Hey all,

This isn't a 8 vs Evo thread, I am just wondering for those who have driven both machines to their potential, how is the handling relative to an Evo? I am asking because I myself am not a good driver (yet), and the only experience I have is my friend's stock evo, who can take twisties EXTREMELY fast.

How much does AWD help in the handling on the evo? Does that feature outperform the 8's 50/50, low center characteristics? For those who have experience, a "Evo MPH vs an 8's MPH going in and coming out a certain turn" would help alot. Thanks for all the info in advance.

 

It's tuff to compare an AWD car to a RWD car in terms of handling, the characteristics are much different. I would say the 50/50 weight of the 8 gives you much better feal in the corners but the entry/exit speed of the evo would be higher.

 

From what I understand the EVO Stock is a better handling car then the RX-8 stock but sacrifices ride comfort to achieve this. The EVO gets a lot of praise for very responsive handling but I have never had the please to drive one myself. In theory the RX-8 should have the edge over the EVO in race trim based on better weight distribution and lighter weight.

 

From what I've heard from Evo owners who later drive RX-8's the 8 is easier to drive fast. So, if you're very comfortable with an Evo, you're going to be noticeably faster going in and out of the corners. But, if you're an average driver you're going to feel much more comfortable driving fast into and out of turns with the 8.

This is of course all second hand information that I possibly got from a dream rather than real life. I can never remember...

 

lol

 

If you are a good driver, get the 8. The EVO, however, is less likely to spin out in the turns if you mess up a little. AWD is more forgiving. I started my driving many years ago in an AWD Audi. It made me a confident driver, which helped me get better. After many trips to Pro driving classes, I realized I enjoy a RWD more. I would say go get the EVO. Mess it up. Wreck it. Once you feel more confident in your ability . . . Then you deserve a REAL car like the RX.

 

Thanks for all the info everyone, and I am definitely gettin an manual 8, and I'll be the worst driver out there =)

 

PRL - Where do you live? Do ou have any driving schools around you? Spending a few dollars will really help you enjoy your car.

 

Where's Ike???

Umm the only AWD I've driven is a WRX. But just a little experience I'd like to share, which confirms my AWD assertions. (That there is a large difference between grip [awd] and handling [rwd])

My friend took his sisters car out (Legacy) and was tearning down some back roads. He loves cornering fast. What he told me was it felt like the car was going to lose grip, but hen you just nail the gas and all four wheels grab, and pull through the corner. Well, he had a hard time judging where the 'point of no return' is, and he gave gas and was going to fast inthe corner, and just slid (didin't spin or anything) straight off the curve and into a steel fence.

I think when you really push it, and talk about handling overall, including rebounding and changing directions, etc., RWD would be better, but then again I haven't driven an EVO. I have driven a WRX, and can say the 8 definitley out handles the WRX stock.
________
LIVE SEX

 

Ike is dead, I killed him and ate his liver. He's locked in the basement with Dr. Dre.

Just kidding. I didn't even think anyone BUT Ike would reply.

It's odd. It's like Mogantu skipping telling someone to search.

-nh

 

imo EVO handles better by quite a margin. if you are talking about performance handling, its not that close. Evo is pretty much a street legal race car with stiff suspension and super sensitive steering. but in everyday driving, i dont tihnk its really that important. both are great handling cars.

 

fwiw, following a similarly skilled driver in a stock Evo 9, driving on VIR, i can stay on its tail relatively easy entering and through a turn, it's the exit speed/acceleration that leaves me in the dust, torque and awd traction ftl

 

i wouldn't be surprised if the 8 actually carries more speed during the turn than a stock Evo, Evo just makes it up w/ far superior exit acceleration

 

last years video, but has a couple AWD and a couple RWD cars including the RX-7, evos,r33 blah blah blah.
Great video though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlgmW34zeBM

 

The original poster asked for responses from those who drove both to their full potential, nobody who's posted so far has remarked that they did. And Ike, did you ever thrash an 8?

It's a better bet to go on test results, where most I've read describe both as top handlers. It'll come down to feel, which is subjective, but having driven AWD, a RWD is usually more predictable and natural feeling.

Raptor probably had it right when he said the Evo may have a bit more ultimate grip, but sacrifices bigtime in ride comfort. I wonder how the stiffness translates on bumpy roads, I once had a car that was so stiff that any bump would knock it off line. The recent Car & Driver fast lap test did show that the 8 had slightly faster minimum speeds in turns.

 

another way to look at it is to look at autox where its all about handling with tight turns after tight turns and no straight where corner exit acceleration dosnt play much of a role.

rx8 is Bstock, which to its credit it usually gets the top rankings followed by the 350Z. EVO i believe is in Astock, its a class higher with better handling cars. Astock cars consistently post faster laptimes than Bstock cars.

in my mind handling wise its 2 different classes, EVO is more on par with S2000. RX8 is a great handling car too, but its more about balance and daily comfort. its usually one of the best, but not at the top in regards to performance related categories

 

I love how a person stated earlier to get a Evo if you aren't a good driver and an RX8 if you are ...classic

 

Only a rally driver can make an Evo8 or 9 carry more speed in a corner than an RX-8. Period. To even come close to the lap times of hard-accelerating Evos, an RX-8 must be carrying phenomonal cornering speed. My guestimate is that the RX-8 can carry 4 or 5 more mph in any corner. An Evo would have to be in a four-wheel drift to carry the same sort of speed (because nearly 60% of the weight over the front wheels will cause that end to understeer), but that said, it would also be accelerating at an incredible rate, making it very difficult to handle.

So, in the Evo, you slow down, point, shoot, and ride the rocket out. The car will understeer if you blow the corner entry. With the RX-8 you can glide in with just a tap on the brakes to settle the weight on the front wheels, turn in and carve through to the apex, then get on the gas as hard as you dare (DSC or not, the car doesn't like to slide unless you're in the wet) and power out.

And I can tell you if you upgrade the RX-8 to better springs and shocks and 245-width sticky tires (235 super-grip tires come STOCK on the Evo, so don't forget that the RX-8 is outgunned in this category and STILL posts great slalom speeds!) you'll be hard-pressed to find any of the RX-8s limits on the street.

 

Either Road & Track or Motor Tend did a really good article comparing driving and handling dynamics of FWD, RWD and AWD. Really an interesting article but I didn't save the mag so I don't recall the details. Maybe someone here still has the article.

It is kinda creepy not having Ike jump to the EVO defense.....maybe he is dead. Oh well how about those 07s.

 

I think the EVO superior HP plus its handling accounts for its class A standing. Take 100 hp out of the car and it would be in B class maybe less.

 

Seriously, the internet is full of misinformation!

PRL- I have not driven an evo however I have been passenger in an 04 sti many times both in autox and mountain roads and it seems much more nimble than the 8 (stock). The 8 on the other hand, because of the rwd front-mid engine w/52/48 balance makes it more tossable, gives better feedback, and is more forgiving. With awd if you find yourself sliding or in a spin it can be a scary thing when the wheels regain traction. Also, the awd is more prone to understeer whereas the rwd is more prone to oversteer. In the 8s case major oversteer is not a major problem and it is still easily controllable if you fudge it up a bit.

Basic point is the 8 is easier to drive at the limit than the evo.

 

i love my 8, but a great friend has a dark gray (whatever the real name for the color is) MR evo and its 'seriously god damn wicked' fast.

 

I'm just going to sit back and let people keep talking out their *** 4-5 mph more corner speed in an RX-8...

 

It might be "seriously god damn wicked fast' but its not hella' fast like the Civic Si
that someone raced the other day.

 

Ok guys, I have driven both. I have a very good friend with an EVO VIII that has let me take the wheel. He had a WRX before that and I got to drive that one too. He has also driven my RX8 a few times. He has commented about how nice the RX8 is to drive and I must say his EVO definitely goes where you point it with serious authority. The EVO has a little stiffer ride, is a little taller in the seat, and the 4 wheel push feels quite a bit different. Not loose, just different. The RX8 is smoother and generally feels more confident. Feeling confident does not always translate to going faster though. If you mash the gas mid turn in an RX8 at high enough rpm to be blessed with what little power we have you can and will through the tail out quickly. The EVO tends to push sideways with to much throttle. Both are good at telling the driver when to back off.

We've both taken off ramps in tight spirals at about the same speeds. Just don't even think about taking on an EVO (or WRX for that matter) coming out of the corners. You will only see the back side from an increasingly distant view.

Love your car for what it is.