Our 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X MR is one of my current favorites in our fleet...OK, it's actually my number one fave. I like it over the Audi R8 and Nissan GT-R because it's accessible, fun and easy to drive, and not intimidating. In fact, I feel like I have room to improve with this car, like although it's fun to drive now, it'll be even more fun when I improve my driving skills. The supercars, on the other hand, feel like you really should already know what you're doing when you jump in their driver seat, especially because a screw up in there could be costly.
The only shortcoming I found in our Evo X MR is that it has a really large turning radius. At 38.7 feet, it's the largest among the Mazdaspeed 3 (36.1), VW R32 (35.7) and the Subie Impreza WRX (34.8). And therefore it really makes me nervous when I have to make a U-turn in an intersection, even when the intersection has an island. Usually if there are cars waiting on my left, I just make a left turn and find a nonbusy spot to turn around on. On the average street, my U-turns in the Evo inevitably wind up three-point turns.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 5,570 miles
lvranger says:
10:42 AM, 11/ 3/08
Too bad its AWD not RWD. A little wheelspin considerably shortens your turning circle... and your tires lifespan.
benson2175 says:
11:15 AM, 11/ 3/08
Pull the hand brake mid way, that works too.
dougtheeng says:
11:43 AM, 11/ 3/08
u-turns should be illegal everywhere.
bimmerjay says:
01:03 PM, 11/ 3/08
"u-turns should be illegal everywhere."
In California, our intersections almost always have protected lefts, and with our divided roadways, the U-turn is a staple here (you often cannot make unprotected left turns on major roads). It's perfectly safe to do them at a protected left and very, very common here.
autoboy16 says:
01:08 PM, 11/ 3/08
Same in miami with the islands and divided highways and whatnot. But I can make a U turn in our expedition with no problem and I don't recall having to make a 3pointer other than a turn around on a neighborhood street like all cars would need... Are Cali streets that compact!?
-Cj
autoboy16 says:
01:10 PM, 11/ 3/08
BTW, 28.7 feet isn't that big. I see plenty of people with Dually's, and even some cars with 40ft turning circles like Maximas, TLs, TSXs, etc make U turns with ease.
-Cj
slickersdrip says:
02:02 PM, 11/ 3/08
My SRT-4 has a 41 foot turning radius. I'd have better luck in a U turn with a freight train.
leesh991 says:
03:12 PM, 11/ 3/08
If you were driving the M3 you can have all the goodies plus RWD and your u-turn problem solved!
huyracing says:
03:43 PM, 11/ 3/08
big turning radius is a byproduct of quick steering racks... and there are no fancy variable rate steering racks on the evo.
carlisimo says:
06:43 PM, 11/ 3/08
That's one thing I love about my Miata... quick steering rack and a turning circle close to 30ft. My girlfriend's RSX is closer to 40ft, and the TSX is bad too.
carlisimo says:
06:44 PM, 11/ 3/08
Grrr lack of edit.
I think it happens mostly with FWD cars that have tight engine bays and wide tires.
greenpony says:
08:02 PM, 11/ 5/08
"Usually if there are cars waiting on my left, I just make a left turn and find a nonbusy spot to turn around on." That, of course, is the safe way to do it. But in this world of expected expediency, we're all in a hurry to get wherever we're going 60 seconds sooner. The result? U-turns. At least complain about parking-lot maneuverability.
I saw this lady in a Charger last weekend trying to back out of a parking space in a sparsely-populated Kohl's parking lot. She made it into a seven-point adventure, never coming closer than eight feet to the parked vehicles behind her.
alifya says:
04:01 PM, 12/13/08
Well, jeez, greenpony, at least she didn't try to do it in as few points as possible and end up hitting a bunch of parked vehicles.