A no-holds-barred TMR ‘drive-off’. Which is king of the heap? And if you’re in the market for a four-paw hammer, which should you put in the garage – Mitsubishi’s raw-boned EVO X, or Volkswagen’s scintillating Golf R32?
At 160km/h, Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution X begins to make sense. At 180, flicking down, then powering through a tightening sweeper, it begins to look more than simply sensible. Push on past 200km/h, ignore the pitching, the roar of the tyres and jarring of the suspension; and revel in the penetrating howl of the engine and the responsiveness at the wheel – because here, its genius emerges.
At these speeds, even on these roads – secondary by-ways with broken shoulders and a pitted, undulating coarse metal black-top – the sure-footedness and arrow-true tracking of the EVO X is little short of brilliant. What, you are forced to ask, would it take to seriously un-stick this thing?
In these conditions, the ‘harder’ IX would have launched you through the roof. But the EVO X is a step forward, and sideways, from the EVO IX it replaces: new body, new chassis, porkier, bigger brain and a more compliant, less ‘track-focused’, suspension. It is a road-racer’s dream, and, under the cane, the consummate sporting drive.
The EVO X ‘wires you in’ – it’s a feeling carried over from the IX – in a way that few cars can: there is a taut ‘connectedness’ though the wheel and the all-wheel drive that even at low speeds is ever-present, always tapping at your shoulder. At speed, it forces you to be busy, to feel every nuance of the road, to ‘be’ the car.
But at 60, 80, or even at 100km/h, the EVO X makes far less sense. It is like putting a barracuda in a goldfish bowl – you know it is made for other things; it has a grander destiny.
And that’s the conundrum: it always reminds you that it wants to be released. Its power is like a stick of gelignite. Stamp on it, and you’re launched straight into licence-shredding territory in the blink of an eye (“Git yourself down on the ground there boy… spread ‘em…”).
With the EVO X, even though vastly more civilized than its earlier more-riotous iterations, you just can’t escape the nagging thought, “Could I live with it? Would those track-bred compromises begin to wear thin? Could I live with forever hobbling all those straining horses?”
Ok. So, what then of the Golf R32?
Like the EVO X, it’s all-wheel-drive, it begs for the whip, and it’s impossible to belt around a winding pass without finding yourself grinning like a complete idiot. Perfect, on the face of it, for a drag-out, knock-down, no-holds-barred TMR ‘drive-off’. Which is king of the heap? And if you’re in the market for a four-paw hammer, which should you put in the garage?
On paper, the similarities between the two are immediately apparent. They’re priced in the same ballpark with just a $3000 price difference between the $59,490 base four-door, five-speed EVO X and the $56,490 four-door six-speed R32. Both have prodigious grip thanks to state of the art four-wheel drive systems and electronic traction management.
Under the EVO is Mitsubishi’s rally-proven Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) with active centre diff and yaw control. The R32 utilizes Volkswagen’s brilliant 4-Motion slip-sensing drive system with oil-bath (wet plate) clutch and advanced traction control.
Also, like the EVO X - which in this test came with Mitsubishi’s new six-speed Twin Clutch Sport Shift Transmission (TC-SST) - our R32 review car came with Volkswagen’s benchmark DSG. The TC-SST is standard on the (much) more expensive Evolution MR and a $5000 option on the ‘base’ EVO X. The DSG is a $2300 option on the R32.
2009 BMW 335i Sedan 
2010 BMW 120d Hatch manual (E87) 
2009 Holden Commodore SS Sportwagon 
2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage 
2009 Ford Mondeo MB (Titanium)
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Nice Article Lads… I personally loved the R32, I am going to have to make a point of getting out and sampling the Evo X now to make my own comparison
Agree they are both great cars, not an obvious comparison but well done for looking at two cars that appeal to a common market, elbeit for different reasons. Once I sell my IX I’ll have to decide whether to grow up or not…. R32 or X MR, with a family my mountain jaunts and track days are far fewer so maybe the time has come? I think the only thing that will keep me in an Evo is the improved interior and accessories in the MR combined with the TCSST for my daily crawl down the Westgate….. Decisions… decisions….
Nice review! Like Brett I didn’t really see them as being similar cars, but the Insider definitely convinced me otherwise! Kudos for not following the rest of the flock and doing YET ANOTHER Evo vs. STi article too!
Hmmm…nice situation to be in Brett. I’d take the R32 myself, it’s very ‘liveable’ and a hoot to drive with that exhaust note and DSG blipping the throttle for you.
Good write up guys, I think it captured the character of each car and gave fair assessment. I’ll be getting a new ride so took my prettier half to an auto show - 350Z ‘not practical enough’, EVO X ‘too boy racer’, R32 ‘just right’
I went the R32 route, I was first smitten with the sound of the VR6 when test driving a Bora V6 4Motion with my old man. He didn’t go ahead but I later traded in my WRX to buy one. I agree with Mike’s comments re: DSG, which is really quite good, but absolute control would be my preference too. Mine is DSG and as a ‘manual driver’ have found it to be not quite to my taste once the initial honeymoon period was over.
On a side note I am not certain that the standard seats are Recaros, optional Recaro racing buckets are available (which are tops!), similar to those in the Audi RS4.
Brett - maybe the X will be a more civilised compared to your IX. I catch a taxi with shot dampers and think “this is so much better than my IX with 10/8kg coilovers and thick sway bars”!
I am waiting for my R32 to arrive. Have just sold a 2007 Gti DSG to get it. Absolutely loved the GTi. Having had a DSG box now I would never go back to a manual. I own a 2006 MB SLK280 as well. I hope I will still want to drive that too when the R32 arrives!
From what i gather they have ditched plans for an R36. The rumour mill suggests they may make a MkVI R42, which is a 350hp turbo version of the 2.5 5 cylinder, the one the Audi TT-RS is picking up. If this is the case The R will lose its amazing exhaust note but gain an incredible amount of horsepower over the 3.2L R’s.
Have driven the R32 and was basically….ho hum… generally unimpressed. Given it was within a couple of days of driving the STi. Quite simply the R32 was nice inside and had a very nice exhaust note, but the drive and performance itself was uninspiring comparatively. Not sure that I would buy one really.
Have driven R32 friday 17-10 2k8.NO WHEEL SPIN ,but it made up 4 it on the paddle shift LAUNCH.Interior smooth,seat,s that you can lower yourself like a kart racing style ,the feel of R32 wrapping around you.But the BEST point THE HOWLING EXHAUST THAT DOESNT SEEM TO ERASE FROM MY MIND.WANT 1.FOR SECOND HAND 18KM $52,000.have to sell all my other car for this Missile.
I would buy the R32 because I know how good the standard golf is compared to a Lancer, though the current Lancer is much better than its predecessor. But I must admit the Evo X looks more interesting and dynamic, but the R32 is more civilized and acceptable with the classy ladies. Hum decisions, impossible solution: I’d buy both and put the good stuff from the Evo X into the forthcoming new Golf GTI-R.
We currently drive an 08 VW Golf 2.0 TDI w/DSG (sensible and fairly fun); Now in a position to call that the wife’s car and get my own TAC taunter. So I went off to test drive R32…. as Flying High stated, I too felt Ho Hum… so off to drive the Subarus…ho hum some more, and as a previous manual lover, I can’t seem to stand anything that’s not DSG like these days…so thanks for the great write-up and I am off to try the Evo next; if it doesn’t rock my world, then I am seeing a chipped up GTI in my future..(prefer a bit of wheel barking from time to time).
fantastic read! Provocative POV, great pics, well written.
nazi win