Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 240 NHTSA complaints, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution years to avoid are 2008 and 2010 — the worst logged up to 2.3× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by drivetrain failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 59 | 46 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | 5 | N/A |
| 2010 | 79 | 60 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2011 | 45 | 32 | 3 | CAUTION |
| 2012 | 3 | 2 | 1 | N/A |
| 2013 | 4 | 3 | 1 | N/A |
| 2014 | 22 | 17 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 26 | 16 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Full methodology.
Common Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution are drivetrain, engine, transmission. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
ACD/AYC pump failure due to corrosion
· Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 2008–2015Corroborated by 51 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 98 drivetrain complaints across 2008–2015, typically 30,000–100,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $800–$3,100.
Drive belt detachment and automatic tensioner cracking
· Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 2009–2015Corroborated by 6 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 45 engine complaints across 2009–2015, typically 10,000–90,000 miles.
Center differential pins backing out and transmission locking
· Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 2008Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 40 transmission complaints across 2008. Owner-reported repair cost $5,000.
Why these years stand out
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution: 59 owner complaints on federal record, 46 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution: 79 owner complaints on federal record, 60 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
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FAQ
What years of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution years to avoid are 2008 and 2010 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by drivetrain issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?
No single Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution reliable?
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 240 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008 and 2010 rate "avoid" — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?
The most-reported problem area for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is drivetrain, followed by engine and transmission. Confirmed failures include acd/ayc pump failure due to corrosion, drive belt detachment and automatic tensioner cracking, center differential pins backing out and transmission locking. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.