What exactly do you get when you go up ~$3000 to the GTS? Obvious is the bigger engine and the wheels. Which you get for a fair price, but maybe I'm not enamored by that. Do you miss out on anything else?

Reports say GTS is the better handler - what would contribute to any handling differences between the two? Tires are the same width, chassis is same, but what about suspension? Can ES suspension components be swapped or simply "tuned" to match or replicate GTS setup? economically?

 

I know the gts has a bigger brake setup up front, gts has a thicker rear sway bar and has a front strut bar.

the interior of the gts is much nicer also, the newer ones come with the center console cubbys and cup holder lids.

the 4b12 is a nice engine, it responds to mods MUCH nicer than the 4b11, ive driven a 2008 es for 42k miles and currently drive a 2009 gts that has 64k miles, so I guess you can save I have a lot of experience with both engines.

After a drop in filter, better tires and a tune the 4b12 performs great.


Now sure you can buy an ES and buy new wheels/tires, you can buy an aftermarket strut bar, you can buy eibach pro kit lowering springs and you can upgrade your rear sway bar to a GTS one or to a works one (thats what I have, www.worksevo.com its awesome).

but you will still be missing the extra power from the engine...sure its only 16hp and 21ft lb of tq but with mods on the 4b11 it will take almost every single bolt on made + a tune to just make up that 16hp and 21ft lb of tq.

Originally people thought mitsubishi would drop support for the 4b12 and continue on with the 4b11 but through 2010, 2011 and now 2012 we still see the 4b12 being used, and now its being used in the Outlander.

Id go with a base GTS, or if you like a sunroof get the sunroof package one, I like mine

let me know if you have any questions Ill be happy to help you with your purchase.