now in it’s ten generation, the Evo has undergone quite a transformation over the years. The Evo X debuted in 2008, and many purists were unhappy with the changes Mitsubishi made. “Too big, slow, and bloated,” said one Evo IX owner I spoke with.

We spent the past week driving the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR, and here’s our take on Mitsubishi’s latest offering.

Don’t let its four doors fool you – The Lancer Evolution is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It’s a race car first and foremost, with heaps of performance fun packed into a small package. The boy-racer look of previous Evos has been replaced by a more mature look, especially in MR guise, which replaces the huge rear wing with a subtle lip spoiler.

At the heart of the Evolution is a 291HP turbocharged 2.0L engine that delivers power to all four wheels through it’s Super All-Wheel Control system. The car pulls like a freight train, and the MR’s 6-speed Twin Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission keeps you in the engine’s sweet spot, pretty much eliminating turbo lag altogether.

Standard BREMBO brakes help reign things in, and they provide great feedback as well. MR models also come with BILSTEIN struts and Eibach springs, which keep the car flat no matter what. It might be cliche, but this car handles like it’s on rails!

If you’re looking for a dedicated track car that will embarrass cars costing twice as much, then the Evo is exactly what you’re looking for! But if you plan on daily driving the car, there are a few things you need to be aware of.

While I appreciate the fact that Mitsubishi offers Recaro seats on the Evo (Subaru doesn’t offer them on the WRX/STI), they’re some of the most aggressively bolstered seats I’ve ever sat in! No doubt they’ll do a great job of keeping you from sliding around on the track, but they’re just too much for everyday driving, and you’re reminded of that everytime you exit the car.

The same holds true for the suspension – It’s perfect for a track day, and you can take highway off-ramps at speeds you’d never dream of, but it’s absolutely BRUTAL on the imperfect roads of New Jersey, transmitting every single bump right to your backside.

The trunk is also REALLY small, and the rear seats don’t fold down either. Trunk space drops from 12.3 cubic feet in the regular Lancer to just 6.9 cubic feet in the Evolution, because of additional chassis bracing, as well as relocation of the washer fluid reservoir and battery to the trunk for weight distribution. Opt for the 10-inch subwoofer, and you lose even more space!

I appreciate the fact that Mitsubishi has upgraded the interior, adding sound deadening, high-end materials, and cutting edge technology to appeal to a broader audience (and to justify it’s lofty pricetag). But I feel like they developed the car with a speficic purpose in mind, and if you don’t plan on tracking the car, then the sacrifices of comfort and utility just don’t make sense.

2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR:
Base Price: $37,895
As-Tested Price: $45,135

Everyone’s going to have a different take on things, so the best thing you can do is go drive one for yourself, and see if it suits your needs.

Visit http://www.mitsubishicars.com for more information.