Forget the age difference. It's the driving experience that matters.
You could go out and buy a brand new Ford Focus RS right now and drive home happy (especially since that head gasket issue has been supposedly solved). Or, you could shop around and find a 10th generation Mitsubishi Evo and take a bit of a chance. Yes, the Evo isn't nearly as refined as the Focus RS, but for that very reason it may very well be the more rewarding car. It asks more from you but gives you lots in return whereas the Focus RS, with all of its computers, takes care of tricky driving situations for you.
Lovecars on YouTube brought together two new AWD performance cars, the Focus RS and the Subaru WRX STI, and a UK market only Mitsubishi Evo X FQ400. For some reason we're still not so sure of, a new Honda Civic Type R came along for the ride, but since it's FWD, it doesn't really belong here.
But in any case, it was immediately clear how far along the segment has come in the five years or so since the Evo X FQ400 was new. Then again, this now treasured car is the real driver's choice. It's all analog goodness. The Focus RS, however, is the better daily driver, hands down. It does everything well, but if you're seeking a bit of extra crazy, the Evo is the way to go. The WRX STI? It just wasn't a standout compared to the Ford and Mitsubishi. To its credit though, it did have the biggest rear wing of the bunch.
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