Has anyone gone from an EVO X to a BRZ? (EVO X vs BRZ)
 

I'm only asking because I'm thinking of going from a BRZ to an EVO, my first car was an 04 Accord K24 (pretty slow) my second car is my current car, this BRZ. I'm familiar with the WRX's and STI's I have friends who have them, but IDK I really fell in love with the EVO X, but I know nothing about them. Obviously they are two different cars but does anyone have any stories of coming from an EVO to a BRZ or vice versa? I don't think I'll sell my BRZ for one but I know someday down the line I will have an EVO, so thanks.

It's not an EVO to BRZ story, but I think it's still pretty close to home. A friend of mine went from an EVO to an S2000, and he has not regretted it one bit. He loves the 'feel' of driving and speed, and his one major gripe with the EVO was that you just didn't get that feeling with it, and I have to agree. Having driven his EVO, it was certainly fast, but there was a certain disconnect between car and driver.

If you're a raw power / grip diver, and you don't really care about much else, then you will love the EVO. You will definitely not get that fun, nimbly, and connected feedback though as you would with the 86 platform and an S2000.

The EVO was on my list of potential buys last year when I was searching for a new car, but I ended up buying an FR-S, because awesome :thumbup:

My wife drives an STi and I have a BRZ (again). Two totally different worlds and driving experiences. You can push a BRZ closer to it's limit than you would and EVO/STi. A BRZ (generally) is not going to spit you off the asphalt into a tree. The difference in power of course is substantial, difference in handling, difference in grip, difference in driving experience. Everything really. A BRZ to me, is just more fun to drive, it's a better driving experience.

Before I just picked up my BRZ I was looking for something to jump from my Outback to. The local dealer got an EVO MR and I thought that was it. Boy was I wrong. From the outside, they look really cool. The interior though is so inferior to what Subaru provides it's not even funny. Especially compared to my wifes 2017 STi. The drive was fun, but I couldn't justify all that money on something that didn't fulfill everything I wanted.

Also - watch the insurance. I shopped 2014 Cayman, M3, Panamera V6, Panamera V8, 2014 EVO MR and the 2016 BRZ. Interestingly, the Cayman was the cheapest, followed by the BRZ. The EVO was more expensive, about 200 more a year than the Panamera V8...Something worth considering. If you're considering an EVO X, I would strongly, strongly recommend looking at a 2017 STi/STi LTD.

Thanks for the replies, when I'm in a position to buy another car I should definitely test drive one. My feelings towards the EVO are strictly based on cosmetic and specs, I've never sat in one let alone drive it. Thanks again guys.

I went from an Evo X to a BRZ. The X was way more practical, but the BRZ is more enjoyable. If there's anything in particular that you're curious about, let me know.

This exactly. I came from an evo 8 to the FRS. Now I own a wrx and while I love the car I miss the FRS often.

FRS to Evo X MR back to a BRZ. Only thing you may miss is the power.
Evo was a very impractical car. There's another thread similar to this where I posted my experience, however I'll list a few:

Driving feeling is numb
Interior quality aside from the wheel, seats and shifter is crap
Tiny gas tank + poor mpg is really annoying
Smaller trunk than twins and no fold down seats
Eats consumables
Takes a lot of money to get more power from the Evo

I miss the power, but a turbo or super charged twin is sooo much more fun.
From what I've experienced it's more similar to an RX7.
(Which I had for a couple years) I'm holding out on boosting my brz until I can do it right! :)

Completely different cars, driving styles, cost of admission, cost of maintenance...

When I worked for HKS I would quite often hop out of the FR-S (320 whp) and into my X (380 awhp) and these two cars are just too different for me to begin to accurately compare.

S&S: The FR-S reminds me of a tossable toy. Basic. Raw. No frills.
The X feels more substantial/serious. Bigger. Heavier. Planted. Faster.

I actually sold my brz for an EVO X and just sold the evo for a 10 series last week:

Had a cobbs stage 3 package, lowered, blah blah.

I agree a lot with what @GTHachiRoku said, EG:
1. Its impractical, althought its a large 4 door i cant even put the rear seats down cause the battery is back in the trunk for weight distribution...
2. The car does feel a bit "numb" in the sense that when I turn/shift in the BRZ it feels like a little racecar. The evo doesnt. Theres body roll, its huge, shifting is blah but I could take any corner in that evo and it would just work. Didnt feel like it should work, but it always magically did lol.
3. Gets half the MPG the 10 series does.
4. Interior is bad
5. Maintenance isnt cheap
6. insurance was twice as much as my frs

I know it sounds like im kind of dogging on the evo but it wasnt all bad, its nice to have 4 doors, have shit load of torque, AWD, SSS package, it was a good car. However, were we want to be at financially I told myself I need to make a sacrifice and without hesitation I cut the evo. Will I ever buy another one? Nah, Id rather boost the FRS and buy another daily, but with that said Im not upset I bought the evo.

http://i.imgur.com/Hi17mQ5.jpg

Ha ha And I went EVO 8->FR-S->WRX->(now getting back into a BRZ). :bellyroll:

The WRX is essentially the same as the EVO in regard to the draw backs and advantages...

ha, thats awesome. Its hard to beat the all around package you get with these cars for the price.

This is a fairly accurate description, they are completely different cars. I had an Evo X before my BRZ and I loved it too bits, as a point to point car nothing would come close. Even in poor weather conditions nothing seemed to challenge it except snow, all though that could have been my driving.

The keys things the Evo excels at over the BRZ is the power, brakes and the bucket seats.

However the Evo isn't even close to the BRZ for drive dynamics and feel, he'll no other car I've driven feels as good. Would I buy another Evo X maybe, would I buy another BRZ definitely and I'm on my second BRZ.

Depend on what you need out of a car, if you have no need for practicality keep the BRZ and go FI.

Here a picture of my X, mine's the blue one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_2596.jpg

I'll say this. I have been working on a 15 Sti for the past few months. Beyond aggravating and annoying to work on! Zero space! Just getting the turbo inlet pipe changed is an all day job trying to get the manifold off... It sucks. If ur one who enjoys working on your brz don't try working on an Sti or evo. Just a head ups the brz is the simplest and easier car I have ever worked on.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...pse4b194a4.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...psf564e7c2.jpg

HKS 8262 turbo
HKS R-Type I/C kit
HKS SSQV IV BOV
HKS Racing Suction intake
HKS GT Extension (DP)
Custom test pipe
HKS Hi-Power exhaust
HKS EVC VI boost controller
HKS turbo timer
HKS DMR
HKS OB-Link
ID1000 injectors
DW 65c fuel pump
HKS Hipermax IV GT suspension
Advan RS-D 18 x 9.5 +25
Advan Neova AD08R 255/40-18
Tuned by Rob at Kaizen Tuning (93 oct.)

378hp@7300
360ft/lb@4000

Daily driven for 56,000+ miles so far

Does an Evo X really need a turbo timer or did the aftermarket turbo necessitate it?

"Need" is a debatable topic on any water cooled ball bearing turbo and the first argument tends to be, "but OEMs don't use them..."

Does HKS recommend them? Of course, they make & sell turbo timers.

There was definitely more of a "need" for them back before water cooled bb turbos were the standard, but they certainly can't do any harm. And personally, I like circulating a little oil & coolant after I come in hot, take the key out and just walk away. Just seems... logical.

FWIW - I came from BMW E36 M3s (two in fact) and Turbo/Supercharged Miatas.
All were street modified - meaning, moderate handling tweaks and horsepower bumps.
I've also got a solid 1000 miles between Laguna Seca and Infineon tracks as well as a number of BMW Club sponsored car control clinics. I'm not an auto-x or race driver, but I can wring out some of the nuances of cars.

Back in 2013, I was retiring my M3 (237k miles) and test drove the following:

1. 2012 EVO MR
Loved this car. Handling was awesome. Ride was on par with my M3 - a little bumpy but tolerable for the street. Nicely connected to the road. Interior - meh. The Recaro's helped the look but... it's obvious Mitsubishi spent the money on the mechanicals versus the interior. So why did I pass this up? Horrifying service and support in the SF Bay Area. If you need service beyond oil changes, it's hard to find shops to work on it. So fro $38k pre-owned. Pass.

2. BMW M235i
Coming from an M3, this was an almost parallel test drive. Handling, interior, fun, etc. All 9s and 10s. This is THE bargain value for BMW. Same motor as the M2 but like $10k less. Just throw a suspension in there and get a more aggressive alignment and done. Passed as it still is $45k and BMWs in the LONG run can have VERY iffy quality.

3. 2013 Subaru STi
This was THE most disappointing test drive. Whenever I read the STi versus EVO head to heads, every publication said the steering and road feel of the STi was numb compared to the EVO. So after A LONG negotiation with the Subaru manager (and pulling up with the wife, kids, and a $50K+ SUV) I got to drive it. I didn't flog the car but even the salesman said "Man you know how to drive this thing!". So the STi has plenty of speed, nice interior, etc... but for me... I could never tell where the wheel was when I was turning. Keep in mind, this is coming from M3s and Miatas... so it's hard to match those two cars in terms of handling. But still, I thought Subaru's top dog teams would tweak that part. So the price tag at $46k - and well the styling - great front end... rear, yeah not so great... passed.

4. 2013 BRZ
So the humble BRZ... it was cheap. $23.5k at the time (it was a 6 month old, previous buyer panic sell). The test drive. Sport mode on. Drove it like my M3. The car slipped, screeched, screamed... and handled better than anything I've owned in stock form. I didn't have to drive over 80mph+ to enjoy it. The caveat is yes, you REALLY have to drive it like you stole it... keep your eyes open, plan your turns, and shift above 4500rpm.

So I bought it.

That all being said, those were my impressions. Notice how I didn't bother comparing anything in the $25k-$30k range. The BRZ punches above it's weight I think. It's a pretty darn good value for a sports car.

I've been thinking of trading in my 11 evox for a brz/frs for over a year now and still not able to decide. I am not sure if i would be satisfy with this car, I did tested the car 3 years ago when it first came out and at that time i still own a ITR, which feel very much alike.

This my 3rd Evo already, I've had 2 VIII in the past and I still enjoy driving it a lot, but I am reluctant on taking this thing to the track and drive it like i do to my hondas. I just dont feel like spend too much money on the Evo's maintenance anymore

I sold an STI hatch before buying my FR-S. I've also owned a few older Hondas (Integra, RSX, etc.) and driven a friend's Evo 9 MR and Evo X.

There are times I miss the power and AWD launches, but I realized I like the FR-S more than my old STI especially on the track. Last year I had the chance to track an AWD turbo car again. A friend asked me to give him feedback on his S3 (stage 1, suspension, BBK, RS3's). It was definitely quick (fast enough to pass most cars in advanced group that day) but after 3-4 sessions I was looking forward to getting back into my slow FR-S. Something about a lightweight RWD car on track is just fun.

The FR-S feels a lot closer to being a high-revving Honda than any Evo/STI. If you enjoyed your ITR and are looking for something similar in a RWD package, you'll like it. But if you hated revving out your ITR just to keep up with traffic, you'll probably dislike the this car at least on the street.

They are just too different to compare the two platforms. I had an Evo 2 and Evo 3; very good power, lightweight, very nibble and could hang with almost anything in terms of handling. I've been in some high power Evos before and they are fun but you also have to build the handling after that to control it. One of my friends has a 670hp Evo X running on E85 that thing is a beast to control, super fun.

In terms of AWD handling and power the Evo out of the box is an awesome machine, damn near perfect, but that is the type of platform you have to be looking for.

In terms of RWD handing and controllable swing the ass out fun the 86 is an awesome machine; but again this has to be the type of platform you want.

I'm not saying you cant swing the ass end of an Evo around but it takes a hell of a lot of skill to initiate and keep it going right and not end up in a pole.

Having owned an Evo 3 which is light, has good power, and the AWD handling, sometimes I miss that type of driving. When I took a fast sharp turn in the Evo it was clean, you point in that direction and it goes, no ass out, little to no under or oversteer. Three wheels on the pavement, so what it still went.

When I run with my Evo friends now they always talk about how much more drifting, or the back end poking out I'm doing then them, sometimes its intentional but most times its not. That is the fun of the 86 platform over the Evo, you can easily control a drift or poke the ass out a little at low speeds. In no way do I keep up with them on straights but its OK.

In the long run, I want to import an Evo 3 when they be legal. So ill have both the FR-S and Evo 3. I think its a good combo.

How on earth have you gone through 3 Evos in 9 years? Trade them in early for the same thing? Upgraded? Wrecked?

I went from a 2011 Evo X MR to a 2013 BRZ. I don't regret it.

The Evo is plenty fast (for me) in stock form, and the paddle shifters are actually pretty great. The AWD system makes you feel like Superman. And on top of that, the exterior styling is rad.

But all things considered, it's a big, noisy, and somewhat uncomfortable car, it gets abysmal MPG, and it's just not as connected to the road as the BRZ is. So I never found canyon carving to be as rewarding as it is in the BRZ. The BRZ may be slow by comparison, but even on the track, it's a much more fun car to drive.

I miss my Evo, but I wouldn't trade the BRZ to get it back.

traded in the evo for a brz today. thanks to the insight guys

Tcoat - upgrade from 03 vii to 05 viii to a 11 evox

Just curious...do you gain money or break even by trading in an evo?

your insight was very valuable to my decision. In the future i would probably keep the frs as a track toy and use a A3 as daily

Break even. However, i didnt give them my rims, instead i gave them some crappy aftermarket wheels with winter tires and a wingless trunk instead of my summer wheels and varis wing. They getting the car as it with bolt ons and a fresh tune that was done last week.

Glad I could help. BTW there's lots of good information in the Track section of the forum. http://www.ft86club.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=39

And some helpful stickies you might want to skim through:

Guide to track-prep: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25485
Track Q&A: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38926
Reviews on brake pads: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23680
Pedal dance discussion: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25494

Where on earth did you get your hands on an 03 and 05?

Bought the 03 locally it needed a lot work. The 05 was bouht from New Brunswick.

So used ones brought up from the US then? I wanted one in 03 but it was going to cost way more than it was worth to try to get one up here. Even now pre 08s are scarce and go for way more money than their condition usually warrants.

the 03 has many issues. wet floor, broken climate control blend door, weak center diff. the 05 has is better but the ACD pump always needs rebuild.

The x is a better car overall, easier to make power and handles better.

...

Thats canadian price buddy

I'm not your buddy, pal!

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

I'm not your pal, friend!

I'm apart of a close friends/church members car club in which there are about 15 members having performance/luxury cars. The leader of the group owns an EVO X and I own my GT86. His car is fast in the straight lines for sure, but when it comes to our platform of cars agility and potential power boosting, and how much the EVO X costs, it's more effective to buy a FRS/BRZ/GT86 and add FI to get the fun straightline AND curve carving ability that innately belongs to our cars.

If you want to talk numbers as well, stock EVO X is 291hp at the crank and 300lb*ft. The car itself weighs about 3600. Our car boosted at Stage 1 usually grants about 280hp at the crank and 210lb*ft granted with slightly better mods a boosted twin will best a stock EVO X in power/weight. The cost to do so: About the cost of the GSR trim (a few $$$$ cheaper than MR).

All in all: Everyone has their own preference. I personally like nimble, lightweight coupes that have an fantastic amount of power for their weight, but your decision is definitely how you feel! Cheers!