I test drove the X today
Evolved Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 621
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From: Texas
Whatever. Road and track, motor trend, car and driver, edmunds, automobile magazine, 0-60, and every other magazine disagrees with you. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Biased, crap review...go away. And btw, the x makes more power mod for mod than the 9 does, so once the cars are modified the difference in straight line speed evens out even with the added weight, and there's no disputing the superior handling and braking of the X, so you can say what you want, it matters not.
Whatever. Road and track, motor trend, car and driver, edmunds, automobile magazine, 0-60, and every other magazine disagrees with you. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Biased, crap review...go away. And btw, the x makes more power mod for mod than the 9 does, so once the cars are modified the difference in straight line speed evens out even with the added weight, and there's no disputing the superior handling and braking of the X, so you can say what you want, it matters not. Oh and thanks for beating on someone's car that hasn't been broken in yet, very respectful.
Nope, I won't go away. I have just as much a right to be here as you. Your comments are of course always appreciated. I clearly posted my bias at the beginning of the review. As for 2 months from now... I'm buying a meth kit for my IX with the tax return!
Let me start off with full disclosure… some people consider here consider me an EvoX hater. Nevertheless I tried to be as impartial as I possibly could when I visited People’s Mitsubishi today in Las Vegas to test drive the X. To begin with, the salesmen were sleazy as always, although for sleazy Las Vegas I suppose that could be considered normal. They had “just received shipment” of 5 GSRs, and they were sitting in the lot all parked next to each other. If memory serves 2 were silver, one white, one blue, and one gray. None had the aero package. I test drove the gray one.
From the exterior, the car looks very good. For my taste it looks too much like a regular Lancer, but it is a significant styling improvement over my IX for sure… the brakes are huge, the spoiler smaller, the lines flow better, the car is less boxy, the hood scoops look aggressive. The engine bay looks very clean, there is PLENTY of room to work behind the engine. Inside the cabin the width seems smaller, probably because of the more angular sides. There also seems to be less rear leg room, although that may technically not be so because the front seats lean back quite a bit even fully proclined. The trunk is a LOT smaller. The interior cabin was, having seen the concept, a HUGE disappointment. The only thing reminiscent of the concept is the steering wheel, which has nice imbedded controls (cruise of course!). The gauges are very small, the numbers on them even smaller, and I had a hard time seeing the speedo because the steering wheel arms blocked the gauges consistently. That is a trade off for the on-the-wheel controls I suppose, but it was annoying nonetheless. The temp/fan controls are finally digital, but the dials look like they’d snap off if you looked at them wrong. Which brings me to the major problem of the interior: it looks cheap. The dash looks cheap, what was fake CF in the IX is now some sort of plastic with white criss-cross lines painted on. The seats (cloth, I’m used to my SSL leather) were comfortable but again the plastic trim, which could easily have been made of CF, seems to be made of cheap plastic. The seats aren’t any narrower than my IX seats. The shifter is oddly misplaced, it seems too high, too far forward, and too far too the right. I actually liked the shifter knob unlike some others here. The stereo sounds good. The car didn’t have the Nav package.
On to the drive. Once the KeyFOB thing is near the car, no key is necessary. It seemed rather gimmicky to put one button on the outside of the door, and have the keyhole for backup. I would have preferred a regular key design. I turned the…key?..., revved the engine… VERY quiet indeed. Slowly dropped the clutch… and over revved a bit because the clutch grabs high. Ok, time to adjust the seat further back! Turning out of the parking lot it becomes instantly apparent that the tight steering is very much GONE. The feel is much more uncommunicative, much more BMW or Audi. I head to the highway. I hammer the gas on the onramp and pop through the gears. It shifts fine…IF IT ONLY WENT SOMEWHERE. I have driven a lot of fast and not so fast cars in my life, and there is no way the car I drove would ever go below 13.5 in the quarter mile. It was very very slow. If I had to guess I’d say at best a 14.0. Vegas is at ~2500ft elevation so I can’t fathom altitude making much difference. The good news is the engine barely can be heard and the car feels solid under acceleration… if boat like. I get off the highway and push hard on the exit ramp. The suspension is much softer than the IX, and the car starts to understeer. But the super-AYC kicks in solidly and straightens out the car. Not exactly predictable but certainly functional. It reminds me very much of my S4 with ESP. I slalom around some cones close to the dealership and it feels very odd to swerve from side to side. Almost like it fights you, then catches up with where you want to go. The car stops hard on braking but lurches quite a bit. It seemed heavy.
Let me conclude the review by stating that I loved the IX when I first test drove it, and I bought one very soon after that test drive. After test driving the X I feel like test driving the 335xi, and if I like it, maybe buying that. The X was very underwhelming to me. It reminded me of my Audi S4, except it had a cheap interior and wasn’t as quiet. I see absolutely no market segment for this car. The dealer wouldn’t move off retail for the car, which was $35,600 according to them but sounded real high to me.
From the exterior, the car looks very good. For my taste it looks too much like a regular Lancer, but it is a significant styling improvement over my IX for sure… the brakes are huge, the spoiler smaller, the lines flow better, the car is less boxy, the hood scoops look aggressive. The engine bay looks very clean, there is PLENTY of room to work behind the engine. Inside the cabin the width seems smaller, probably because of the more angular sides. There also seems to be less rear leg room, although that may technically not be so because the front seats lean back quite a bit even fully proclined. The trunk is a LOT smaller. The interior cabin was, having seen the concept, a HUGE disappointment. The only thing reminiscent of the concept is the steering wheel, which has nice imbedded controls (cruise of course!). The gauges are very small, the numbers on them even smaller, and I had a hard time seeing the speedo because the steering wheel arms blocked the gauges consistently. That is a trade off for the on-the-wheel controls I suppose, but it was annoying nonetheless. The temp/fan controls are finally digital, but the dials look like they’d snap off if you looked at them wrong. Which brings me to the major problem of the interior: it looks cheap. The dash looks cheap, what was fake CF in the IX is now some sort of plastic with white criss-cross lines painted on. The seats (cloth, I’m used to my SSL leather) were comfortable but again the plastic trim, which could easily have been made of CF, seems to be made of cheap plastic. The seats aren’t any narrower than my IX seats. The shifter is oddly misplaced, it seems too high, too far forward, and too far too the right. I actually liked the shifter knob unlike some others here. The stereo sounds good. The car didn’t have the Nav package.
On to the drive. Once the KeyFOB thing is near the car, no key is necessary. It seemed rather gimmicky to put one button on the outside of the door, and have the keyhole for backup. I would have preferred a regular key design. I turned the…key?..., revved the engine… VERY quiet indeed. Slowly dropped the clutch… and over revved a bit because the clutch grabs high. Ok, time to adjust the seat further back! Turning out of the parking lot it becomes instantly apparent that the tight steering is very much GONE. The feel is much more uncommunicative, much more BMW or Audi. I head to the highway. I hammer the gas on the onramp and pop through the gears. It shifts fine…IF IT ONLY WENT SOMEWHERE. I have driven a lot of fast and not so fast cars in my life, and there is no way the car I drove would ever go below 13.5 in the quarter mile. It was very very slow. If I had to guess I’d say at best a 14.0. Vegas is at ~2500ft elevation so I can’t fathom altitude making much difference. The good news is the engine barely can be heard and the car feels solid under acceleration… if boat like. I get off the highway and push hard on the exit ramp. The suspension is much softer than the IX, and the car starts to understeer. But the super-AYC kicks in solidly and straightens out the car. Not exactly predictable but certainly functional. It reminds me very much of my S4 with ESP. I slalom around some cones close to the dealership and it feels very odd to swerve from side to side. Almost like it fights you, then catches up with where you want to go. The car stops hard on braking but lurches quite a bit. It seemed heavy.
Let me conclude the review by stating that I loved the IX when I first test drove it, and I bought one very soon after that test drive. After test driving the X I feel like test driving the 335xi, and if I like it, maybe buying that. The X was very underwhelming to me. It reminded me of my Audi S4, except it had a cheap interior and wasn’t as quiet. I see absolutely no market segment for this car. The dealer wouldn’t move off retail for the car, which was $35,600 according to them but sounded real high to me.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Ill Noise
personally i think it comes down to the 36-40k, but i was interested in evox or 07 sti which is cheaper and faster, but the x looks damn good, and like someone posted earlier, mod for mod the evo x is throwing down more power
I don't think anyone is foolish enough to think that the car can't be made fast. Every car can be made fast.
I think some of the concerns is the fact that you spend $40k on a car and drive it off the lot knowing full well that you aren't happy with the performance and you are forced to modify the stock car which will cost at least another 2k. On top of that - with the mods - you risk voiding your warranty when you've got 5 or so years left to pay it off. I'm glad that nothing serious went wrong when I was paying my car off or I would've been stuck between a rock and a hard place financially.
I think some of the concerns is the fact that you spend $40k on a car and drive it off the lot knowing full well that you aren't happy with the performance and you are forced to modify the stock car which will cost at least another 2k. On top of that - with the mods - you risk voiding your warranty when you've got 5 or so years left to pay it off. I'm glad that nothing serious went wrong when I was paying my car off or I would've been stuck between a rock and a hard place financially.
" Oh and thanks for beating on someone's car that hasn't been broken in yet, very respectful."
as stated by: Sti2EvoX
He's entitled to his opinion. and i'm sure as hell 9/10 of us would not be willing to drop 40k on a car that we were not fully able to test drive/experience exactly what the car can do. I know i surely would not. so that comment was completely pointless. And yes i agree Boostez on the fact that you can make any car fast. but if i pay 40k i personally would want some GO for my money although it may be targeted to another audience. by all means i'll stick with my unflashy interior and 4G63. Overall this review was completely worth reading because it was someones personal experience and pretty much no matter what you say, he's entitled to it.
Last edited by StealthaPsYcHo; Feb 12, 2008 at 09:27 PM.
Evolved Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,849
Likes: 1
From: USA
Well, read shiv's comments about how the car makes more power on a tune and a catback than a 9 maxed out on the stock turbo with intake, tbe, mbs, fmic, ic pipes, CAMS AND A TUNE! He has dyno evidence proving this, what more could you want????!! And no Boostez, I don't expect everyone who drives the car to love it, but calling the car slow and saying that the steering sucks is a moronic statement when the car handles better than the 9 by the opinions of all the pros. Sure the steering is SLIGHTLY slower, by a TINY bit (the 9's steering rato is 13.0:1, and the X's is 13.3:1) but according to all the pros, the X's steering feels more direct and heavier, with a better on center feel, and there's really no disputing the awd system and chassis/ I mean .99g's, c'mon. The bes that the evo 9 could pull was a still impresive .95g's. So yeah, I'd say that the review came from a 9 fanboy who probably liked the car and wrote bad things about it out of bitterness. I have no time for crap lie that. Later.
Evolved Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,849
Likes: 1
From: USA
+1. and also
" Oh and thanks for beating on someone's car that hasn't been broken in yet, very respectful."
as stated by: Sti2EvoX
He's entitled to his opinion. and i'm sure as hell 9/10 of us would not be willing to drop 40k on a car that we were not fully able to test drive/experience exactly what the car can do. I know i surely would not. so that comment was completely pointless. And yes i agree Boostez on the fact that you can make any car fast. but if i pay 40k i personally would want some GO for my money although it may be targeted to another audience. by all means i'll stick with my unflashy interior and 4G63. Overall this review was completely worth reading because it was someones personal experience and pretty much no matter what you say, he's entitled to it.
" Oh and thanks for beating on someone's car that hasn't been broken in yet, very respectful."
as stated by: Sti2EvoX
He's entitled to his opinion. and i'm sure as hell 9/10 of us would not be willing to drop 40k on a car that we were not fully able to test drive/experience exactly what the car can do. I know i surely would not. so that comment was completely pointless. And yes i agree Boostez on the fact that you can make any car fast. but if i pay 40k i personally would want some GO for my money although it may be targeted to another audience. by all means i'll stick with my unflashy interior and 4G63. Overall this review was completely worth reading because it was someones personal experience and pretty much no matter what you say, he's entitled to it.
By track do you mean an actual track? or a drag strip? In either case, no. I'm gonna change the oil at about 1500 miles then I'll get it down the 1/8th mile (no 1/4 miles around here
). After that I'll try to get to an actual track.
). After that I'll try to get to an actual track.
I challenge anyone to drive both cars and say the X steering feel isn't a whole lot worse. This was one of the biggest problems I had with the car. I don't know if it was the steering itself or the added weight but it was a huge difference for sure.
I knew people were going to start name calling when I posted this. And yes I'm biased because I drive an IX. But don't you think these glowing reviews you have read might not also be a bit biased? Who paid these people to fly to Japan and drive the cars? How many bad car reviews do you read in these magazines?
I stand behind my review. I want to see real numbers around a track and at the 1/4 mile strip to prove me wrong. As for the tuners, I'm glad to see the car tunes well, but how that translates into speed, well, I am quite eager to find out!
I knew people were going to start name calling when I posted this. And yes I'm biased because I drive an IX. But don't you think these glowing reviews you have read might not also be a bit biased? Who paid these people to fly to Japan and drive the cars? How many bad car reviews do you read in these magazines?
I stand behind my review. I want to see real numbers around a track and at the 1/4 mile strip to prove me wrong. As for the tuners, I'm glad to see the car tunes well, but how that translates into speed, well, I am quite eager to find out!
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
I guess if you're saying that the IX is an SR-71 and the X is a Veyron... ok, I'd agree they are about that far apart. 
I'm sorry the car was turd slow. I'm sure it can be made to go faster. I was just sharing my experience with the stock car. If you don't like it, fine, drive it yourself and let me know what you think. I'm just voicing my own impressions.
I'm sorry the car was turd slow. I'm sure it can be made to go faster. I was just sharing my experience with the stock car. If you don't like it, fine, drive it yourself and let me know what you think. I'm just voicing my own impressions.
I don't mind that you are not as impressed with the X as the IX, nor that you feel the X is slower than the IX (which as far as common knowledge would seem to suggest, there's nothing to dispute with that). I expected long ago that those who have come to worship the VIIIs and IXs probably won't have the same love affair w/ the X. However, to say the X is "very very slow" or "turd slow".......well, that's just not the kind of assessment that can be taken seriously.
I'm glad that you've driven the car and have taken the time to "voice your own impressions." I appreciate the feedback. It's always good to hear from people who have driven the car first hand. But be realistic in your reviews. The car is neither "very very slow" nor "turd slow" and any claim that it is boils down to nonsensical, and is impossible to take seriously.
For instance, if you had said something along the lines of "The X simply isn't as fast as the IX".....hey, that's a legitimate opinion, supported by quite a bit of evidence at this time, and doesn't make you sound idiodic in the process. But "turd slow"? Gimme a break. Show me a single performance number regarding the X that can legitimately be considered "turd slow" (and no, I'm not talking old reviews that ran test vehicles with various problems, as we've all seen good improvements since then).
If I were to say that my current car ('04 Scion xB) is "turd slow".......well, THAT would be an accurate assessment.
KiL
Wow, this is going down the ****ters fast.
Bottom line is, even though not many may agree, this is his opinion, you might not like or agree with it, but at least respect it. I do think your opinion of the Evo X is biased, but what is an opinion without bias?
Bottom line is, even though not many may agree, this is his opinion, you might not like or agree with it, but at least respect it. I do think your opinion of the Evo X is biased, but what is an opinion without bias?
Well, read shiv's comments about how the car makes more power on a tune and a catback than a 9 maxed out on the stock turbo with intake, tbe, mbs, fmic, ic pipes, CAMS AND A TUNE! He has dyno evidence proving this, what more could you want????!! And no Boostez, I don't expect everyone who drives the car to love it, but calling the car slow and saying that the steering sucks is a moronic statement when the car handles better than the 9 by the opinions of all the pros. Sure the steering is SLIGHTLY slower, by a TINY bit (the 9's steering rato is 13.0:1, and the X's is 13.3:1) but according to all the pros, the X's steering feels more direct and heavier, with a better on center feel, and there's really no disputing the awd system and chassis/ I mean .99g's, c'mon. The bes that the evo 9 could pull was a still impresive .95g's. So yeah, I'd say that the review came from a 9 fanboy who probably liked the car and wrote bad things about it out of bitterness. I have no time for crap lie that. Later.
