In pure performance terms its represents a bargain compared to the likes of Porsche or Ferrari, but for a family saloon car it’s running costs are steep. It can munch expensive super sticky tyres in under 5000 miles, needs servicing every 4500 miles, runs on super unleaded fuel and sits in the most expensive insurance category. You’ll probably also want to take it to the race track.

With its powerful 2.0-litre petrol engines, Lancer Evo IX returns just 16mpg – so it’s no surprise that it performs so badly on the eco front. It emits 334 g/km CO2, which is high compared to an average family car, but fairly standard for a quick sports saloon.

Despite the fact that the engine is more powerful for its size than any other production car we can think of, Mitsubishi are confident enough to give it a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty. We’ve heard very few problems reported, and any that are tend to be minor and nothing to do with the engine or drivetrain.