Get an Evo, sell me the 1G stuff That being said, Reza is correct in that you won't beat the ease of working on the 1G. If you want something that handles, you can make a 1G handle as well as any Evo, but it's gonna be a lot more work vs. the Evo (8-X, for sure) handling way better out of the box.

That being said, besides the stuff that is now not available or is really hard to get, the 1Gs are dead-nuts reliable if maintained, and even at 40k/year mileage cost little to run and operate. Evos have the better manual transmissions and better diffs, not sure about axles/driveshafts.

As far as practicality, with the hatch, a 1G is about as practical as a 2-door, effectively 2-seat car gets. You already have the 2G's, the Evo adds a lot of practicality and can actually comfortably fit adults in the rear - that in itself makes it hugely appealing. I love cars that are practical AND fun.