Test drove an Evo X GSR ... impressions inside
Feb 9, 2008, 09:15 PM
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Test drove an Evo X GSR ... impressions inside
Got to test drive an Evo X GSR today ... woot! Car only had 15 miles on it 
Alright, on to the impressions:
Interior and fit and finish:
Overall much better fit and finish. Light-years ahead of any VIII and IX that I have seen. Gauges look better, although I prefer the old arrangement with the tach in the middle. The computer display between the gauges is ok, but while it tries to imitate a Euro look ... cough ... VAG ... cough ... true to
form it turned out looking a little cheesy. The one on my '96 A4, while not as functional, looks better. Pedal placement is excellent, ditto for the shifter. The seats look nice and offer better support than the previous Recaros, but are, unfortunately a little to thin for me. HVAC controls are finally electronic.
Driving impressions:
The car feels very solid and taut. You can tell just putzing down the street that this is a noticeably stiffer chassis. Ride quality is greatly improved ... no more pogostick on wheels. Just cruising down the street, the car feels very European. Actually the feel and quality of the ride is pretty much identical to my wife's R32 ... just in a faster car.
Brakes are excellent. Shift feel is also very good. I did not notice any notchiness, nor did I have any issues shifting from first to second. The clutch pedal was fairly heavy for a stock clutch. Much heavier than the clutch on my Forester XT, and defintely heavier than the stock clutch on the VIII and IX. Towards the end of the drive, we did get the 'burning clutch' smell. Hard to tell if it actually was the clutch, or perhaps the brake pads. I certainly wasn't beating on the car, though I did take it up to about 6000 RPM on a few occasions. Power is ... well ... ok. You'll have to take that with a grain of salt, though, since I'm used to driving my 400whp VIII. Although, overall, the X felt a little bit more sluggish than I remember my stock VIII feeling, and definitely felt a little slower than my friend's IX, which is still stock. Not much topend power at all, but it does have a decent mid-range.
All-in-all, I'm honestly not sure what to think of the car. On the one hand it has definitely lost that razor's edge that the VIII and IX had. The X is a much more relaxed car. It also feels a little slower, definitely not as rev-happy as the outgoing model, and to me the engine sounds a little ... weird. Doesn't have the ballsy sound of the 4G63. More of a muted buzz than a growl. On the other hand, the car is so much more well put together it almost makes you wonder whether Mitsubishi is building them, or if they've outsourced the manufacturing to a European car company. It's quiet, handles great ...
... WTF ... am ... I ... talking about??? Sorry guys, but the Evo X isn't really my cup of tea. I remember back when I bought my VIII, it was a choice between it and the Sti. It was a choice between a RAW, in-your-face, no-holds-barred, balanced-on-a-razor's edge Evo, or a slightly more refined, comfortable, but still fast Sti. Not really much of a choice for me. I like my cars the way I like my sushi and beef ... RAW. The Evo X GSR has been overcooked for my tastes. Maybe the RS, if it ever makes it here will work. Sure the Evo X makes a great daily driver, but so does my Forester XT, ditto for my wife's R32 and a myriad of other cars. I won't completely close the book on the X, as I definitely will be driving the MR when it becomes available, and I will see if I can drive a modded X to see if it starts getting better with more power, but for now I will keep rockin' my VIII.
On a separate note, the dealer confirmed that the earliest that they expect to have an MR is September 2008. They said that at this point in time they can't even order one until June.
l8r)
Alright, on to the impressions:Interior and fit and finish:
Overall much better fit and finish. Light-years ahead of any VIII and IX that I have seen. Gauges look better, although I prefer the old arrangement with the tach in the middle. The computer display between the gauges is ok, but while it tries to imitate a Euro look ... cough ... VAG ... cough ... true to
form it turned out looking a little cheesy. The one on my '96 A4, while not as functional, looks better. Pedal placement is excellent, ditto for the shifter. The seats look nice and offer better support than the previous Recaros, but are, unfortunately a little to thin for me. HVAC controls are finally electronic.Driving impressions:
The car feels very solid and taut. You can tell just putzing down the street that this is a noticeably stiffer chassis. Ride quality is greatly improved ... no more pogostick on wheels. Just cruising down the street, the car feels very European. Actually the feel and quality of the ride is pretty much identical to my wife's R32 ... just in a faster car.
Brakes are excellent. Shift feel is also very good. I did not notice any notchiness, nor did I have any issues shifting from first to second. The clutch pedal was fairly heavy for a stock clutch. Much heavier than the clutch on my Forester XT, and defintely heavier than the stock clutch on the VIII and IX. Towards the end of the drive, we did get the 'burning clutch' smell. Hard to tell if it actually was the clutch, or perhaps the brake pads. I certainly wasn't beating on the car, though I did take it up to about 6000 RPM on a few occasions. Power is ... well ... ok. You'll have to take that with a grain of salt, though, since I'm used to driving my 400whp VIII. Although, overall, the X felt a little bit more sluggish than I remember my stock VIII feeling, and definitely felt a little slower than my friend's IX, which is still stock. Not much topend power at all, but it does have a decent mid-range.
All-in-all, I'm honestly not sure what to think of the car. On the one hand it has definitely lost that razor's edge that the VIII and IX had. The X is a much more relaxed car. It also feels a little slower, definitely not as rev-happy as the outgoing model, and to me the engine sounds a little ... weird. Doesn't have the ballsy sound of the 4G63. More of a muted buzz than a growl. On the other hand, the car is so much more well put together it almost makes you wonder whether Mitsubishi is building them, or if they've outsourced the manufacturing to a European car company. It's quiet, handles great ...
... WTF ... am ... I ... talking about??? Sorry guys, but the Evo X isn't really my cup of tea. I remember back when I bought my VIII, it was a choice between it and the Sti. It was a choice between a RAW, in-your-face, no-holds-barred, balanced-on-a-razor's edge Evo, or a slightly more refined, comfortable, but still fast Sti. Not really much of a choice for me. I like my cars the way I like my sushi and beef ... RAW. The Evo X GSR has been overcooked for my tastes. Maybe the RS, if it ever makes it here will work. Sure the Evo X makes a great daily driver, but so does my Forester XT, ditto for my wife's R32 and a myriad of other cars. I won't completely close the book on the X, as I definitely will be driving the MR when it becomes available, and I will see if I can drive a modded X to see if it starts getting better with more power, but for now I will keep rockin' my VIII.
On a separate note, the dealer confirmed that the earliest that they expect to have an MR is September 2008. They said that at this point in time they can't even order one until June.
l8r)
Last edited by Ludikraut; Feb 9, 2008 at 09:25 PM. Reason: spellerizing... one of the 3 Rs
Feb 9, 2008, 09:33 PM
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nice review.
i actually had the opportunity to drive one today in houston. although i have never driven any other evo, i can mirror what you said, minus your final opinion. when i nailed the gas, it wasnt this rush of power i was expecting. i didnt redline it because i knew i wasnt buying the car... didnt want to beat the hell out of someone else's car. agreed on the feel of the body and the suspension. it felt very "tight."
i got it into a parking lot and i asked the salesman if i could try and hang the rear end out and he said "go for it man." the car held very tight. once again, not beating the car, but i was pushing it a good bit. it felt like the car wasnt flexing at all.
the interior is nice. i like the overall layout and the gauges dont look too bad either. im a 05 wrx owner, and i agree on the center placement for the tach, but oh well... cant have everything.
the seats felt NICE. high bolstered, tight. i fit in them well.
i had setup a test drive for a new sti down the road from the mitsu dealer i drove the x at. i get to the subaru dealer and the sales manager comes out and says he cant let me drive the car. i say thanks, ill just go drive an x. that was, at the time a pretty empty threat.
i wound up REALLY liking the x more than the sti in the looks dept. it looks A LOT better than online.
the dealer here told me "marchish" for the mr. god knows if they know what they are talking about.
all that said i personally have put the x over the sti in my book. i was on the fence, but after my x experience today i may be jumping the subaru ship (i have been driving them since 01).
i actually had the opportunity to drive one today in houston. although i have never driven any other evo, i can mirror what you said, minus your final opinion. when i nailed the gas, it wasnt this rush of power i was expecting. i didnt redline it because i knew i wasnt buying the car... didnt want to beat the hell out of someone else's car. agreed on the feel of the body and the suspension. it felt very "tight."
i got it into a parking lot and i asked the salesman if i could try and hang the rear end out and he said "go for it man." the car held very tight. once again, not beating the car, but i was pushing it a good bit. it felt like the car wasnt flexing at all.
the interior is nice. i like the overall layout and the gauges dont look too bad either. im a 05 wrx owner, and i agree on the center placement for the tach, but oh well... cant have everything.
the seats felt NICE. high bolstered, tight. i fit in them well.
i had setup a test drive for a new sti down the road from the mitsu dealer i drove the x at. i get to the subaru dealer and the sales manager comes out and says he cant let me drive the car. i say thanks, ill just go drive an x. that was, at the time a pretty empty threat.
i wound up REALLY liking the x more than the sti in the looks dept. it looks A LOT better than online.
the dealer here told me "marchish" for the mr. god knows if they know what they are talking about.
all that said i personally have put the x over the sti in my book. i was on the fence, but after my x experience today i may be jumping the subaru ship (i have been driving them since 01).
Feb 10, 2008, 07:14 AM
#7
Towards the end of the drive, we did get the 'burning clutch' smell.
You have me seriously curious on that wildly different pedal feel and no notchiness, though. I really wish you lived closer, because I would like you to drive my car and see if its just difference in our perceptions (I doubt) or the two Xs were really that different (I suspect this).
Thanks for the writeup, Ludi!
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Feb 10, 2008, 08:44 AM
#8
The clutch stuff has me wondering how much it can be changed. I don't like the sounds of it so far.
I wonder how much you can change the clutch without voiding the warranty. I usually HATE spongy clutches. Perhaps weight would make it better? /shrug.
How does the TORQUE / Bottom end compare to the IX?? Personally, I love bottom end more than I do top end. If I could sacrifice a little top end (not too much) for a little bottom end I'd be happy.
I guess it all comes back to what Mits will let you do to the car w/o voiding the warranty. Perhaps an exhaust would change these curves? Thanks for the review!
I wonder how much you can change the clutch without voiding the warranty. I usually HATE spongy clutches. Perhaps weight would make it better? /shrug.
How does the TORQUE / Bottom end compare to the IX?? Personally, I love bottom end more than I do top end. If I could sacrifice a little top end (not too much) for a little bottom end I'd be happy.
I guess it all comes back to what Mits will let you do to the car w/o voiding the warranty. Perhaps an exhaust would change these curves? Thanks for the review!
Feb 10, 2008, 10:32 AM
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Part of me wonders if the stiff clutch feel was due to the car being brand new, or maybe I'm just used to the really light clutch pedal on my Forester. But my knee definitely noticed.
I would say that the torque/bottom end is similar to the IX, but it just feels a little sluggish. The X is just a more muted experience than the previous two iterations.
Oh, and I forgot to comment on one thing that I found somewhat irritating ... the little computer display needs to be cycled through to get to the coolant temp gauge reading. No longer is there a separate gauge for coolant temp ... it's buried in the computer menus.
l8r)
P.S.: LOL @ your sig, Noize.
I would say that the torque/bottom end is similar to the IX, but it just feels a little sluggish. The X is just a more muted experience than the previous two iterations.
Oh, and I forgot to comment on one thing that I found somewhat irritating ... the little computer display needs to be cycled through to get to the coolant temp gauge reading. No longer is there a separate gauge for coolant temp ... it's buried in the computer menus.
l8r)
P.S.: LOL @ your sig, Noize.
Last edited by Ludikraut; Feb 10, 2008 at 10:41 AM.
Feb 10, 2008, 10:37 AM
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Part of me wonders if the stiff clutch feel was due to the car being brand new, or maybe I'm just used to the really light clutch pedal on my Forester. But my knee definitely noticed.
I would say that the torque/bottom end is similar to the IX, but it just feels a little sluggish. The X is just a more muted experience than the previous two iterations.
Oh, and I forgot to comment on one thing that I found somewhat irritating ... the little computer display needs to be cycled through to get to the coolant temp gauge reading. No longer is there a separate gauge for coolant temp ... it's buried in the computer menus.
l8r)
P.S.: LOL @ you sig, Noize.
I would say that the torque/bottom end is similar to the IX, but it just feels a little sluggish. The X is just a more muted experience than the previous two iterations.
Oh, and I forgot to comment on one thing that I found somewhat irritating ... the little computer display needs to be cycled through to get to the coolant temp gauge reading. No longer is there a separate gauge for coolant temp ... it's buried in the computer menus.
l8r)
P.S.: LOL @ you sig, Noize.
nebo
Feb 10, 2008, 11:08 AM
#11
You know it kind of pisses me off that the mitsu dealerships are letting people test drive the cars who aren't showing real signs of buying. I can tell you this ludi, I appreciate the write up, but the owners manual clearly states that you aren't supposed to take the car above 5000 rpms and that even getting up to 5000, the motor should not be under full load, ie full throttle. I would be pissed off if I found out that someone test drove the car that I was buying period, especially knowing that it's been beat on a little bit. And taking the car up to 6000 rpm full throttle and "hanging the *** end out," Damon Chambers, is beating on it. I have an evo x preordered, and if there's more than 5 miles on the odometer and if I find out that it's been on a test drive, I won't buy it. Subaru has the right idea with not letting people test drive the sti. It's the way it should be, unless there is a dedicated demo model that is used solely for the purposes of test drives. How would you feel if you're buying a new car and knew that it's been out on test drives? You think that there aren't others who have been even harder on the car than you were, redlining it and banging gears on a car that hasn't been broken in yet, and then having someone spend their hard earned cash on a new car that is, for all intensive purposes, "used." Not meant to be an attack on you, so don't take this personally, but they sould't let you or anyone else test drive the car unless, yet again, there is a demo car used for that purpose. My.02
Last edited by STi2EvoX; Feb 10, 2008 at 11:12 AM.
Feb 10, 2008, 11:17 AM
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You know it kind of pisses me off that the mitsu dealerships are letting people test drive the cars who aren't showing real signs of buying. I can tell you this ludi, I appreciate the write up, but the owners manual clearly states that you aren't supposed to take the car above 5000 rpms and that even getting up to 5000, the motor should not be under full load, ie full throttle. I would be pissed off if I found out that someone test drove the car that I was buying period, especially knowing that it's been beat on a little bit. And taking the car up to 6000 rpm full throttle and "hanging the *** end out," Damon Chambers, is beating on it. I have an evo x preordered, and if there's more than 5 miles on the odometer and if I find out that it's been on a test drive, I won't buy it. Subaru has the right idea with not letting people test drive the sti. It's the way it should be, unless there is a dedicated demo model that is used solely for the purposes of test drives. How would you feel if you're buying a new car and knew that it's been out on test drives? You think that there aren't others who have been even harder on the car than you were, redlining it and banging gears on a car that hasn't been broken in yet, and then having someone spend their hard earned cash on a new car that is, for all intensive purposes, "used." Not meant to be an attack on you, so don't take this personally, but they sould't let you or anyone else test drive the car unless, yet again, there is a demo car used for that purpose. My.02
agree with all your points here. however, if a dealership plans to sell a car, they need a demo car so people can test the car. inversely if you've never driven an evo but are interested, how are you suppose to know you want to buy one unless you drive it?
nebo
Feb 10, 2008, 11:23 AM
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You know it kind of pisses me off that the mitsu dealerships are letting people test drive the cars who aren't showing real signs of buying. I can tell you this ludi, I appreciate the write up, but the owners manual clearly states that you aren't supposed to take the car above 5000 rpms and that even getting up to 5000, the motor should not be under full load, ie full throttle. I would be pissed off if I found out that someone test drove the car that I was buying period, especially knowing that it's been beat on a little bit. And taking the car up to 6000 rpm full throttle and "hanging the *** end out," Damon Chambers, is beating on it. I have an evo x preordered, and if there's more than 5 miles on the odometer and if I find out that it's been on a test drive, I won't buy it. Subaru has the right idea with not letting people test drive the sti. It's the way it should be, unless there is a dedicated demo model that is used solely for the purposes of test drives. How would you feel if you're buying a new car and knew that it's been out on test drives? You think that there aren't others who have been even harder on the car than you were, redlining it and banging gears on a car that hasn't been broken in yet, and then having someone spend their hard earned cash on a new car that is, for all intensive purposes, "used." Not meant to be an attack on you, so don't take this personally, but they sould't let you or anyone else test drive the car unless, yet again, there is a demo car used for that purpose. My.02
It depends on how you want to break it in.