2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Road Test & Review
February 20, 2009 by Paul Maric
2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Road Test and Review
Something this good surely must be fattening…
Model Tested:
- 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution – five-speed manual – $59,490
Options:
- None fitted;
Physics defying cornering ability; brakes; torque during boost; handling.
Catastrophically horrendous fuel consumption; steering wheel a bit slippery; sedate rear end design.
CarAdvice Rating: 
- by Paul Maric
This is the best car, ever. That is all.
Okay, I better justify my reasoning. If the nameplate Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution means nothing to you, you may as well flick to the item. In its tenth iteration, the Evo (as it’s more affectionately known) has managed to improve on perfection.
The previous two (and in particular the 6.5 Tommi Makkinen Edition) were absolute weapons. Coupled with a technically amazing all-wheel-drive system, the Evo couldn’t be touched through corners. A turbocharged four-cylinder motor meant that once it was in boost territory, nothing could keep up.
Now in X guise, more technology has been employed to move the Evo X into another league all together.
Firstly, it looks totally different. The Evo X takes styling cues from the latest version of the Lancer. Functional bonnet scoops, along with chunky tyres and Brembo brakes make this Lancer stand out from the rest.
Inside the cabin, a set of Recaro seats and a nifty steering wheel make manhandling the Evo X an easier task. The seats are certainly not built for anyone with a donut eating habit though, they sit very tight on an average sized person, I can’t imagine what they’re like with bigger people in them.
The Evo X is a bit friendlier around town. The previous generation of the Evo was rough over potholes and impractical to drive around the city.
Head to the corners though and the Evo shines. Very direct steering with a tight steering ratio means that very little steering input is required to push the Evo through bends. Every bump in the road is felt, which makes cornering simply sublime.
Under the bonnet, you will find a 217kW, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine that produces 366Nm of torque. The test vehicle was the five-speed manual version, but there is also a dual-clutch DSG style SST gearbox that I’ve tested before.
The pace that can be carrier through corners is tremendous. Line up a corner and turn in sharp, you will find next to no body roll and an extremely rigid chassis. Pile on the throttle and the X comes to life. S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control) is the landmark system, which Mitsubishi uses to make the Evo so amazing.
All the systems combine to regulate the differential limiting action to optimise the amount of power being shuffled between the front and rear wheels. Three modes can be chosen to customise the driving style – tarmac, gravel and snow – and they work in individual ways to optimise the driving experience.
This is also the first Evo to receive stability control. Although the system works well to catch the car in extreme circumstances, I often had the feeling it was interrupting my drive.
Braking power is handled by 18-inch four-piston Brembo brakes up front and 17-inch, two-piston Brembo brakes at the rear. As you would imagine, they barely fade – even after continuous torture.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X is available in three models, the five-speed, the T C SST and the MR SST. They are priced at $59,490, $64,490 and $71,690 respectively.
I’ve driven the Subaru Impreza WRX STi around Phillip Island and I have to say, the Evo X makes the STi feel like a slug – now that’s gotta be saying something!
For more comprehensive reviews:
- Mitsubishi Evolution X King Of The Mountain
- 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR Review
- 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Review
- 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X first steer
CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive: 
How does it Look:
How does it Go:
Specifications:
- Engine: 1998cc four-cylinder
- Power: 217kW @ 6500rpm
- Torque: 366Nm @ 3500rpm
- Induction: Turbocharged
- Transmission: Five-speed manual
- Differential/Driven Wheels: All-wheel-drive
- Brakes: 350mm front/330mm rear (both Brembo)
- Top Speed: N/A
- 0-100km/h: 5.2-seconds
- 0-400m: N/A
- CO2 Emissions: 245g/km
- Fuel Consumption: 10.2L/100km (yeah right…!)
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 55-litres
- Fuel Type: 98RON petrol
- ANCAP Rating: Five-star
- Airbags: Seven
- Safety: ABS brakes with EBD and BA. ESP.
- Spare Wheel: Space saver
- Tow Capacity: N/A
- Turning Circle: 13.4m
- Warranty: 5-year/10-year (Drivetrain/chassis)
- Weight: 1565kg
- Wheels: 18-inch alloys, 245/40R18 tyres
Sorry, but very poor and short review. No mention of the interior (quality etc) and it seems the review was concentrating on the way the car goes around a track and not in day to day situations.
On the car though, this is a great one! Its got everything, although somehow i still dont want one! Give me a STi/R32/S3 over this any day!
how many times has there been reviews on the new evo!?!?!?
There has been a few Nick, but none on the manual variant, which in my opinion is infinitely better than the dual-clutch variant.
To bad the xr6 turbo would leave it for dead…
although the evo would eat the xr6t around the track…
this over an sti any day !
i love mivec !
Ok, so another Evo X review, this time its the manual. Whoopy do! Apart from saying this is a manual and that you have previously tested the SST Paul you make no mention as to why this is actually better? If by using this review as a seperate article and justifying it as it is for the manual version, yet there is no comparison between the SST and manual gearboxes.
Regular reads of CarAdvice already know about how much tech it has and the S-AWC and that handles on rails. So how bout differentiating this article some how.
Sorry Paul, not trying to have a go at yourself in any way but just trying to point out a few points that would have made the review a bit better.
Like others have said, I wouldn’t personally buy one of these over some of the competition but it doesn’t stop me wanting to know some facts about it.
I’d love one of these as a weekender, but the hard ride would be too much as a daily drive for these old old bones. Give it another star for looks, eh? I reckon that for the money, exterior looks are excellent though that blue is not flattering at all. But then this over an s40T5? (here he goes on again about volvos) The s40 cant get close in performance (probably 1.5 sec’s slower in manual), but looks on a par, safer, more prestige, better ride, and far better interior, around the same price. Hmmmm…I think I am showing my age and embarrassing myself…I’ll stop now…
The new Lancer first struck me as if they pulled up old Gallant designs and re birthed them. I really like the look from the front, but walk around it and it is about as inspiring as a Subaru Vortex, too many straight lines, some big flared guards would be nice or side skirts even just as a body kit option. Paul you mentioned the seats, amen brother. They just don’t care about the medium husky gentleman. Would be a fantastic toy to have, as a day to day commuter? Maybe if you still have a young and strong spine
Guys seriously how many fricken EVO X road tests will you do? Does MMA have you in heir back pocket? This is like the 3rd or 4th EVO X review you have done in less than 12 months. Not to mention the countless EVO IX reviews and everything else mitsubishi. Enough already, we get it! How about reviewing more Australian Muscle from HSV and FPV for a change, or maybe throw in a Porsche review. Enough with the EVO X, we get it! It handles, goes shit in a straight line and has crap cheap interior, and is overpriced. WTF else do we need to know?
I’m now waiting for EVO X review number 48.
Nice car but a very dissapointing review. Maybe a basic spelling and grammar check next time?
Evo….
It’s a shame this car is so tremendously, amazingly and astonishingly hideous to look at.
It’s aimed at hoons and that’s the end of the story, no one with any class or self respect for their appearance would be caught dead in this monstrosity.
Mitsubishi: Please lose the boy racer image, if this car looked like an Aspire but with the same underpinnings you would have a buyer!
Most of the people who own this look like they are asking for a punch in the face. Nah, I’m just jealous.
“Paul Maric Says:
February 20th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
There has been a few Nick, but none on the manual variant, which in my opinion is infinitely better than the dual-clutch variant.”
——————————————————
Bzzzzz wrong! Manual review done by Matt Brogan for CarAdvice
http://www.caradvice.com.au/15.....on-review/
Quite amussing. The amount of people who bleat about the number of tests done in an Evo obvioulsy just don’t understand!!
Look I’ll spell it out for you. The writers of these column Paul Alborz Nick and co get offered vehicles to drive by manufacturers. Sometimes they have to wait for ages, sometimes they come up with monotanous regularity. Now ask yourself a question, if Mitsubishi came up and asked if you would like an Evo for a week to do a report on would you seriously say “Ah no thanks guys I’ve done that one already! Hey just give me a povo pack for the week”???????
Paul that road you were on, is that the one with a goo coffee shop frequented by motor bike on a Sunday about half an hour from Brissie CBD??
Were you comparing it to the current WRX STI???
That thing is a rocket in every sense the Evo is. Surely there can’t be much between them.
I feel sorry for you Australians. You don’t get the FQ 360 version. It’s not as manageable day to day than the version you do get but it’s even more mind blowing.
Paul, an STI would slay an Evo around th island.
Alex with the FQ 360 i dun think its practical to drive around as a normal daily use car since the fuel consumption on that would be about the same as a ferrari 599. With petrol @ around $1.22 i think its a good idea for mitsubishi not to sell that version here as most of us can’t afford it to keep that car going – for some who have $$$ flowing out of their ears and nose and mouth, they’d prob already have a couple of supercars.
The “best car ever” only gets 4 out of 5 stars?
“Catastrophically horrendous fuel consumption”
so what was the fuel consumption? Less than 20L/100km?
An awful lot of things in this review make no sense what so ever. I’ll forgive the spelling and grammar errors, after all if you drive as many cars as Paul does it must be hard to spend a fair emount of time in them and come up with a compelling article as well. Somethings gotta give, in this case journalistic quality.
“Best car ever” does not score five out of five in any criteria. Odd.
Five speed manual worthy of a drive for being the ‘untested’ variant, yet no mention of shift quality or clutch feel. Odd.
Oh well, I’m sure you’ll construct a quality article one day. Can’t wait for those training wheels to come off, huh?
Worst review on CA to date. Why is it even here in the first place. Slow news week?
I cant believe mitsubishi has taken a backward step to a 5 speed manual at this PRICE!!!!, only reason is to cripple the manual against the sst gearbox, to justify the extra cost for the dual clutch transmission!!, why would someone pay extra if the manual was better and quicker..
I suspect Mitsubishi went the way of a 5 speed manual box, to help convince people to buy the SST. With a manual gearbox, you have ultimate control, and this could lead to catastrophic failures of clutch and driveline on ‘rev dump’ starts etc. With a 5/10 warranty, they cant afford for this to happen.
With the SST, launches are soft, and throttle blips on down changes. Much less chance of breaking things.
Am I the only one wondering why this car is marked down for its quote “Catastrophically horrendous fuel consumption” yet an actual fuel usage during test isn’t mentioned. I mean, you don’t buy a car like this for fuel efficiency, but if you’re going to make a point of it, then actually tell us what it was.
The best car ever…won’t only get 4 out of 5, and would be deserving of an infinitely better review than this. Oh wait, thats right, its already got 4 other reviews. If you want to con an Evo out of Misubishi for a weekend thrash under the excuse of a car ‘review’, actually review it.
A very poor and disappointing review by CA. Seems to me this article was published in a rush. Some posters here have mentioned few things that just don’t make sense and I concur with those. There’s no excuse for this sort of article considering other plenty high quality articles done in the past. This shouldn’t even be ‘road test & review’ article. It is even worse that ‘first drive’ article.
Christ some of you women can whinge!!
The review’s fine, the only thing wrong with it is the jealous wankers who are posting! Get a life losers!
How can you mention horrendous fuel economy and not even give us numbers?
definitely not up to the usual standard of reviews at Car Advice, disappointing…
Someone explain to me how 18”/17” brakes fit inside 18” wheels?
Facts check…..ahhhm that’s ….on
One of my favorite Mitsubishi cars is the Evo. It’s pretty smooth and it’s insides are pretty friendly and won’t let you down. I’m really in love with the 2009 model now. Too bad I can’t afford it.
Wow,
I googled an EVO a review and I got this don’t think I will bother coming back to this site what utter rubbish. I hope this is not your profession Paul.
this car is not good from outta view.as for the inner its ok.the mouth of the car is funny
The review is not complete, and didn’t describe a car very well.