Tell that to all the Evo VIII and IX owners who absolutely tore the X a new one when it was first released. People do generally defend what they drive but that also means from new versions of the same car. I remember people complaining about the IX before it was released.

 

The 09 isn't the same as previous WRXs, it's the same as the 2.5i.
I've said it time and time again, the drivetrain difference as far as feel is basically in the transmission. Even professional drivers like the individual in the video don't appear to notice the fact that the 09 WRX doesn't have limited slips front and rear.

 

This is going offtopic, but the X holds it's own around the track :-) Search youtube videos, reviews, read the X tuning & dyno forums... you'll be surprised how 8/9 & X evo owners are no longer bashing each other for awhile now :-)

 

I'm so glad I found my friends again!

Generally speaking yes, especially if you narrow it to the same year (for example an 03 Evo owner would prefer an 03 Evo over an 03 STi). I'm an exception to the rule. And I know a few other older Evo guys who would prefer the new STi over the X, but not an old STi over the VIII or the IX... 9 times out of 10 it comes down entirely to looks. An interesting thing is that a lot of the old Subaru fans (at least here in Utah) seem to hate the new design and would go for the RA/Evo now if they were to buy new.

Looks are always personal opinion, with everything in life... I look at my car and jizz my pants every day with how sexy it is, granted, it has some decent changes over the WRXs, but the parts that everyone hates are all the same. I personally think Mitsubishi did a bad move in making the Evo look so much more plain than it used to (still looks aggressive, just not as much as before).

 

Yes it does but that doesn't matter to a lot of people, it's different, it's new, it's not what they drive therefore it's bad. There are still threads where Evo VIII and IX owners just go to town on the Evo X accusing it of all kinds of crazy things.

 

I'll freely admit that I like the look of the Evo X and think it looks better than the Subaru. If I was big into tracking and, more importantly, had the money to afford and effectively write off an Evo X, I'd buy the Evo. However, while I enjoy tracking cars, I can't afford to walk away from a 40000$ car as if it and the hole in wallet never existed. If I bought an Evo or STI now, it would be a strict daily driver and with that in mind, I'd buy the STI. I like the hatch, I like the way it looks overall and I like the way it sounds and performs with light mods. Is it a track beast? Nope but I don't care.

 

That's another argument for another time...

 

Here is my ideal grudge match:

* 09 Ralliart Sedan vs. 09 WRX Sedan (using the much heavier Sportback was dumb for a comparo)
* Use the same tires (upgrade both WRX & Ralliart tires, say Yoko Advan A13C)
* Tune each to the max (use reputable tuners)
* Everything else stock (no other bolt-ons)
* remove the trunk spare tire

Now, that's more even, agreed?

 

How was the match even at all? If they had upgraded the Ralliart tires but not the WRX tires, they would have biased it against the WRX. It also looks like they spent more on the Ralliart in mods although I can't find this detailed list that they keep saying is available on their website. Using the Sportback was also a big lapse in judgment on their part given the rather substantial weight difference.

I did find this bit of information cool

 

^ bah, edited my post above by mistake, but I wish there's a better tuner comparo against the two rivals (see post above)

 

It is more fair, but unfortunately, the WRX vs Ralliart rivalry would play out much like the Supra vs NSX. There is no disputing that the NSX is a "better" car technologically (and aesthetically) speaking, but there is no replacement for displacement.

 

Here are the fundamental issues I can see
-what size tire do you use? Do you require each to use their OEM sizes or do you use the same size? If you upgrade the Ralliart to the WRX's 225s, do you allow the WRX to be increased to 235s (a 10 mm increase for both)? What about wheels for the tires?
-How do you define tuned to the max? Turbo swaps? Full engine work? Transmission upgrades? To make it "fair" do you upgrade both to the same sized turbo? The WRX has a larger turbo stock than the Ralliart so how do you deal with that?
-Budget? Same for both cars? What if the same mod costs more on one car than the other?
Short of turning the two cars into a hybrid of each other, there's no real way to completely level the playing field. This is why stock for stock tests are done, it shows what the consumer can expect with the car they drive off the lot. After that, all bets are off and depends entirely on what you want to address.

 

I think he means same size tires, otherwise everything stock in that department (they did this in an Evo vs STi test... both cars wound up tying by the end overall).

By tuned to the max I think he meant just EcuFlash type tunes... Tune to the max reliability level... But even that doesn't work really... Budget wouldn't matter, it's just based on the tuning of the car.

 

^ of course I meant same exact (& sized) tires... you want it to be fair right? Tuned to the max means just plain ECUFlash tuning (are you familiar with ECUFlash Amby?). EVERYTHING STOCK, no change in turbo/intake/exhaust, no messing with the engine bay, no suspension upgrades, nothing.

The cost of these upgrades would be the same, cuz both will get exactly the same upgraded tires (say the best street/track tires out there), and both will be tuned using ECUFlash.

Who do you think will win around the track where this grudge match was held? That's what I really want to find out. It'd be a real test of the drivetrain, powertrain, & suspension/handling... "pound-for-pound"

 

In a straight line, sure. But what about in a real track like the one used in this grudge match?