Road Test: 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR
BY SHERYLL ALEXANDER
I didn’t realize that I was driving a kinda famous car until my neighbor Andy Giraud showed up at my door. “Is that your car?” he asked rather excitedly, pointing to the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR parked on our street.
“For this week,” I responded. “Do you know what that IS?” says Andy, who is a professional auto photojournalist (www.AndyGphoto.com). “Well,” I begin, ”I had the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart last week and they say this one is even better.”
| I’ve driven lots of cars, but I’ve never driven anything like this super-tuned sports car with its 2.0 liter turbocharged engine with I-4/6-speed paddle shift transmission and an extremely technical suspension system.
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Andy looks at me crazy. I start getting nervous. What have I done as an ignorant lifestyles writer to piss off a real auto guy? Oh geez. Not again.
After a few more rounds of he-can’t-believe-I’m-so-stupid conversation, I learn that the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR is considered a way cool street-worthy sports car.
Andy was delighted to inform me and he was even happier to hear we were taking it on a road trip the very next day (it just happened to be Valentine’s Day) from our street in Costa Mesa to Central California’s Paso Robles wine country.
The mission possible plan was to drive the Evolution MR to Kettleman City in the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley and meet my five-year-old daughter’s grandparents in a McDonald’s parking lot for the all-important kid drop off. Then, my lovely mother and I happily take the Evolution MR through scenic Highway 41 and Highway 46 west to downtown Paso Robles for a drink and some grub.
Valentine’s Day morning in Southern California was absolutely gorgeous when we pulled the 2009 Mitsubishi Evolution MR out of the driveway and onto the ever-crowded 5 Freeway north. While sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the Evolution MR’s bucket seats were already hurting my too-thick thighs. I sighed and wondered why I was taking a hot sports car on a family road trip.
It wasn’t until we started the ascent through The Grapevine that I began appreciating the Evolution MR’s almost unbelievable driving dynamics. I’ve driven lots of cars, but I’ve never driven anything like this super-tuned sports car with its 2.0 liter turbocharged engine with I-4/6-speed paddle shift transmission and an extremely technical suspension system. Some other impressive Evolution MR stats is this sports car costs just $42,000, gets 291 hp, has 300 lb-ft. of torque at 4500 rpm and weighs a hefty 3,800 pounds.
What does this all mean? The 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR is a kick ass car to drive. In fact, the Evolution MR may have been the best drive EVER, especially around curvy highways, up mountain passes, down steep grades and through fast freeway traffic.
Still, it wasn’t until we left my euphoric daughter in the back seat of her grandparent’s Cadillac at Kettleman City and started blissfully kid-less on our trip through wine country that I completely fell in love with the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR.
With bright blue skies and puffy white clouds, we flew down Highway 41 with green hills on each side. Good-looking cows munched on green grass as gray clouds started forming and light rain started falling. The Evolution MR and its fancy all-wheel-drive technology and finely-tuned engine stood up to every wet curve with heart-thumping grace and style.
And speaking of style, the interior of the Evolution MR also made me swoon. The super minimalist interior with great textures, cool infotainment screen, bumping Rockford Fosgate sound system and built-in steering wheel controls is a road trip dream come true.
Outside, the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR doesn’t look like a famous sports car at first glance, but up close you realize the totally cool wheels, rims, front grille, hood vents, bumpers and huge rear spoiler.
While eating really good steak fajitas and drinking beer at Paso Robles Inn’s Cattleman’s Lounge, I talked to my savvy mother about the Evolution MR’s driving dynamics. Sitting in the passenger seat, she said the ride was super smooth and seemed effortless (although the racy Recaro seats made her butt hurt). I agreed completely at her assessment.
Little did I know, while taking bites of a delicious blueberry bread pudding with fresh berries and lemon crema, that the best part of the trip was yet to come.
Rolling down Highway 101 south with the lights growing ever more dim, I got into a rhythm driving the Evolution MR. It was a kind of meditation as the Evolution MR took each and every curve with romantic ease and, at the same time, passionate power. Thanks for the Valentine memories, Evolution MR!
Next weekend, Sheryll and her mother are taking a 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 Grand Touring back to Paso Robles to stop at some of San Luis Obispo County’s wineries. For road trip information on California’s wine countries, visit www.landofwineandfood.com.
Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, California.
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