Evo X vs STi
Jan 16, 2010 | 08:24 AM
#53
Teamspeed Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 371
From: Rhode Island
Finally got a quiet morning to sit down and add my 2 cents.
I recently acquired my 2010 Evo X GSR this past december after test driving dozens of cars and spending days researching and poring over reviews. My needs are somewhat unique as I wanted a car that was exciting on a day-to-day basis but could would be suitable for long distance trips. This means that it would have to have a decent stereo, basic luxuries, and be reasonably comfortable. I also plan on tracking to hell out of it (6-8 trackdays and about a dozen autocrosses a year) AND driving it up to go skiing 18-20 days a year. After much deliberation, the Evo X was able to fulfill all of these divergent goals very well. Other cars That I considered were the STI, 135i, 370Z, E46 M3, and a few others.
Styling:
Styling is subjective of course but I love how both the STI and Evo look. Those who say that there is not much differentiation between the base lancer and the Evo are flat out wrong because the Evo is significantly more "butch" looking. The boxed out fenders are immediately noticeable and add about an inch of width at all four corners. This is definitely a car that needs to be seen in person as the aggressive front end and wide stance make for a very attractive looking car.
Acceleration:
I did not get to really flog the STI but in a straight line they are very similar. The STI does have an extra half-liter of displacement but the direct injection of the Evo helps significantly. The Evo X doesn't have the explosiveness of the older ones, but that is a result of the broader torque curve of the new engine. Instead of waiting....waiting...waiting...BAM! you just get smooth power all the way to redline. I think it behaves like a really gutsy VAG 2.0T in this respect. It is pretty explosive in 1st and 2nd gears and even on the highway I can pretty much put most cars in my rearview mirror without downshifting from 5th.
So far I am really trying to hold off on engine mods. I am planning on running it in the stock class for auto-x which doesn't allow for that sort of thing anyways. I do know that an ECU flash alone bumps power to 350hp/360tq (crank) and with supporting mods (exhaust, intercooler pipe, airbox) guys are putting down 310-320 hp to the wheels pretty easily. I will likely be going this route at some point. It seems as though the stock turbo is good for a lot of power and since it spools quickly, an aftermarket turbo might not be as desirable.
Handling:
This is where the Evo blows the STI out of the water. Most magazines will back this up with raw data (.99g skidpad, 72mph+ slalom) but from the drivers seat, the Evo is just a blast. You can just throw the car into a corner and the yaw control will give the car a slight oversteery attitude and then it just rockets out of the corner. It really is a four-door roller coaster ride.
Additionally, although the electronics play a big role in the performance of the car, it feels very raw and organic at the same time. The steering feel is not as good as a 911 (but what is?) but while light in effort, it transfers to you everything you need to know as a driver.
Not sure what else to say on the handling--make sure when you test drive it to drive it hard and you will understand. When I have had friends drive it I would say "okay, now go into this corner 10 mph faster than you think you can take it and when you hit the apex floor it." My buddy wouldn't stop talking about how amazing it was for the rest of the night!
Interior:
I think both cars kind of suck in this department. I have only had Audi's and VW's up until now so I knew I was going to downgrade regardless so it didn't bother me either way. The STI's interior is marginally better but the seats in the Evo are much, much better. I have all the gizmos that I really wanted which include bluetooth, sat radio, and a 710 watt stereo--aside from that I don't really care. In the MR and touring models (I am unfamiliar with the trim levels in you neck of the woods) you can get leather/alcantara which makes for a pretty nice place to sit in.
One note though--the trunk in the Evo is more of a compartment and there is now pass-through into the passenger area. If you plan on hauling stuff around you are shit out of luck or get a roof rack which I had to do for my skis/road bike. Additionally, at 2,000 miles the firm suspension seems to be making the interior a little "rattlely."
Mods:
No mods yet but they will come. For the time being I have done the following:
-Rally Armor Mudflaps
-Roof rack
-Hardwired passport 8500
-Clear Lamin-X on the headlights/fogs
-18" Enkei RPF1 matte black w/ Blizzak LM-60 for winter
Soon to come:
-Clear Bra
-Cobb Acessport (I can't see myself resisting much longer)
-Eventually I will overhaul the suspension to cope with the hoosiers that I will be running in auto-x
I think thats it. Let me know if you have any more questions. I am absolutely in love with this car!
Here are the only pics I have so far:
I am detailing it today so I should have some more pictures with the new wheels soon. It looks pretty mean with the black wheels.
I recently acquired my 2010 Evo X GSR this past december after test driving dozens of cars and spending days researching and poring over reviews. My needs are somewhat unique as I wanted a car that was exciting on a day-to-day basis but could would be suitable for long distance trips. This means that it would have to have a decent stereo, basic luxuries, and be reasonably comfortable. I also plan on tracking to hell out of it (6-8 trackdays and about a dozen autocrosses a year) AND driving it up to go skiing 18-20 days a year. After much deliberation, the Evo X was able to fulfill all of these divergent goals very well. Other cars That I considered were the STI, 135i, 370Z, E46 M3, and a few others.
Styling:
Styling is subjective of course but I love how both the STI and Evo look. Those who say that there is not much differentiation between the base lancer and the Evo are flat out wrong because the Evo is significantly more "butch" looking. The boxed out fenders are immediately noticeable and add about an inch of width at all four corners. This is definitely a car that needs to be seen in person as the aggressive front end and wide stance make for a very attractive looking car.
Acceleration:
I did not get to really flog the STI but in a straight line they are very similar. The STI does have an extra half-liter of displacement but the direct injection of the Evo helps significantly. The Evo X doesn't have the explosiveness of the older ones, but that is a result of the broader torque curve of the new engine. Instead of waiting....waiting...waiting...BAM! you just get smooth power all the way to redline. I think it behaves like a really gutsy VAG 2.0T in this respect. It is pretty explosive in 1st and 2nd gears and even on the highway I can pretty much put most cars in my rearview mirror without downshifting from 5th.
So far I am really trying to hold off on engine mods. I am planning on running it in the stock class for auto-x which doesn't allow for that sort of thing anyways. I do know that an ECU flash alone bumps power to 350hp/360tq (crank) and with supporting mods (exhaust, intercooler pipe, airbox) guys are putting down 310-320 hp to the wheels pretty easily. I will likely be going this route at some point. It seems as though the stock turbo is good for a lot of power and since it spools quickly, an aftermarket turbo might not be as desirable.
Handling:
This is where the Evo blows the STI out of the water. Most magazines will back this up with raw data (.99g skidpad, 72mph+ slalom) but from the drivers seat, the Evo is just a blast. You can just throw the car into a corner and the yaw control will give the car a slight oversteery attitude and then it just rockets out of the corner. It really is a four-door roller coaster ride.
Additionally, although the electronics play a big role in the performance of the car, it feels very raw and organic at the same time. The steering feel is not as good as a 911 (but what is?) but while light in effort, it transfers to you everything you need to know as a driver.
Not sure what else to say on the handling--make sure when you test drive it to drive it hard and you will understand. When I have had friends drive it I would say "okay, now go into this corner 10 mph faster than you think you can take it and when you hit the apex floor it." My buddy wouldn't stop talking about how amazing it was for the rest of the night!
Interior:
I think both cars kind of suck in this department. I have only had Audi's and VW's up until now so I knew I was going to downgrade regardless so it didn't bother me either way. The STI's interior is marginally better but the seats in the Evo are much, much better. I have all the gizmos that I really wanted which include bluetooth, sat radio, and a 710 watt stereo--aside from that I don't really care. In the MR and touring models (I am unfamiliar with the trim levels in you neck of the woods) you can get leather/alcantara which makes for a pretty nice place to sit in.
One note though--the trunk in the Evo is more of a compartment and there is now pass-through into the passenger area. If you plan on hauling stuff around you are shit out of luck or get a roof rack which I had to do for my skis/road bike. Additionally, at 2,000 miles the firm suspension seems to be making the interior a little "rattlely."
Mods:
No mods yet but they will come. For the time being I have done the following:
-Rally Armor Mudflaps
-Roof rack
-Hardwired passport 8500
-Clear Lamin-X on the headlights/fogs
-18" Enkei RPF1 matte black w/ Blizzak LM-60 for winter
Soon to come:
-Clear Bra
-Cobb Acessport (I can't see myself resisting much longer)
-Eventually I will overhaul the suspension to cope with the hoosiers that I will be running in auto-x
I think thats it. Let me know if you have any more questions. I am absolutely in love with this car!
Here are the only pics I have so far:
I am detailing it today so I should have some more pictures with the new wheels soon. It looks pretty mean with the black wheels.
Jan 16, 2010 | 07:33 PM
#55
Teamspeed Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 371
From: Rhode Island
No problem. I also forgot to mention that the gas mileage is terrible, so if that is a concern of yours then I would stay far away. I don't care very much so it doesn't bother me.
I think I am averaging 16-17 mpg taking it easy and driving to work. A recent trip to VT for skiing with very mixed highway/backroads driving yielded 12.5 mpg. Once you start getting on it, the mpg drops precipitously.
I think I am averaging 16-17 mpg taking it easy and driving to work. A recent trip to VT for skiing with very mixed highway/backroads driving yielded 12.5 mpg. Once you start getting on it, the mpg drops precipitously.
Jan 16, 2010 | 08:58 PM
#57
Teamspeed Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 371
From: Rhode Island
That trip was a bit of an aberration, but it is pretty horrid.
One of the problems on the GSR 5-speed is that at 80 mph the engine is turning 3700-3800 rpm. During this particular trip I was cruising at around 80-90 mph on highways and had to perform a few passes on 2 lane roads. Also, I had just gotten out of the break-in period so I was definitely heavy on the throttle. Around town driving spiritedly, 14-16 mpg is to be expected.
An ECU flash supposedly helps the mileage but I am not sure how much.
I remember hearing somewhere that it is the least economical 4-cylinder car on the market. I believe it.
One of the problems on the GSR 5-speed is that at 80 mph the engine is turning 3700-3800 rpm. During this particular trip I was cruising at around 80-90 mph on highways and had to perform a few passes on 2 lane roads. Also, I had just gotten out of the break-in period so I was definitely heavy on the throttle. Around town driving spiritedly, 14-16 mpg is to be expected.
An ECU flash supposedly helps the mileage but I am not sure how much.
I remember hearing somewhere that it is the least economical 4-cylinder car on the market. I believe it.
Jan 17, 2010 | 04:25 AM
#59
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Pro
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 15,199
From: MidEast
Thank you again for your write up bro 
Now that I drove both again I am confused even more, but to tell you the truth it was not a fair comparison… It was a 300hp STi and 360hp EvoX
IMHO astatically the STi wins the interior and the Evo gets the exterior… the Evo is way to plasticy for my taste and one too many colors/material. The STi on the other hand (dare I say it) feels German like when your sitting inside… the exterior of the STi to me does not really say “get out the way MOVE!!!” as stoke. But all you need to do is look at brn996tt’s thread (https://teamspeed.com/forums/japanes...ubaru-sti.html) to see where you can go with the styling. The ExoX looks the business out of the box!!
Power delivery on the STi was much smoother than that of the EvoX but there was a 60hp difference so I cannot compare apples to apples here. But
the Evo moves
Handling is Evo Evo Evo… just point and floor it!!! The STi feels a little slow in reacting and even with the setting placed for hard driving it is soft. Nothing that cannot be fixed with springs, sways and bushings
So what am I saying… I dono
if someone here has an STi and has the time to put together a short write up I would really appreciated.
H
Now that I drove both again I am confused even more, but to tell you the truth it was not a fair comparison… It was a 300hp STi and 360hp EvoX
IMHO astatically the STi wins the interior and the Evo gets the exterior… the Evo is way to plasticy for my taste and one too many colors/material. The STi on the other hand (dare I say it) feels German like when your sitting inside… the exterior of the STi to me does not really say “get out the way MOVE!!!” as stoke. But all you need to do is look at brn996tt’s thread (https://teamspeed.com/forums/japanes...ubaru-sti.html) to see where you can go with the styling. The ExoX looks the business out of the box!!
Power delivery on the STi was much smoother than that of the EvoX but there was a 60hp difference so I cannot compare apples to apples here. But
the Evo movesHandling is Evo Evo Evo… just point and floor it!!! The STi feels a little slow in reacting and even with the setting placed for hard driving it is soft. Nothing that cannot be fixed with springs, sways and bushings
So what am I saying… I dono
if someone here has an STi and has the time to put together a short write up I would really appreciated.H
