The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is one of the cheapest and most efficient electric cars on the market. But in terms of amenities and performance, it exemplifies all of the stereotypes of electric cars being little more than fancy golf carts.
It's tiny, slow and tippy. The i-MiEV is also cold in the winter, has a bouncy ride, and its four occupants feel crammed together. A short 59-mile range and a six-hour recharge time limit versatility, even among other electric vehicles.
While the i-MiEV is one of the cheapest electric cars you can buy, it still seems rather dear for what little you get.
Adding the Premium package to our top-of-the-line SE got us a navigation system and a rear backup camera. It also included a quick-charge port compatible with public 1/2-hour DC charging stations.
The i-MiEV fulfills its mission of being a very efficient and basic city transportation, costing less than three cents per mile, developing no tailpipe emissions, and making parking easy. But those attributes aren't enough to outweigh the considerable shortcomings. Overall, the i-MiEV scores very low in testing.
Notable changes
News for 2016 included an available navigation system with seven-inch touch-screen display.