This is the article a non enthusiast would write. Like my mom. It did get me wondering about the suspension.
Do other sports cars (vette, porsche, Ferrari, etc) have the same "stiff ride" the Evo does?
If I dropped $2K into new shocks/springs could I keep the handling but get better ride quality?
As with most new cars, will the stiffness go away a bit with miles?

With regard to the "Cranky low-speed behavior" do all high HP turbo cars have this problem?

"Seats" I have yet to read any post here about the backrest adjustment knob. Buyers know, but dont care?

"Noise" It's fine for me even w/o radio. If it is bad, I can just turn up the volume. I find it quieter than my F150.

"Convenience" if feels the ave buyer will have another vehicle, what do we need folding rears for? Plus, even WITH folding rears, the opening isn't that big. Me, I'll use the truck for hauling, and will buy a roof rack if I want to take it skiing. (speaking of which, do we have the same roof as a normal Lancer?)

Bottom line, he may like GTs but full sports cars are too extreme for him.

 

With regards to the bucking, it happens to me sometimes too on really bad roads. What I think though is that it's the result of a couple of reasons.

For one, I drive with my heel off the ground. That'll definitely contribute to bucking when going over bad roads. I don't know, maybe it's because I'm relatively short-er at around 5'7 or 5'8". I just find it a lot more comfortable to drive without my heel on the pedal because well.. my feet aren't big enough either to get enough leverage with my heel on the ground. The same goes for the clutch (my heel isn't on the ground), so if I'm feathering the clutch while shifting gears at low speeds on a bad road, the car'll jerk.

However, I've also never driven a car with as much torque as the Evo before, so I think it's a combination of these two... I'm sure with practice you'll get better with it.

 

Jeez! What size are your feet?

 

Hm, depends on the brand, but I've fit anywhere from 8.5 to 9.5.

 

"The back seat's small but easier to reach than it would be in a coupe."

The back seat's small, compared to a Lincoln Towncar...

 

It has nothing to do with inexperience with a stick or leg muscles. Next time you have someone in your car watch how they lurch forward everytime you shift. Then tell them to strengthen their back and neck muscles to prevent this from happening. It won't matter. I've driven tons of cars and plenty of high performance cars all stick. This is the only car I've ever driven that does this. I also have a size 12" foot so my heel is planted all the time. It only takes the slightest blip on the throttle to make the car jerk. And when you do it repeatedly up and down cuz of bumpy roads the car bucks. I've noticed if I lift my thigh off the bolster of the seat to an upright position so it's not touching the seat I get less buck. I think the vibration of the bumps runs through the seat to your leg down to your foot. All I can say is it's strange. I've never had this before.

 

After reading and writing about this 'bucking" business, I paid close attention to my driving experience with the EVO and my wife's '03 Maxima w/6 speed... I notice that there is a bit of bucking (i'd guess you'd call it that) whenever I start out from stop. Both cars exhibit this tendency, but there again, both cars have a lot of horsepower and torque. I did notice that in general driving, even on bad roads, I don't notice any particular "bucking".... Of course, maybe I'm just not sensitive to it, never really learned to drive smoothly so I think it's normal

 

I don't know who stated that this article was "bad," but after reading it I thought it was a good review. The whole review is predicated on the fact that this is a rally-car for the street. His few complaints are in that context. People are silly, and blow the smallest things out of proportion.

 

The reviewer is like 90 years-old ... sure he's going to talk about the turn knob seat adjuster and the back windshield wiper. Not a horrible review but I would think that one cannot write a good review about the evo if he/she prefers the ride of a soft luxury car. Notice that he talks about how the stiff ride is fun about will eventually become annoying in traffic, etc. This review is better suited for an everyday non-enthusiast driver.

 

I thought that the seat adjuster was pretty bad. The WRX and every other car I've had lately, has a better system for that.... I was surprised to find such a difficult seat to adjust.... Oh well, I guess you only adjust it until you are happy with it so I guess it really doesn't matter.....

 

Yea recaro's are all about performance and not convenience, I suppose. It doesn't bother me ... atleast we won't have to worry about something else electronic breaking.

 

Well said P2x !!!
Alot of people are not seeing the angle this article is coming from, unlike you.
It is far from the best article I've read on the Evo, but
It is a good article if you understand who it is written for!!!!!!!!!!
It is written for the average reader, not guys like us on EvoM.

The article makes a valid point: It says that the Evo is a kick *** car, but not created for the average joe, or non-enthusiast. So, don't buy it unless you want a serious performance machine!