Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ-360 GSR 4dr Car Review - March 2012

The Evo X FQ-360 GSR is a fine handling car, offering masses of grip and a finely balanced four-wheel-drive chassis. The ride may be a little too firm for those who are used to driving a luxury saloon, but feedback through the wheel is excellent. Rear visibility is slightly compromised by the spoiler, but as you'll be the fastest thing on the road, there'll be little need to check your rear-view mirror anyway. The driver's seat is comfortable and offers plenty of support, but does suffer for not having height adjustment.

The Evo's 2.0 litre engine propels the car from 0-62mph in a lightning-fast 4.1 seconds, which puts the Evo in the same class as supercars costing five times as much. Top speed is a limited 155mph, and, although this is a car which was designed to perform on rally stages, the cabin is actually relatively quiet and serene when compared with its predecessor.

The huge air intake dominates the front end of the Evo X FQ-360 GSR, with a narrow grille that is flanked by an aggressive set of headlights. The beefy lines and large wheel arches add to the image of the rally car, and the spoiler and twin exhausts also hint at the car's rallying pedigree. Inside the car the steering wheel is large and chunky, and the dials are clear and easy to read, with the cabin feeling very comfortable and the Recaro bucket seats also improving the quality of the interior.

The Evo X FQ-360 GSR comes with a good level of equipment, with alloy wheels, leather Recaro seats, satellite navigation and Bluetooth connectivity all included as standard, with climate control also helping to ensure that the cabin is comfortable.

With the level of power that is available from the 2.0 litre engine, it is natural that there are a lot of driver aids to help channel that power safely on to the road, which also helps to keep the driver and occupants safe. The Lancer Evo also comes with an array of airbags.

The Lancer is a fairly practical car, with a decent amount of space in the rear and in the boot.

Mitsubishi has an excellent reputation for reliability and is offered with a three year unlimited mileage warranty with service intervals every 10,000 miles.

With a list price of £37,799, the Evo X FQ-360 GSR will be out of many people's price range and with other Evo Xs costing little more than £30k, many buyers will be tempted by the lower power models. On the other hand, £37,799 for a car which accelerates from 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds could be considered the bargain of the century.

Running the car is also very expensive, with the 2.0 litre engine delivering an average 19.9mpg. Insurance costs will be extortionate, but the Lancer Evolution does hold its value very well. With CO2 emissions of 256g/km, the Evo X falls under the highest VED band M but if you're looking to spend the best part of £40k on a high-performance rally car, low CO2 emissions are unlikely to be high on your list of priorities.