Video: Top Gear Evo X vs. WRX STi
1 Jul, 2008
24 Comments 
The rally grudge match has returned for another generation, and yet again the Top Gear test track stands as the benchmark to crown the next king of rally.
So which laps the track quicker in the hands of the Stig - the new Lancer Evolution X or Impreza WRX STi? The result may surprise you.
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July 1st, 2008 at 10:26 pm
They were honestly basically identical, that 0.2 could be the variance from lap to lap.
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July 1st, 2008 at 10:28 pm
I agree - not a justifiable difference, but I was expecting something spectacular from the Evo.
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July 1st, 2008 at 10:39 pm
wow how ugly does the suby look while its moving, i thought it was bad standing still.
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July 1st, 2008 at 10:41 pm
The EVO is worth considering on looks alone, the hatchback WRX just looks horrible on the track.
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July 1st, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I wonder what the 360hp versions time would be. I’m guessing perhaps about .5s faster than the stock STi..
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July 1st, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Although the EVO looks good now, I think it will date very quickly. It will need some regular updates to keep it looking fresh.
Also the EVO won’t be very nice to live with on a day to day proposition. The STi will be the nicer car to drive in that situation, although the EVO will be more fun at nine and ten-tenths.
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July 1st, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I still believe that the ONLY reason the lancer is that slight bit slower, is due to its ugly un-aerodynamic flat front.
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July 1st, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I thought i liked the new STi
Seeing it in digital stills and stuff, but next to the Evo like that, it just looks hideous in comaprison
It might be just my tastes though
I didn’t like how clarkson spent 5 minutes blabling on about the computer systems that could just be left in auto. I would never once touch them if i had the car.
And that screen in the evo that plays from your ipod, how tacky is that. It makes the car feel like a toy. I’d prefer if that wasn’t included.
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July 1st, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Watched this on TG last night. Seems the Scoobie was marginally faster although theres only a gnats bollock in it. I think the scoobie would be easier to live with day to day but if I had to my monies on the Lancer. Watch all of TG on bbc iplayer til sunday folks
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July 2nd, 2008 at 12:23 am
Not sure what version of TopGear some of you guys were waching based on the comments, but from what I saw the EVO trounced the STi all over the place. It\’s not all about which car is 1/10th faster in a striaght line or around one type of track, but how it feels, how it steers, an how much fun it is to drive. Clarkson summed it up well. The STi doesn\’t even rate. I\’m glad because it\’s such a butt ugly car anyway and looks even worse on the track next to the EVO. From the TopGear episode the EVO also looks more composed and a much sharper tool to steer. Subaru have lost the plot completely especially when it comes to styling.
Now when will Mitsubishi OZ release the damn EVO X so we can sample it up close.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 am
@Tom
Playing videos from your ipod is tacky? What century are you living in?
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July 2nd, 2008 at 8:12 am
I dont mind the look of the subaru, but it isnt spectacular. I hate the as of the EVO, something doesnt quite work.
Not sure which one i would buy, id have to drive them both myself, its the only way to know for sure.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 9:31 am
with all these people saying, oh I couldn’t live with the Evo for day to day, mate are you not paying attention to what Clarkson said? its actually less stiffer than the previous versions!
Clarkson rarely raves on much about a Japanese car, but he went on to say that not even a Ferrari could enter the corner at the speed of the Evo. Meanwhile the Subaru was given much attention.
Evo > Subaru … done and done.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 11:51 am
My only complaint about the Evo is the rear end. Looks exactly the same as the regular lancer. SHould have put some different glass in the lights at least!
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July 2nd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
It’s good to see that Subaru was slightly faster on the track, as I am a Subbie fan. Maybe the faster time was simply because of the more aggressive start of the STI.
As for comparing both cars for daily living, I would choose the STI. The interior is slightly better, it’s a hatchback and has better mid-range torque.
For looks, I’d go for the Evo, although I don’t like the flat front end and the rear end, but it’s still better looking than the STI.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Going on J’s description in the second video with the Evo running rings around the Subaru you would be hard pressed to choose the Suby. Admittedly the handling of the Suby on the strack looks questionable in either video. I look forward to the Evo which should arrive here in July (if not delayed yet again). Once it gets here I am sure Suby will certainly need to do something (perhaps shock horror negotiate on price) to keep their STI looking buyable.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 1:24 pm
from what i\’ve experienced - the new lancer looks great in photos but very average in real life (that bull-shark front end looks very wrong when you see it \’off centre\’ from the front) - whereas the STi looks very average in photos\\film and not bad in real life.. still, something\’s amiss in the subbie - possible the general \’fat\’ profile from the back - and also the inside clear rear-light-array will date quickly.
in addition to this the die-hards are not happy with the subbie\’s suspension - whereas passenger\’s are. so the STi is perhaps not the driver\’s car it used to be - but, if you’re older, maybe this is what you’re looking for (ie, a bit more comfort).. still haven’t made up my mind due to all the criticisms everyone makes!
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July 2nd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
FH the boat has arrived and they will be here this month. The model running rings around the Sti is the 360(hp) model which is a UK only thing.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Regardless of what Clarkson or anyone else says you take the engine out and it is just a run of the mill Lancer. Or to put it another way an EVO is just an engine lugging around a lancer body. It is already not a good look and will date very quickly. Like someone else said the Lancer looks better in photos and the STI better in the flesh. In five or ten years time the STI (and my WRX) will still look good.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 7:57 pm
The sube def looked like it handled better than the evo. I dont think these are meant to be pretty cars really.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
They did use the less powerfull Evo to “make it even” and the stig got a noticeably slow start off the line.
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July 3rd, 2008 at 5:37 pm
The EVO X is already dated.
A lazy effort from Mitsubishi.The front is out of sync. with the rest of the 1990’s styled body.
When I first saw the photos it looked like I was staring at a vampire bat’s face!
The STI is OK!,although they could’ve made it look a little more aggressive.
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July 15th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I dont think either car is pretty, but if you want a pretty car, buy an Audi TT! Both TG and 5th G tested Red STI’s which look very average i agree. Having a black one in the driveway, i can tell you it looks a lot better in the flesh. Adding a chip and exhaust has just given it an extra 50kw (195kw at the Wheels!), which gives it more than enough performance to compensates for the looks, and the Hatch is far more functional than the previous model. I was suprised they did not test the clutchless manual evo, interested to see how that comes up.
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July 26th, 2008 at 4:28 am
The new Subaru Impreza is by no means pretty. The EVO on the other hand is awesome.
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