Seems like in '03 and '04 the Evo and STi were pretty much a wash in terms of performance off the showroom floor. It was a matter of preference and, depending on the forum or magazine, you could make a pretty good case for the superiority of either car over the other. By most accounts the '04 STi pulled a little harder than the '03/'04 Evo VIII, but the Evo was a slightly better handling car.

Then in '05 the VIII got more powerfull. Besides some minor cosmetic and suspension related changes, the '05 STi's performance was unchanged from the previous model year. Now we're all looking at the '06 Evo IX and naturally wondering when Subaru will do something (besides cosmetic changes) to their USDM STi. For all Mitsubishi's financial woes here in the USDM, they sure seem to be staying on the offensive in the "Evo vs. STi" war. When will Subaru strike back. In the USDM at least, I don't think it's even debatable right now which is the better performing car.

 

Subaru decided from the outset to shaft the USDM with the weaksauce 2.5 litre. If they were serious they would give us the hot 2.0 or beef up the current motor.

 

in Australia subaru recently put out the 2.5ltr engines to compete with evoIX. well not exactly compete against the evoIX. yes i know you guys had it for years now. im sure they will fine tune their cars but as for power whats the limit for US base cars?

 

SOA will never strike back. They are getting worse with no hope in the near future.

 

What I've been told is that Subaru actually found a way to get the EJ20 smog legal for the USDM STi. It didn't exactly pass the emissions test with flying colors though. Concerned with their image here in the US as somewhat of an environmentally conscience company (cough cough tree hugging dikes in outbacks cough cough), they chose to go with the EJ25.

 

 

Ive heard negatives about the 2.5, stock durability wise. Either car can be a hair away from being faster. Ive been on both sides, winning and losing to some stock and lightly modified STis.....

The STi is smoother and more tractable for everyday. It has more torque and generally speaking it is more liveable.

The downside is, if you are a tuner and a tinkerer the STi gets difficult to work on approaching the 400 horse mark. Stock Evo's of any year and flavor are regularly capable of over 350whp without breaking a sweat.

Sean Ivey tuned a stock block (I think, check Shearer's website) GT35R PUMP gas Evo to 5XX horsepower...quite a feat.

The Evo's handling has aways been its forte'. The STi is a great vehicle...and no doubt I'd buy one if I were to add a vehicle aside from my Evo and the price was right....but one vehicle is good enough.

I like the fact that my car doesn't suit everyone's taste. I like it bumpy, bouncy and generally pissed-off in demeanor. The STi just doesn't have that. Still a great car.

 

the 9 beats the sti in the edmunds and the car and driver battles this year

 

evo all the way.

 

well said feldguy . my bro has an STI and he's stuck at 345 whp.

 

+1

 

I think it's a very bad thing for Evo owners that the USDM STi has veen virtually unchanged (performance wise) since it landed here. From one year to the next the Evo is constantly...well...evolving. I believe both cars need each other to push the envelope. If it weren't for the STi, most of us would probably be driving around 250hp Evos that cost $35k. As it is we're all driving 300hp Evos that cost about $30k. It's the competition between the two that benefits the consumer.

 

Mitsubishi doesnt need competitors stealing away their business right now, considering their financial situation.

 

The margins on the Evo are virtually insignificant. They also sell so few of them. It's really just a flagship. It brings press and people to Mistubishi and their dealerships. It's a marketing tool in as much as it's an opportunity for the company to show off their engineering prowess.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see that the profit margins on a $15k base model Lancer are the same as a $30k Evo.

 

The STI has changed, just not in the horsepower department, each model year there have been handling tweaks. They're still damn close in performance, to the point that the STI won a major mag comparo this year (Motortrend).

Also, you can bet Subaru has something up their sleeve to compete with the Evo X. I'm betting it will make the cars more different than ever, and my gut and my hopes tell me the new Impreza will be a hothatch. If that's the case I will most likely jump back to the Subaru world. Will be interesting to see how these two cars continue to push one another. Lets just hope Mitsubishi can afford to stay in the game.