Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
A rally homologation car that ran for ten generations. America got the last three.
The last 4G63 Evo, with MIVEC, ACD and a helical front diff.
6 reviewers · 16 videos
Reviewers agree on its performance and handling, but split on fun to drive and daily drivability.
across 6 reviewers
"This is a completely elevated experience. Great steering, great transmission, playful eggs you on. What a car, guys."
Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 28:58"it is a bit of a boring kind of no-nonsense car"
ReDriven · ▶ 18:38"it's super easy to maneuver around town"
ReDriven · ▶ 15:10"the seats aren't very comfortable they hold you in really nicely but the midback portion is pretty solid so very very little Cushing here"
Matt Maran Motoring · ▶ 5:12Performance
4.5/56 of 6 reviewersconsensus“This makes 968 wheel horsepower in over 700 ft-lb of torque in a 4 cylinder.”
positive · ThatDudeinBlue · ▶ 2:02“this engine still feels powerful two decades later”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 4:58“it really starts to come alive around 3,000 RPM but it really doesn't even come on full Boost until maybe 4 and 1/2 or five and then you better hang on this thing is just full raline rush”
positive · Matt Maran Motoring · ▶ 9:06Handling
4.5/56 of 6 reviewersconsensus“I have so much confidence going to corners of this thing wow that is unreal”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 5:06“it's in the corners where the mr's secret weapons come into their own... helps really helps get the tail around”
positive · Auto Express · ▶ 2:13“Oh, getting some feedback through the wheel as well. This is hydraulic... I prefer it over the the Geocola. At least the the feedback and the the speed of it.”
positive · Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 19:44Fun to drive
4.5/56 of 6 reviewerssplit“This is a completely elevated experience. Great steering, great transmission, playful eggs you on. What a car, guys.”
positive · Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 28:58“It's almost like one of those men in black moments like don't hit the red button I'm like can I can I do it can I do it it's just so great seeing this thing go down the road.”
positive · ThatDudeinBlue · ▶ 3:03“it's actually difficult to not drive it hard because it oh just has this energy about it”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 3:44Daily drivability
3.0/56 of 6 reviewerssplit“it's super easy to maneuver around town”
positive · ReDriven · ▶ 15:10“the seats aren't very comfortable they hold you in really nicely but the midback portion is pretty solid so very very little Cushing here”
critical · Matt Maran Motoring · ▶ 5:12“When you hit around 30 mph it's perfect everything's gravy but under that it's horrible.”
mixed · ThatDudeinBlue · ▶ 2:33Value
4.0/55 of 6 reviewersconsensus“this is a great car it's just such a value proposition in terms of of just performance”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 10:14“mitsubishi's in general offer a whole lot of tech and features for the money”
positive · ReDriven · ▶ 8:17“it's so worth it”
positive · ThatDudeinBlue · ▶ 8:42The IX is the last Evolution built around the 4G63T, and the most developed version of it. The change that matters is MIVEC: variable valve timing on the iron-block two-litre, together with turbocharger revisions. US cars are rated at 286 hp and 289 lb-ft, and every US trim has the same engine.
Mechanically it carries over the 2005 VIII's drivetrain. The Active Center Differential is standard, with a limited-slip differential at each axle. US cars again went without the Active Yaw Control rear differential. Brembos with four-piston front calipers and 235/45 R17 tyres are fitted across the range.
The trims differ in gearbox and dampers, not power. The base car, RS and SE use the five-speed. The MR has the six-speed, Bilstein monotube dampers, forged BBS wheels, an aluminium roof and the vortex generator along the roof's trailing edge. The RS is the light one, about 65 lb under the MR.
Where it places in the lineage: the end of the CT9A cars that began with the VII, and the end of the iron-block engine. The X that replaced it has a new shell, an aluminium engine and a dual-clutch option, and weighs more than 200 lb more. For people who rate the Evo as a mechanical, unfiltered thing, this is the last one. Japan also got a IX Wagon; America did not.
Hear it in the reviewer’s words
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- MRSix-speed gearbox, Bilstein monotube dampers, forged BBS wheels, an aluminium roof and a roof vortex generator.
- SEFive-speed car with the MR's forged BBS wheels.
The last Evolution with the 4G63. US cars have the Active Center Differential but not the Active Yaw Control rear differential. All four US trims share the same 286 hp engine; the MR's sixth gear and Bilstein dampers are the mechanical difference. The curb weight shown is the US MR's, and the RS is about 65 lb lighter. Japan also got an Evolution IX Wagon, built in 2,915 units and never sold in the US. The CT9A chassis code is shared with the Evo VII and VIII.