Please remember, I've owned the ITR since new ('98) and only took the Evo for a test drive (though a pretty good one). To answer your questions, though, the Evo's ride was a lot stiffer than the R's - the R was much better damped. I think the Evo's steering was quicker, too, - nice steering wheel, too - as I'm sure the R has more turns lock to lock (seems so at least). Handling comparisons between a 4wd and fwd are really difficult; the Evo is definitely a great handler, and the 4wd does contribute to that. The R, though, is so fluid, so intuitive in the way it handles. Everything works in perfect harmony. Though it's not as quick, I prefer the Acura to live with on a daily basis. Like I said before, tho, you can't lose either way. Hope this helps - good luck!