Two kings of the rough road, multiple World Rally champions and legends of the forests. Two of the most muscular and desirable Japanese special editions are making their return to British roads in all-new guises.
But which would you plump for - the tenth generation of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, or Subaru’s heavily revised Impreza WRX STi?
The standard specification Impreza errs on the conservative side but the WRX STi edition packs the punch it needs to to more than keep up with its predecessors.
Nevertheless it’s the Lancer that proves the most popular pick among the editorial team. Which do you prefer?
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23 Comments
December 19, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Both new cars have been ruined style wise, both cars previous models were the best.
December 19, 2007 at 5:49 pm
EVO X all day long!!!! its a true rally giant. Looks, performance, pure power. Mitsubishi have only ever moved forward with their latest Evo’s, but it seems Subaru have got a bit confussed on what exactly they want to produce. It shouldn’t want to become a hatchback. It was better than that.
December 19, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Evo Look’s the best cos the Subaru look’s rubbish, but have a look again at the front end of the Evo it has Volvo looks, not good on a £27k performance car.
December 20, 2007 at 7:42 am
I think the Evo is closer to the original concept of what these two iconic cars are supposed to be about and therefore is going to have more fans and win overall. Subaru have gambled (again) and will soon be facing a similar rival in the Four Wheel Drive Focus. I currently own an Fq-360 mr and am tempted to buy a new Evo X but will have to test drive one first to see how much straightline performance I’d be losing with the standard (non fq?) model, my current car can do a sub 10 second 0-100 on paper.
January 1, 2008 at 3:25 am
I own a 2004 STi. It was a “must have” as soon as it became available. It is easily the most fun vehicle I have ever owned. Living in Canada I look forward to those days when we get a good dump of snow so I can go driving. There are few things in life as satisfying as a good four wheel sideways drift around a corner in the snow. Its freaky for those that have never done it, scary as hell for passengers but incredibly satisfying when you get it right! The STi is made for this type of driving. With the adjustable centre diff and limited slips it works extremely well in the snow or rain. At the racetrack in the wet I own the track. It usually takes no more than 5 or 6 laps to pass everyone on the track. Even the RS4s can’t keep up simply because they’re too heavy.
Having said all that I am buying the new Evo X. I don’t know what Subaru was thinking but there is NO WAY I am driving a wagon. And yes I know people will say its a hatchback and not a wagon (yes pun intended) but my new BMW M-Coupe is a hatchback, the STi is a WAGON!
January 10, 2008 at 12:42 am
Both are excellent cars in terms of driving performance and fun.
BUT, the problem is that this STi is VERY VERY UGLY, I wonder how the Subaru designers “managed” to create this terrible shape, a real insult to any Subaru fun and owner (including me as an owner of a 2003 WRX).
On the other hand EVO X is the most attractive EVO of all times and probably the most efficient too (read the reviews in comparison to IX and watch the first Japanese videos)
I believe EVO X will be my next car…
Goodbye Subaru, my greetings to the design team.
January 15, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I really like the look of the new STi, but for me it’s all down to driving and I have test-driven the Evo. All I can say is - amazing. But, to be fair I’ll have to try the Sti as well. Not that I can afford either, sadly
January 29, 2008 at 3:14 pm
SCOOBY STI ALL DAY LONG POWERWISE FOR TRASHING LIKES OF VW R32 ,AUDI S3,HONDA TYPE R AND HORRIBLE FRENCH MEGANES 225 CUP AND EVO IS MANS CAR A LITTLE ENGINE TWEAK CAN PUT RS4 AND M3S TO SHAME
Edited by moderator. No swearing please.
January 29, 2008 at 3:16 pm
SCOOBY FOR HOODIES EVO FOR TRACK BOYS
January 29, 2008 at 3:20 pm
UGLY UGLY BOTH CAR MAKERS NEED A REALITY CHECK LEARN SUMAT FROM MAZDA OR HONDA
February 7, 2008 at 11:14 pm
The 2000 model wrx was the last agro looking subaru. They’ve gotten uglier and uglier until they finally got to this…………a wrx that looks like a daewoo.
March 25, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Lancer-forever!!!
I think when designer developed Subaru very
drunk…
March 30, 2008 at 4:30 am
i agree think they need to learn from Honda about design… i think subarus are nicer looking the older ones anyway, i use to be a big fan of evo’s sat in both a evo and STi, would have to say subaru is a car for car lovers, and evos are bought for the sake of other people
my point of veiw tho is the honda civic type r looks better than them both, run better, and ahell lot cheaper and mine is a turbo so its faster than both of these pieces of shit…. evos lack loverbility, take it from someone whose always right subarus are better, oh and also top gear….. but when it comes to the new ones….. its a close call they are both rubbish…. but watching a live video not picture,,,, subarus really doesnt look so bad. the evo just lacks charisma and spirit…. honda forever
Edited by moderator. No swearing please.
March 30, 2008 at 4:39 am
seriously forget about what all your mates say,, go to both a subaru, and a mitsi dealer, look at the older STi,s and Evo’s without no prejudice maybe even test drive them both sit in them, and imagine you were gonna buy one… and own it for a few years, remeber forget what other ppl say…. take a good prper look and feel…… you will see for some reason the subaru is just a more lovable car… espeially in white…. everything on the evo is straight lines.. and the car itself looks thin and a bit like a tin, the subaru is full of curves and a thicker body.
March 30, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I would like to take issue with Clint’s comment that the new Impreza looks like a Deawoo… when it clearly looks more like Kia Rio hatchback! Haha
I think both cars looked and probably performed better in their previous guises; the Subaru now looks stupid and the Mitsubishi seems a little too modern. Personally I think that if Subaru wanted a mainstream hatchback design they should have kept the Impreza as a proper saloon and brought the new model out under a different name… something along the lines of the ‘Unimpreza’.
March 30, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I don’t like the look of either of them, the Evo’s cheap grey plastic front end looks worse then a normal non evo lancer. As for the scoob, i’d it will be a grower, and when have scoobs ever been lookers?
May 1, 2008 at 10:25 pm
It is a shame that subaru created this. who ever desgined it must be shaked, as it looks really ugly. No more classsic subaru shape, no back wing anymore.
May 2, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Yep, it’s a real shame that such an iconic car now looks like any other rubbish hatchback. Not only did the previous Impreza stand out because of it’s speed and handling but also because in this age of pathetic bubble cars it retained the classic 3-section car shape; now all that has gone. I hope Subaru realise the error of their ways, but I doubt it.
May 22, 2008 at 10:05 am
driven both cars but prefered the sti looks so much better in the flesh. the evo looks very conservative a mix of alfa 155 rear and volvo front also very small in the rear seats.
when price is brought to the mix there is a clear winner, i bought the sti plus this is a 2.5 over 2.0
all boils down to your own preference.
June 25, 2008 at 7:27 am
Technology and performance wise, these are the best the East can offer. But to be honest I really believe that the new Sub is quite ugly and far below expectations. I hope at least they perform better in WRC.
July 16, 2008 at 8:28 pm
EVO EVO EVO. Scoobys are too common. EVO’s are stylish and not for the toy boy racers, they’re for the serious driver. (cant beat drifting a 40′ bus tho’)
August 12, 2008 at 9:41 am
both cars are good but i think the subaru with all the good stickers/vinlys kinda take the lead… but i would my self prefere to have an evo! as i think they are stunning!!
(why did subaru make a hatchback)
December 6, 2008 at 1:48 am
I have a 2007 STi and love it. I’m not too big a fan of the hatch style STi. I believe rally cars have to be based off a production type model. People have to understand that Subaru’s STi line is built for rally where it’s not about looks, it’s about performance and handling. So if you’re wondering why this year’s STi is a hatch it’s because the drivers and testers felt that that the hatch version of the Impreza handled better over the sedan version. I know I’m a Subie owner but for the 08 models if it was a judged just for looks I would have to choose the Evo X.
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