We have written about individual Evolution models before, but readers keep asking for the full family tree in one place — which chassis code goes with which generation, what actually changed at each step, and which ones are even legal to bring into the US right now. So here it is: all ten numbered Evolutions, side by side.
Ten numbered generations, six sedan chassis codes (seven including the CT9W wagon), and one engine family — the 4G63T — that powered the car from 1992 until the 4B11T took over in 2007. That's the short version. The long version tracks closely with Mitsubishi's most successful years in the World Rally Championship, though the road car kept going well after the factory rally program ended.
| Gen | Years (JDM) | Chassis | Engine | Output (JDM) | Key change | NHTSA 25-year exemption status (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evo I | 1992–1994 | CD9A | 4G63T 2.0L turbo I4 | 250 PS (247 hp) | First Evo; AWD driveline and 4G63T lifted from the Galant VR-4 | Age-eligible — cleared in 2017/2018 |
| Evo II | 1994–1995 | CE9A | 4G63T | 260 PS (256 hp) | Wider track, revised suspension geometry, bigger tires and wheels | Age-eligible — cleared in 2019 |
| Evo III | 1995–1996 | CE9A | 4G63T | 270 PS (266 hp) | New front/rear bumpers, larger turbo compressor, more aggressive aero | Age-eligible — cleared in 2020/2021 |
| Evo IV | 1996–1998 | CN9A | 4G63T, twin-scroll turbo | 280 PS (276 hp) | Ground-up redesign; engine rotated 180°; introduced Active Yaw Control (AYC) | Age-eligible — cleared in 2021/2023 |
| Evo V | 1998–1999 | CP9A | 4G63T | 280 PS (276 hp) | Flared fenders, widened track, Brembo brakes, 17-inch wheels | Age-eligible — cleared in 2023/2024 |
| Evo VI (incl. TME) | 1999–2001 | CP9A | 4G63T | 280 PS (276 hp) | Cooling upgrades for WRC reliability; Tommi Mäkinen Edition special model | Age-eligible — cleared through 2024–2026 |
| Evo VII | 2001–2003 | CT9A | 4G63T | 280 PS (276 hp) | First Evo on the larger Lancer Cedia platform; added Active Center Differential (ACD); first automatic (GT-A) | Clearing the exemption starting early 2026, car by car, by month of manufacture |
| Evo VIII | 2003–2005 | CT9A | 4G63T | 280 PS (276 hp) | First Evo officially sold new in the US; JDM GSR came standard with a 6-speed manual, and the MR trim added an aluminum roof, Bilstein dampers, and BBS wheels | Not yet age-eligible — earliest cars clear around 2028 |
| Evo IX | 2005–2007 | CT9A / CT9W wagon | 4G63T with MIVEC | 280 PS (276 hp) JDM | Added MIVEC variable valve timing to the 4G63; only Evo generation offered as a wagon | Not yet age-eligible — earliest cars clear around 2030 |
| Evo X | 2007–2016 | CZ4A | 4B11T 2.0L, all-aluminum | 280 PS (276 hp) JDM at launch (up to 313 PS in the 2015 JDM Final Edition) | New aluminum engine family; S-AWC torque-vectoring AWD; dual-clutch SST gearbox option | Not yet age-eligible — earliest cars clear around 2032 |
A note on that last column before anyone gets excited: the NHTSA 25-year exemption is calculated from the vehicle's documented date of manufacture — typically shown on a manufacturer's compliance label, with other documentation acceptable if that's missing — not from the model year or the generation's launch date. Clearing NHTSA's age exemption is also only one part of importing a car; EPA emissions rules and state registration requirements still apply on top of it. And "Evo VII is age-eligible in 2026" isn't quite right, either — only the earliest-built VIIs clear the line as 2026 rolls on, and the rest of that generation's production run keeps aging into eligibility through 2028.
Evo I–III (1992–1996): The Group A Homologation Era
The first three Evolutions exist because Mitsubishi needed a homologated road car to go rallying with the Galant VR-4's running gear in a lighter body. The Lancer was that body. Evo I through III share the compact CD9A/CE9A shell and the same basic recipe — 4G63T turbo four, viscous-coupling AWD, a five-speed manual — with each revision adding turbo capacity, bigger brakes, and sharper aerodynamics rather than a fresh platform. This is the era where the Evo was still, visibly, a hopped-up Lancer sedan sold mainly to satisfy WRC's production-based Group A rules.
Evo IV–VI (1996–2001): The Tommi Mäkinen Years
Evo IV was the real reset — a wider body, the engine and transaxle rotated 180 degrees to cut torque steer, and the first appearance of Active Yaw Control. This is also where Mitsubishi hit the 280 PS figure that Japanese manufacturers had informally agreed not to exceed on paper for the domestic market — a number Mitsubishi kept quoting for JDM Evo IV through Evo IX. Evo V widened the track and arches further and brought in serious Brembo hardware; Evo VI focused on cooling and durability for the rally car. Finnish driver Tommi Mäkinen won four consecutive WRC drivers' titles between 1996 and 1999 across this stretch, and Evo VI's Tommi Mäkinen Edition — with a titanium turbine, quicker steering rack, and Recaro seats — is the road-going tribute to that championship run.
Evo VII–IX (2001–2007): The Cedia Platform and the End of Homologation
Evo VII moved onto the larger Lancer Cedia platform and added an Active Center Differential alongside AYC, plus, for the first time, an automatic GT-A variant. Just as importantly, the FIA had introduced World Rally Car regulations back in 1997, giving manufacturers far more freedom than the old Group A rules — though Mitsubishi kept racing a Group A-based Evolution through early 2001 before switching to a purpose-built World Rally Car at that year's Rally Sanremo. That shift loosened the direct technical link between the showroom Evo and Mitsubishi's works rally car. The road car kept evolving anyway — Evo VIII became the first generation officially sold new in the US, and Evo IX added MIVEC variable valve timing to the aging 4G63 for a flatter torque curve. Mitsubishi withdrew its factory WRC effort at the end of 2005, so Evo IX effectively closed out the car's works-rally era.
Evo X (2007–2016): The Modern Evo and the Final Chapter
Evo X, launched in October 2007, was the biggest break in the lineage: a new CZ4A platform, the all-aluminum 4B11T replacing the 4G63T after fifteen years of service, and Mitsubishi's S-AWC system adding torque-vectoring to the AWD setup. It ran through 2016 without a WRC works program behind it, closing out the Evolution name as a road car rather than a homologation special.
For US buyers, the practical takeaway is simple: everything through Evo VI is now age-eligible under NHTSA's 25-year exemption (individual cars should still be checked against their documented manufacture date), Evo VII is starting to trickle in through 2026 depending on build date, and VIII through X are still years away.
None of this changes what makes any given Evo worth buying — condition, accident history, and the quality and documentation of its maintenance still matter more than the generation badge. But knowing exactly where a car sits in the lineage, and whether its paperwork actually clears US customs yet, is the first filter before anyone gets to the fun questions about turbos and diffs. We will keep updating the import-status column as more Evo VII build dates roll past the 25-year line through the rest of 2026.