What you see and feel will be influenced by which Evo you choose. (Actually, you might never guess it was a car at all until I took off the blindfold.) Aside from the Recaro racing seats and some trim bits, the Evo's tourist-class interior is virtually identical to lesser Lancers.

If I blindfolded you and sat you down in the Evo's cabin, you'd never guess this was a performance car. It's almost hard to believe these two are related, but they are, at least in terms of the body - though in character, the two cars are about as similar as Dean Martin and Ice Cube. The aesthetics are, I think, quite nice the flared fenders, aggressive front end and restyled taillights separate it from the frumpy work-a-day Lancer. And underneath it all is an all-wheel-drive system and a suspension as firm as Frank's handshake that gives the Evo it's seemingly impossible grip on the road. Behind the holes in the hood resides the intercooler that helps give the Lancer it's blinding speed, while the big red brake calipers peeking out from behind lightweight wheels make the Evo's deceleration just as impressive. Virtually every piece you see on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX - the hood scoops, the minimalist wheels, the hug-you-like-your-mother seats - everything (with the possible exception of the trunk spoiler) contributes to make the Lancer Evolution IX a frighteningly fast car. Don't let appearances fool you: The Evo 9 isn't just some tarted-up subcompact. But skilled hands can play it like a Baldwin Grand. It's not for novices if you light a fire under the Evo's cauldron, you'd better know what to do when it boils. This is one of the meanest, fastest, most capable cars you can buy, with the power and agility to embarrass exoticars twice (or thrice) its price. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX (Evo 9 to its friends) is like Frank Sinatra: So talented that it can get away with behaving badly.

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