How It Drives
The 291-horsepower Evo’s super-intelligent all-wheel drive (appropriately named Super All-Wheel Control) gives this compact sedan the handling chops of a dedicated track car. Over the years, we’ve track-tested the Evo on fast road courses like Wisconsin’s Road America and most recently a tight autocross course. The Evolution’s all-wheel drive almost telepathically distributes power to the wheels with the most traction to keep the Evo’s nose digging into corners, while also rotating the car around turns with the freeness of a rear-wheel-drive system. Helping the task are standard Yokohama Advan summer-only tires, precise and lightning-quick steering, plus an aggressively tuned suspension, but the all-wheel drive is key.
MR trims have an edge over GSR models: Its factory pieces read like the spec sheet of a custom show car, not a production sports sedan. The more aggressive suspension tuning comes courtesy of Bilstein, which provides the MR’s dampers, and Eibach, which makes the springs. Additionally, all four corners have less weight to turn thanks to lighter wheels supplied by BBS and lighter brake rotors for the Brembo braking system. (GSR models have Brembo brakes as well, just with a heavier brake rotor.)
The Evo has little forgiveness as a daily driver, however, with the harsh suspension’s choppy ride quality a constant reminder of its performance credentials. You won’t find adjustable suspension firmness or various driving modes — it’s all sport mode all the time. Compelling alternatives are the lightweight, rear-wheel-drive Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S, which are essentially the same car. Stay with us a second; we know the Evo will destroy the twins in just about every performance area, but it’s the BRZ and FR-S’ capable chassis and precise steering and handling that are reminiscent of the Evo. Those cars offer a playful package with 50/50 street/track friendliness, compared with the Evo’s 20/80 breakdown.
We compare the Evo GSR with Cars.com’s Subaru BRZ long-term tester in more depth here.
While the suspension reminds drivers of its track capability, the lack of a six-speed manual transmission is a sign of the car’s old age. A tightly geared five-speed manual transmission runs the GSR’s turbocharged, 2.0-liter engine well above 3,000 rpm at 70 mph in 5th gear. The five-speed trans and standard all-wheel drive suck the life from its gas mileage, with ratings of 17/23/19 mpg city/highway/combined for the GSR, and 17/22/19 mpg for the six-speed automatic — similar to the STI’s 17/23/19 mpg but less than the 135i’s 20/28/23 mpg with a manual transmission and the BRZ’s 22/30/25 mpg with a manual.
Even with a gear selected to race the engine, the lights are out and no one is home until that magic mark around 3,000 rpm where the power pours on and the Evo rockets off in a wonderment of turbo whistle, gear whine and exhaust noise. The Evo is otherwise a bear to drive, with a stiff clutch pedal and a heavy shifter that don’t mesh well until it’s time to get the lead out.
