Evo - England

If you're here in the U.S., don't let that put you off reading this fantastic magazine just because you won't see a lot of American cars. This magazine is worth every cent (more on that later). And reading of the miriad great cars, from cheap thrills to supercars, that you can't get here will bring tears to your eyes. Renault making a giant killer little Chevy Aveo-sized hatchback with 197 horsepower and 18-inch wheels? Yes, it happens over there.It is simply SO much more than you see in any U.S. car mag. It's BIG, both physically and in content, and written with the kind of thorough evaluation and engrossing, you'd-swear-you-were-right-there-with-them prose above any other (including CAR, my pervious favorite).What makes it so good? Three main things. First, the writers, of course, many of them springing from the former Performance Car magazine. That sad publication declined in just about every way over it's lifetime until, at the time of it's demise, it wasn't worth the bother anymore. Oh, how they've redeamed themselves!Second, the cars they write about. The focus is on performance; but not just super-exotics and, thank God, tuner cars (although the latter pop up now and then in an entirely appropriate way), but anything that stirs the driver's soul, even if it's a $10,000 little hatch with a zingy engine and giddy handling.Third, the writing. EVO is much more biased toward subjective evaluation in favor of just spouting instrument test numbers (hello U.S. car magazines with pages and pages of minute and often uninteresting stats), and their data panels are concise and have just enough information to be thorough without a bunch of fluff (brake swept area? Come on, Road and Track, who cares?).The best example by far is their annual car of the year issue. Yes, everyone does these, but no one does it like EVO. It's much more free-form, much more subjective, and much, much more fun to read. Rather than evaluate each car in a distinct portion, it reads more like a road adventure with drivers swapping cars and really letting you know how each is to drive.Frankly, you get the impression that EVO doesn't give a squat if one car pulls .89g on a skidpad while a competitor pulls .87g. What you're much more likely to read is how each car *feels* when that grip is being used, and used to the limit. Hard numbers matter less than true driving fun, which is why you might find the handling of a little hatchback rated above a wide tired monster's.They do provide plenty of performance data, but the big difference is they don't get caught up in it. You'll find it's more important how a car handles than how it grips, how effective it's brakes are over a long, hard drive rather than how many feet it takes to do a single stop, and how the car works with or against you to provide real fun. All done with engaging writing and wit.I'll stop babbling now. :o) But I do want to conclude with one item mentioned in almost every review here - price. It's cheaper to buy at a good bookstore. There is some convenience and peace of mind in having a subscription, but I'm baffled as to why British car mags are always more expensive to subscribe to than to buy off the shelf. EVO is still worth it, though.

This magazine goes beyond numbers and tells you what it actually feels like to drive - to experience - sports cars and supercars. After reading an Evo mag a few years ago, I've never looked at any other car magazine the same (or any magazine publication, really). Its common for an article to stretch 6 - 8 pages filled with paragraph after paragraph of high quality journalism, and killer photography. These are coffee table pieces for me, and non-car friends find themselves drawn in due to photography and sheer elegance and beauty of these cars captured only in a way that Evo can. Oh, and the collector edition (aka subscriber) versions of the magazine covers are usually works of art in themselves. Bravo, Evo.I just renewed for my 2nd year via Amazon. I will comment that the ship times vary wildly - sometimes I might not receive a magazine for six or more weeks, and then suddenly two will arrive back to back. But this magazine is coming from England guys... and to keep costs down, I'm sure its sent via the cheapest postage and sits on some cargo ship for weeks crossing the pond, then goes through docking/customs/offloading/delivery... etc. Its well worth the wait and actually increases my anticipation for each issue. Some reviewers have commented that subscribing via Amazon is more expensive than going to the book store. We're talking what? Fifty cents or a dollar an issue? Saving a trip to the bookstore (gas and parking and time) is worth a lot more than that to me.

I'm not sure if I should be reviewing "evo" the magazine or the Amazon subscription process. I'll do both.Subscription Process - I used to have a subscription directly with evo magazine/Dennis Publishing. After three attempts to renew it from the US which failed I gave up. The Amazon subscription scheme just works. The initial delivery times are listed as 4 - 16 weeks which accounts for delays due to publishing schedules. My first magazine arrived in 6 - 8 weeks. The renewal is automativ which will save me a lot of hassle. This is a service which could be better publicised but as far as I can tell it just works and can save you a lot of grief.Evo magazine has been around in the UK for a number of years. It is a monthly car magazine published by Dennis publishing. Its ethos is "the joy of driving" and it concentrates on the driving experience rather than the utility of the cars it tests. The writing is crisp and often excellent. The design and photography are truly great too. It doesn't cover a lot if US cars but as a gateway to European and Japanese cars sold in Europe it is second to none.

I have been reading evo since issue 3, that’s two decades of readership. It’s the only car magazine I read. The problem is this: the few times I’ve subscribed it’s always been a disaster. Pay $100 and then wait and wait and maybe get one now and then and not have any customer service or support at all and end up buying them at Barnes and Noble or BAM. Awesome, thanks.

I ordered this subscription for my husband on August 8th. To date, we received one magazine (it’s almost February). It’s a great magazine, but you are better buying it at a store (we always found it at Barnes&Nobles).

Eco is excellent. The writing and photos are top notch.

I love the magazine, but I haven't gotten my first issue yet. It was supposed to ship a month ago but nothing yet.

Brother in law loves this subscription