Insurance Group: 27
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
0-62 Mph: 15.9 secs
BHP: 66 BHP
Range: N/A miles
PROS: The car has space for four and is cheap to run. On top of this, it benefits from zero tailpipe emissions (and, hence, congestion charge and VED exemption), making it an ideal car to drive in the city.
CONS: Unfortunately, the low running costs are offset by the high initial price. Also, the interior feels a little low-rent, the ride is poor and the range is limited.
The ride in the i-MiEV is harsh with almost every bump and pothole being felt in the cabin, and there is also a fair amount of body roll and poor grip while cornering. The small dimensions of the car does mean that it is reasonable to drive around town, but the heavy steering makes parking the i-MiEV more of a chore than it should be. Inside, there is a reasonable amount of adjustment for the driver's seat, and there is also a good level of visibility too.
Performance has often been among the criticisms levelled at the electric car, and while the i-MiEV does suffer from having a poor 90-mile range, it does have reasonable performance in town. Acceleration from 0-62mph is achieved in 13.0 seconds, and the top speed of 81mph isn’t too bad either.
Refinement isn’t particularly good when you pick up the pace, and there is some noise from the motor, along with wind and road noise.
The looks of the i-MiEV aren’t bad at all; however, the flat front end and the large windscreen does give it the look of a minibus.
Inside, the cabin it is disappointing and the plastics are really quite hard and feel quite cheap.
The i-MiEV comes with a good amount of standard equipment, with air conditioning and electric windows in the front and rear of the car. There is also a CD player, and the car is also supplied with alloy wheels.
One of the main reasons that the take up of electric vehicles has been fairly low so far is the practicality, and with a range of up to 90 miles, this is still an issue with the i-MiEV. There is space for four people in the car, and the boot space is quite generous too, but all of the extra weight in the car will also have an impact on battery life. Japanese manufacturers do have a good reliability record and the i-MiEV should prove to be a reliable motor.
The safety features of the i-MiEV are quite good, with a number of airbags included to protect the driver and passengers in case of an accident. There are also a number of driver aids that help to ensure that the car remains under control.
At £29,045, the i-MiEV costs three times more than its liquid-powered rivals and it is almost impossible to justify this extra cost.
Running costs once you own the car should be much more reasonable, and Mitsubishi say that it should only cost £115 for the electricity to run the car for 12,000 miles. With no road tax to pay this is also attractive, but the insurance group is much higher than those of similarly sized petrol or diesel cars. Mitsubishi supply the i-MiEV with three years’ roadside breakdown assistance and a three year unlimited mileage warranty.
The i-MiEV is a decent city car but, at £29k, it is ludicrously expensive.
Mitsubishi must be commended for investing in what is still a relatively new market; however, the i-MiEV is just too expensive to make sense in the real world. On anything other than city streets i...
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