Subaru Impreza v Mitsubishi Evo – Power to the people

Two legends of the rally stage also make for democratically enjoyable road cars: the Subaru Impreza Turbo and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.

If you, like me, watched the World Rally Championship during the 1990s, there are few sights more rousing in your rear-view mirror than a stickered-up Mitsubishi Evo Tommi Mäkinen Edition at maximum attack. Especially when it’s framed by the blue wing (and underpinned by the flat-four thrum) of a Subaru Impreza. They’re both undisputable legends, and experiencing either would be enough of an event today. Getting both together on the same stretch – with the hungry soundtrack of turbos spooling – feels like a jump back in time to a generation-defining moment in automotive history.

Throughout the late 1980s, 200bhp was the sign of a serious high-performance car. The final roadgoing evolutions of Group A motorsport-derived legends such as the Lancia Delta HF Integrale, Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and BMW’s E30 M3 all peaked just above that magic figure. As the 1980s evolved into the 1990s, more mainstream cars were regularly topping 200bhp, and the goalposts for what constituted a genuinely fast car shifted towards the 250bhp mark.

While this barrier had been surpassed by more exotic machinery, a new breed of affordable, giant-slaying Japanese rally weapons was on the horizon. Not only were they unspeakably quick, they were easy to drive and genuinely affordable. Subaru’s Impreza officially came to the UK in 1994 and changed the face of performance cars forever. This compact saloon did everything an Integrale could – both on and off a rally stage – while offering Japanese reliability and build quality. More importantly, it did it at a price that the Europeans couldn’t match.

Although the Impreza Turbo’s power output started out at 205bhp when it arrived on these shores, the Japanese market had already been enjoying a more potent 240bhp WRX STi model since 1992, and it had a lot more to give. The combination of a long waiting list for UK-market Impreza Turbos – especially as McRae fever swept through the country – plus the desire for some of the hotter Japanese versions led quickly to an influx of grey imports. It was big business at the time, with countless importers selling sufficient numbers of new and nearly new cars direct from Japan to unsettle the official Subaru importer, International Motors. So much so, in fact, that IM sanctioned its own ‘official’ higher-performance editions – including the RB5 and P1 – to combat the issue.

I could spend all day explaining the Impreza’s many different incarnations, but what we have here is a (deep breath) WRX STi Type RA Version 6 Limited, which was a model sold exclusively in Japan and is in effect the final and most evolved version produced by Subaru. The Type RA was developed initially as a lightweight, stripped-out model to be bought and used for motorsport, although by the time the Version 6 was sold, Subaru had cottoned on that it was being bought by many for road use. This one belongs to photographer Jayson Fong, who loves them so much he bought a pair of RAs (one early, one late) in 2021. He had learned to drive in Imprezas when he lived in Australia.

Imprezas were genuinely street furniture when I was growing up in the Northern Hemisphere, too, yet spying this gorgeous example arrive at our meeting point in the Sussex hills is a stark reminder of just how few you see on the roads these days. Especially cars as tidy and original as this one. The Version 6, the last of the GC Imprezas, features adjustable DCCD (Driver’s Control Centre Differential), which gives the option of a 70:30 front:rear torque split or a 50:50 locked mode. There are a quick steering rack, close-ratio five-speed gearbox, lightweight 16in alloys, blue seats… The list goes on, but the most important bit of kit that makes the RA unique (and identifiable) is the WRC-style roof scoop. The 276bhp engine and stiffened suspension were all standard STi items, but the RA was also lightened via the deletion of unnecessary sound deadening, and there’s no ABS, although these later examples came with air-conditioning.

The Impreza’s arch nemesis on the rally stages was always Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution, with a certain Finnish driver by the name of Tommi Mäkinen behind the wheel. With no official imports of the earlier Evolutions, the Mitsubishi was rather more under-the-radar as a road car, at least initially, though it was always considerably closer to the WRC car in feel. The original Lancer Evo I was launched for the Japanese market in 1992, boasting 244bhp from its turbocharged inline four-cylinder ‘4G63’ engine, as well as a permanent four-wheel-drive set-up. Upgraded and numbered evolutions arrived each year; as with the Impreza, figuring out the differences can be quite a challenge.

The most significant step-change in the Evo’s progression came with the introduction of an all-new Lancer platform in 1996 – ushering in the Evo IV. By then, power (delivered by the same basic power unit, though spun through 180º) had been boosted to 276bhp, but the four-wheel-drive system was considerably more sophisticated. The top-spec GSR models introduced the Evo’s best feature: Active Yaw Control. Not only does that sound cool, it monitors the car’s longitudinal angle, speed and grip levels thanks to various sensors, and diverts the engine’s torque to each rear wheel for optimal slip angle. That makes it incredibly good fun and easy to drive at the limit. Torque vectoring might be commonplace today, but it was genuinely ground-breaking at the time.

Perhaps the perfect match for the RA has just pulled up at our meeting point, one of the first officially UK-imported Evos: a 2000 VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition. This was the final and most-developed version of that generation of Lancer and arguably the most recognisable Evo full stop. It was also the last car to compete in the WRC under Group A rules. By this point, it was still officially developing 276bhp (the figure set by the Japanese manufacturers’ gentlemen’s agreement), although there’s a sneaking suspicion that the figure was really a tad higher.

The Impreza is not subtle, but it’s positively understated in comparison to the TME. As if the Evo’s big adjustable wing, deep chin spoiler, wide arches and gaping bumper grille feeding a gigantic intercooler weren’t quite noticeable enough, the TME was offered in this WRC-emulating colour scheme, too. This example belongs to a former Octane colleague, IT specialist Chris Short, who very much played a part in getting us through many of the earlier of our 250 issues. He’s owned this very presentable example for more than 15 years, and I fondly remember hearing it pull into the Octane and evo office car park. It lives a bit more of a pampered life after some restoration work in recent years, but it was used as his daily driver and part-time family car for much of that time.

Chris has looked after this car and, although it’s almost completely standard, it’s had a few minor tweaks over the years, one of which is an aftermarket exhaust, which certainly adds to the rally car vibe. Let’s face it, you’d be disappointed if a bright red, stickered-up Evo – wearing the initials of the driver that used one to win four WRC Championships – didn’t make a little bit of noise…

The Impreza’s arch nemesis on the rally stages was always Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution

The Impreza’s arch nemesis on the rally stages was always Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution

I’m buzzing with excitement to experience both today, and find myself behind the wheel of the Impreza first. People often criticised its interior in-period for being dull, and, while it’s hardly the most inspiring place to sit, the instant that flat-four fires into life I honestly couldn’t care less. Jayson gestures that I should open the roof flap for the photos, which makes us all giggle as it pops up.

Out on the road, the RA immediately feels settled. I was expecting the suspension to feel a little on the firm side, but it’s just about perfect for this environment. Although the red-line is apparently close to 8000rpm, there’s really no need to rev out so far. It delivers its power with a big gut-punch of torque from about 2500rpm, and continues to hit hard right through the mid-range up to about 6000. Thanks to the close-ratio gearbox, it’s rather effective at building speed, and the notorious Subaru burble makes the experience all the more entertaining.

The roads are cold and damp, but the Impreza just digs in and grips. There’s definitely a little more playfulness to the chassis than the P1 I drove last year (see Octane 240), but the overriding feeling of security is the same. There’s so much mechanical grip – helped in this case by a set of fresh Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres – that it encourages you to push harder through each corner. There’s plenty of feel to the weighty steering, and the incredibly short and tight gearshift makes accelerating through the ratios feel almost seamless. Its drivetrain feels rugged, but at 1260kg the Impreza is impressively lightweight for something with four-wheel drive, four doors and four seats.

The longer I drive the Subaru, the more it all comes together. It’s devastatingly effective as a driver’s car and hugely rewarding, too. As I catch another glimpse of the red Evo through the frame of the Subaru’s blue rear wing, I decide it’s time to sample the competition.

Chris is equally enthused when we stop, and even jokes that the sight of the RA’s roof scoop in his rear-view mirror is particularly menacing. I swap into the Evo, which offers similarly little in the way of interior beauty. The Recaro seats look smart, though, and offer a slightly better driving position than the Impreza for my long legs.

We could all identify the sound of an Impreza from a mile away and, although the Evo sounds more conventional, there’s a crisp, metallic tingle to its engine note that is almost as distinctive. The power delivery is a lot more progressive, too, and although boost takes a while to come in, once you hit 3000rpm it’s a real powerhouse, pulling strongly beyond 7000rpm. It sounds good, and the vocal turbo elicits a broad grin.

They’re both very close in age, but the Evo feels a little more modern, and a big part of that is the super-quick steering. It gives the car a far more agile-feeling front end, and combines with the AYC for superb response in corners. There’s a familiarity between the two cars in the way both feel well tied-down, with an extra bit of magic to the Evo’s dynamism. It’s sharper, every bit as engaging, but it never feels nervous. I honestly don’t want to give the keys back.

Although the limited-run Tommi Mäkinen edition is particularly sought-after, all Mitsubishi Evos have become significantly more expensive over the last five years. Whereas they were once seen as some of the most affordable ‘supercar killers’ out there, like so many from the glory years of Japanese performance cars, they are now being bought and cherished by enthusiasts. The unique way in which both these cars deal with wet and bumpy British B-roads is still incredible, which is why I’m glad that these cars’ owners are still using them as intended.

The Evo’s day in the spotlight came a little later than the Subaru’s as a road car, simply because it was harder to get hold of, but it was pretty much the fastest point-to-point car you could buy at the time, and it developed a real cult following – more so after official imports began. The Impreza’s mark, however, was far bigger and endures today, long after Subaru stopped rallying. This was confirmed by Jayson, who explained that when he took this car on a trip to Edinburgh recently he was swamped by love from the locals who still have fond memories of the McRae era.

There’s no denying that both still feel quick, but there’s so much more to the driving experience than pure speed. There’s a real mechanical purity to the Impreza – it feels old-school, but in the most brilliant way possible. The Evo is not only massively impressive, but engaging in a way that more modern performance cars simply can’t match.

While many might have predicted that the Impreza and Evo would become more valuable as time went on, they forged their legacies when they were genuine working-class heroes. The good news is that, if you avoid the most collectable versions (which these two inevitably are), there are still some affordable, fun and unrepeatable experiences to be had for very little money. Swot up on your JDM knowledge, and have one of the best performance car heroes money can buy.

2000 Subaru Impreza WRX Type RA STi Version 6 Limited specifications

2000 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition specifications