In all honesty, the running costs for an Evo aren't horrific compared to an Impreza. Go over to the MLR and they will tell you exactly what it costs. People go on about the 4,500 mile service, but that's just a fluid change which you could even do yourself. So the high running cost arguement is a bit of a myth.
and FWIW, the only time I have ever been scared in a car, was in an evo!
The horrible truth is, the cars we've all adored & dreamed of for a long time are no longer perceived to be the rally enthusiasts best kept secret. I can see up to 8 a day on my journey to & from work. Then you see them down the high streets on a Friday night, with full decats & loud stereos. Those are the ones that give the car a bad image.
Think of it like this.
If the cars were only driven on quiet country roads etc... Nobody would see them. So how could they have an Image?
In town showing off, everybody will see them. Then they will say "I tell you, those bloody impreza drivers, they just drive up & down that street showing off their dump valves & exhausts".
That's my 2p, take it or leave it