| Week at the Wheel | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ-400 |

Inside & Out:

The Evo FQ-400 looks very Japanese. We'd never think of it as a great looking car, but the narrow, grimaced headlamps and the sharp, busy lines at the front look like something out of a manga comic book. Things are more sedate at the rear, with the exception of the serious spoiler and air diffuser.

Sadly, the interior is also very Japanese. That nation's car makers aren't renowned for building vehicles with particularly exciting cabins and the Mitsubishi is no exception. It's not short of standard equipment - and the leather and Alcantara seats are a nice touch - but the perceived quality of the plastics is well below par and the pedals, gear knob and handbrake lever make the Evo look like it's just escaped a smash and grab at Halfords.

Engine & Transmission:

This is where the Evo earns its keep. Squeezing 403bhp from a 2.0-litre engine by way of a massive HKS turbocharger among other methods is not easy, but Mitsubishi has pulled it off. Pop the bonnet and you're met with a network of pipes and an endless amount of shiny metal - all of which seems to count towards the Evo X's monstrous power. It's a far cry from most plastic-covered modern engine bays.

Turn the ignition key and the four-cylinder unit rasps into life and quickly settles into a deep buzz at tick-over. The five-speed gearbox has a firm, meaty action, as do the pedals.

There's no disputing the fact that the FQ-400 is insanely fast: 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and 155mph flat out. You really have to look to supercars and stripped-down Caterham-style specials to find equivalent acceleration on four wheels - it's almost too quick to exploit on the road.

The Mitsubishi is not easy work though, as you have to balance the throttle and clutch just right to avoid bogging down with significant turbo lag and the weight of the four-wheel drive system. Get it right, and nothing else will come close.

Ride & Handling:

It's a precision tool, the Evo. While it's not as entertaining or engaging as a great hot hatch, it's incredibly accurate and highly responsive. There could be more in the way of feedback from the steering, but then it probably wouldn't be as crisp or precise. Grip is seemingly limitless - thank the four-wheel drive system, Gran Turismo style driving aids and sticky Toyo tyres for that.

The ride is really rather harsh though. You're very aware of what's going on at tarmac level, but the undulations are passed into the cabin rather than through the steering wheel. It can become quite uncomfortable when you're gunning it over rough surfaces.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

It's very fast and impressive, but £50,799 is too much money for this car. We appreciate the huge power and the engineering effort that's gone into making the FQ-400 and understand that such technology doesn't come cheap. Equally, there's quite a bit of equipment inside - such as the neat reversing camera in the rear view mirror - but those leather seats are still a £1,500 option.

While the Ford Focus RS500 is admittedly sold out, it is built from far sterner stuff, it's more of a giggle and it's a lot easier to live with than this Evo. It also cost £15,000 less in the showroom.

Overall:

The technical prowess and sheer power of the Evo FQ-400 are mindboggling. It's truly exceptional at what it does and if it was the only hyper saloon/hatch out there then it would get away with it - but it's not.

The renowned Focus RS500 isn't as quick off the mark, but it does everything else better. There are also numerous Imprezas and even a host of more affordable and more sensible Evos snapping at the FQ-400's heels. At that price, with crippling running costs (19.9mpg and 328g/km) and the plastic interior, it's hard to recommend. We're glad that such cars exist, but realistically, the FQ-400's days are numbered. Bring on the forthcoming hybrid version.