Are you a cold-blooded Canadian that gets excited at the thought of low-traction driving conditions? Do you have a pulse, testosterone in your veins, and love excitement? Would you rather rip donuts in the shopping mall parking lot after hours than actually shop there?

Grown-up kids, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution might be the car for you. The tenth generation of a souped-up, factory-built, import-tuner toy, it's got all the staples to get your heart pumping if you're a Japanese sports-car fan. The Evolution, or "Evo" has a turbocharged engine, all-wheel drive, and a whack of brand-name goodies right out of the box.

Are you a cold-blooded Canadian that gets excited at the thought of low-traction driving conditions? The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution might be the car for you. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com)

All the upgrades
At each corner, Yokohama tires wrap sexy BBS wheels which surround a Brembo brake kit. The whole package rides on a set of Eibach springs, there are Recaro racing-style seats, and even a Rockford Fosgate stereo system with a subwoofer in the trunk. The latter kicks out enough bass to rattle the Evo's license plate. You can even get your Evo with a ridiculous rear spoiler that's visible from orbit - although this tester went for a more modest look and skipped it.

Nutshell? Evo amounts to the same ride you dreamt of building as a younger car enthusiast on a budget, minus all the nights of installing parts, wiring and zip-ties. And it might look like a toy out of your teenage dream garage, but it's actually a very serious piece of hardware.

2.0 Turbo
Power comes from Mitsubishi's 4B11 engine - namely a 2.0L turbocharged unit with 291 horsepower. It drives all four wheels through Mitsubishi's award-winning 'Super All Wheel Control' system, which networks traction control, braking and all-wheel drive for instant exploitation of the car's talents on any surface. The system even has a toggle switch to select 'Gravel', 'Snow', or 'Tarmac' modes.


Crushing cornering grip, fade-free braking and near-V8 torque levels are always on standby. Acceleration is robust, steering is super-quick, there's negligible body roll, and the fool-proof drivetrain is both forgiving and rewarding to push hard.

At all times, the car gives you an excellent grip in tight corners. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

Track Star
On a track, the Evo is an absolute riot - and will embarrass many a high-dollar performance car any day of the week. It's a hoot in the snow, too. Heck, its fun to drive on just about anything.
An engineering focus on putting all of the Evo's talents at the driver's fingertips from the get-go is largely to thank.

Carving corners at very high speed, Evo's body undulates tightly over its stiff suspension while remaining constantly and firmly glued to the track. It's stable, very entertaining, and loves to have fun. Where instantly-accessible driving dynamics and performance for the weekend racer are concerned, Evo hits the nail square on the head.

Transmission choices include a 5-speed manual or an advanced Twin Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission, or TC-SST. The tester featured the latter option, benefitting from the best parts of both an automatic and manual. The TC-SST box nails every shift perfectly, every time, and offers up Normal, Sport and SuperSport shift settings. Ultimately, the TC-SST technology adds to the performance of the Evo, and offers a fully automatic drive mode with no clutch pedal. That might make it an easier sell to that apprehensive significant other.

Modestly-trimmed accommodations
Drivers take in the experience from a nicely styled but relatively low-budget interior with all of the goodies - including an all-encompassing navigation and infotainment system with satellite radio, Bluetooth and heated seats. There's adequate if not generous space for 4 adults on board, though the trunk is fairly small - on account of a high floor and the subwoofer.

The battery and washer fluid tank chew up trunk space, too. But that's for weight balance, which makes the Evo handle better, so it can be forgiven.

The trunk space is reduced because of the battery and washer fluid tank. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com)

There are other compromises throughout this car for its affordable race-ready performance. The ride is uncomfortable, stiff and noisy, the engine is loud doesn't sound very nice, and Evo isn't covered by Mitsubishi's legendary 160,000-km powertrain warranty.

It's also a bit hefty on fuel, though it didn't do much to take the lead out of this writer's right foot. After all, what can a gearhead do with a car that amounts to an arcade game you can drive? Just don't let your local law enforcement personnel see you trying to set the high score.

Unique performance, available for a limited time
Compromises aside, the $51,798 Evolution MR is a one of a kind driving experience that amounts to a turbocharged, boy-racer, surface-to-surface missile that's got room for a couple of buddies and is ready for a road trip or lapping session, any day of the year.

If you're interested, act soon - rumour has it Mitsubishi's giving the Lancer Evolution the axe in the near future to focus more on electric-car technology. Undoubtedly though, this machine is leaving a mark in the market when it's gone.

The $51,798 Evolution MR provides a driving experience like no other. (Photo: Mitsubishi)