Why I Bought And Love My Mitsubishi Evo, A Retort From My Dad

(Last week, I reviewed the Mitsubishi Evo MR because my Dad has one and wanted my thoughts on it. Guess what? He didn't completely agree with my assessment. This is his opinion of his daily driver. – T.O.)

When I was ready to sell my VW Golf R32, I decided to start looking for either a BMW M3 or a 330xi to replace it. The problem was that there were no used ones out there with low enough mileage for me to consider a purchase. I briefly thought about an Audi S4, but it was too "old mannish" and the steering is numb. Not for me.

I considered a new Subaru WRX STI, but I had a very modified WRX wagon before the Golf and the interior of the new STI wasn't doing it for me. Since 2012 was supposedly the last year for the Evo, I decided to get a fully loaded Evo MR. You only live once.

I definitely think the Evo is worth the money. Everything under the skin is pure quality. You get BBS wheels, Brembo brakes, floating rotors, Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs, Getrag double clutch trans, very sophisticated all-wheel drive, and those excellent Recaro seats. Like most good things they cost a lot. That's why the car is expensive.

I like the way it looks inside and out. I do agree that the wheel needs to be smaller and Alcantara, it's a missed opportunity. The seats are also perfect for someone of my size and build. Sure it falls flat on its face when you try to accelerate from low revs in 6th. Did you try downshifting, Travis? That typically helps you accelerate.

As for the ride, well, you got it all wrong. The suspension for a daily driver is spot on. In fact I find it under damped at high speeds. It has a lot of travel, like a rally car should. That helps with these winter roads. At least you were right about the handling. When you overcook it, you're magically saved every single time.

I really like the dual clutch gearbox, but would have bought the car with a six-speed manual if Mitsubishi offered one. Sure it's slower, but it would have also been more fun. And yeah, the car doesn't really sound that great, but a quiet car keeps you under the radar. I don't rev the bejeezus out of it either since I own this car and take care of it. Also, I'm not a kid, so I don't need huge coffee can sized exhausts out the back to make a bunch of stupid noise and attract a bunch of attention from high schoolers.

The problems? Well, the side mirrors are huge, which makes for a big blindspot. It's annoying and dangerous. The dealers I've dealt with are crap, although I can't really blame them when the best selling car they have is a crossover that is more boring than plain yogurt. Mitsubishi dealers are the mattress salespeople of the car world. The paint also chips very easily. I'm averaging 22 MPG, which is pretty appalling.

Oh, and stupid kids in WRXs always want to race. I don't want to race you. Is my Evo perfect? No. But it's a comfortable, well equipped ride that is a perfect daily driver for someone that wants to go fast and sometimes take a few others along for the ride. I love it.