A More Mature Evolution named Mister: The Evo MR.

There’s been a lot of things said to describe Mitsubishi’s Evolution throughout the years. People have called it a supercar-beater, a value leader, and a technological tour de force. But no matter how you cut it, the Evo is this: a violent cacophony of sound, fury, and blistering speed.

And so it should be. One of the few homologation specials that still roam our streets, the Evo follows in the footsteps of such vehicles as Audi’s Quattro, the Lancia Stratos, Ford’s RS500, and the Renault R5 Turbo. Based loosely upon the Lancer econobox, the Evo improves upon the Lancer in every way. But you already know this. After all, the standard Evolution X made headlines over a year ago, blowing journalists and buyers away with its goliath-slaying performance. Compared to everything and anything on four wheels (and sometimes two), much was made of its twin-scroll turbocharger, additional unibody bracing, suspension revisions, and massively powerful brakes. So, why are you reading this review?

• Also: No More Evo: The End of Performance at Mitsubishi...for now
• Also: One Last Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

Because this is the new and improved Mitsubishi Evolution MR. Die hard car enthusiasts will recognize the badge as the same one that designated the highest-spec Evolution 9. And this new one is no different; offering buyers a more civilized alternative to the Evolution GSR. Of course, that’s sort of like saying a knife is a more civilized weapon than a club, but Mitsubishi has put some serious engineering muscle behind making the MR appeal to a wider audience. Underneath, the GSR’s race ready suspension was swapped out in favour of a softer, more compliant setup that’s bolted to standard (and very attractive) BBS wheels. Inside, the same awkward seating position isn’t improved at all by the standard steering-wheel mounted controls for the AWD system and stereo. Outside, eagle-eyed onlookers will be able to spot the MR thanks to the larger rear wing that soars above the trunk.

But, as much as the nicer wheels, larger wing, and softer suspension seem at odd with one another (after all, why would you need a bigger wing on something that corners less aggressively?!), there’s one part of the MR that puts those controversial additions to shame: the SST transmission. Mitsubishi’s take on the dual clutch auto-manumatic transmission, it’s a real mixed bag. At slow speeds, it can slam second gear home with all the finesse of a ham fisted 17 year old street racer, and the clutch engagement off the line is abysmally slow. Trucking through traffic, the slow clutch take-up means it slingshots you toward the car ahead as the clutch grabs; usually just in time to force you to stomp on the brakes. Repeat that a few dozen times in the average traffic jam and you’re just about ready to shoot yourself, and/or the car. Of course, that’s only if the heat radiating into the cabin from the constantly slipping clutch packs didn’t cook off whatever rounds you had in the magazine.

But, get out of the urban sprawl, and the MR comes into its own. The softer suspension does a fantastic job of soaking up bumps while simultaneously keeping all four of the uberaggro near-R compound tires in contact with the pavement. The GSR feels too harsh by comparison, catapulting your kidneys out the window over every big bump, whereas the MR rides over irregularities instead of plowing through them, giving you more confidence over rough roads that would have the GSR skittering across the macadam. Don’t misunderstand; it’s still the definition of firm, albeit without the jarring nature of the GSR.

Likewise, the SST transmission smoothes out substantially once you’re out of the cut and thrust traffic of the city. Shifts are lightening quick, and the various settings (Normal, Sport, and Super-Sport) ensure a shift program for any eventuality. Normal is quite sufficient for most driving chores, while sport is a nice middle ground that holds gears longer and cracks off shifts with absolutely ridiculous speed. Press and hold the sport button once more puts the transmission into Super-Sport mode, which, as the manual advises, it best utilized on a racetrack. Holding gears to redline and shifting downright savagely, it’s a little too rough for public roads, and its abrupt nature can unsettle the chassis. However, it does grant access to Mitsubishi’s unpublished launch control system that handily circumvents the typically slow clutch engagement off the line in both Normal and Sport settings. Simply put the transmission in Super-Sport mode, press hard on the brakes, and floor it. The engine runs up to around 5,000 rpm, but doesn’t engage the clutch packs until you lift your foot of the brakes. It’s not quite the eyeball-flattening launch of a WRC car, but the system works similarly well. Keep your foot to the floor and the speed builds exponentially, with the speedometer arcing towards criminal numbers before you know it.

But, it’s the manner in which this speed builds that surprises the most. While most vehicles capable of this sort of speed prefer to isolate the driver from the mechanical goings-on beneath the hood, the Evo does the opposite. As with the GSR, the Evolution MR is a sort of sensory overload. Head down a straightaway, and your ears are assaulted by the howling noise of a high-strung 2.0L four cylinder with overtones of turbocharger whine and gearbox noise. Reach for the upshift paddle, and you can feel the gearbox slam the next cog home without a moment’s hesitation; never giving the motor a chance to drop even a single pound’s worth of boost. Turn the wheel with a slight lift of the throttle, and you’re rewarded with the unique sensation of feeling the hugely aggressive front tires bite into the pavement. Ease back into the throttle, feel the all-wheel drive shuttle power through the three differentials, and your body is subjected to a level of G-loading that typically comes with a vastly higher price tag. Nail the throttle before you normally would on exit, and the car scrambles to maintain traction as the relatively large turbocharger crams enormous amounts of air down the four-cylinder’s gullet. And then it all begins again.

And maybe that’s the key to this Evolution’s existence. The SST transmission, for all its faults, puts far less strain on the driver. Typically, a missed shift or fumbled clutch dumped the boost and brought forward progress to a crawl in the GSR; something that never happens in the MR. And although the softer suspension is more comfortable, it’s also more confidence inspiring thanks to the omission of the GSR’s nervous character over bad pavement. Sure, the bigger wing and blingy wheels may make you think otherwise, but don’t be fooled, the Evo MR is a significantly more mature vehicle than the standard issue Evo. If the Evolution GSR is your troublemaker boyhood friend, think of the MR as Mr. Evolution.