2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV Review: An EV for the sedentary lifestyle?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ส.ค. 2024
- ( www.TFLcar.com ) The 2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV is an all electric vehicle that's easy to drive especially in a crowded city like Washington DC. But how does this car work when you combine it with an active lifestyle? Emme hall finds out in another fun and informative TFLcar review.
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it seems you are missing the point of this car, its supposed to be a car number 2. im running a big turbo beast of a silvia as first car and this is perfect for keeping the miles off the silvia and cost down. commuting to work is soooo comfortable in this ;)
Keep looking under that hood til you find the motor. We'll wait...(it's actually in the rear under the floor.)
+J Segal Yes indeed..... instead of criticizing Mitsubishi about "priorities" maybe SHE should
*prioritize doing research* before stepping into the damn car (that
applies to Nathan and the other male reviewer too). They never understand
the technologies they are reviewing
Dear reviewer: The purpose of the RC climate control is to cool (or heat) the car while it's still plugged-into the wall & thereby give you a longer drive range! (and diminish anxiety).
That is pretty standard on all EVs. Instead of criticizing Mitsubishi about "priorities" maybe YOU should *prioritize doing research* before stepping into the car (that applies to Nathan and the other reviewer too). Ye never understand the technologies you are reviewing
.
I drove a used 2013 and enjoyed it very much. Took it on the freeway and it was quite adequate, quiet, a really nice car to drive. Great seating position, lots of space, easy to read controls, nice rear seat and it folds down flat.. I think these are great. With incentives they end up costing you barely 16k in most locations too boot. No oil change, no tune up, rare brakes, it goes on. Most people are quite okay with 60 miles! That is plenty. Unless you live crazy far from services and work. It is fine in terms of speed. Slow down if you cannot deal. Life is too short. Did you run out of charge? Never saw that event here. IF you are freaked out over anxiety, nowadays it is simple phone call to Enterprise to have a car delivered for really long trips. I think that would be rare for us and all the benefits outweigh this. Have a older 2nd car around if you just must have 200 mile range. You will still save a ton on gas, tune ups, etc.
+djkenny put cooling and heating on u will get 30 miles
+Andromeda Wins Use the heated seats and the impact is almost zero. But no, it is not half the miles.. more like losing almost 10 more.
She missed the point of this car
Erik Cruz what was it?
The 2012 iMiev was $31,000 and stopped production for 2013. The big amazing trend is the 2104 iMiev is $8,000 cheaper and all EVs Leaf, Focus, Volt have come down thousands in just a few years.
the reason for the remote climate control is so you can turn it on while your at home, or at the office and the car is charging, so its nice and cool/warm before you set off.
I don't mean to rain on your parade Emme, but the engine in the I-MiEV is actually located where the differential would normally be, right underneath the middle rear passengers butt. what you were pointing to before was the power management unit and the batteries.
There's an interesting contrast in range anxiety between EV reviewers who have driven an electric car before and those who haven't.
Also, quick charging adds the spontenaity back. There are 5 CHAdeMO stations in the metro DC area which work with the i-MiEV and also the LEAF.
I drive this car - and happy every day to get in. it is nothing like other cars.
Why test an electric car to say Ooooh range anxiety I need my spontaneity. Just do an objective test of the damn thing will you? Stop being so self centred.
And you didn't mention the added convenience of charging at home....
Motor is under rear seats , so under the hood there is braking fluid , windshield washer and AC unit .
100 km in one direction is more than enough . If you live 70km from work like me , it is more than enough (charge it at work and at home) . My car has 60 hp (Hyundai Atos) and even when it is fully loaded (like going to vacation form Serbia to Greece which is 600km) it is fast engough , top speed 160 km/h on flat road . Miev is good for someone who lives in suburbs and goes to big city to work . And it is much less time consuming to every time you park just plug it than going every week to gas station .
The motor is in the back below the trunk and it's about the size of a coffee can. If you lift up the trunk liner you just see the inverters, you can best see the motor from the side by the rear wheels.
Last Month My wife drove her I-Miev 946.4 miles saving 57.36 gallons of gasoline, Meanwhile I drove my Chevy Volt 1124.2 miles saving 64.83 gallons of gas. Together we saved $379.42 that we didn't spend for gas. One concession though, we did add $66 dollars to our utility bill for electricity and the Volt did use 3.3 gallons of gas or $10.56.
the remote control for the ac is very useful because you can cool the car before driving and while it is still plugged in.
61 mph is fine, speed limits should really be no more than 55 anyway (but I drove one and went 65 no problem). . The range is over 60 miles. Get out of ECO if you must fly down the road. Unless you work in BF Egypt, I do not see why a quick trip home and back should cause range anxiety. Why worry about navigation? I mean, Garmin or your iPhone handles that fine. I would rather buy the latest technology later down he road than a system coming with the car that will become outdated. There is quick charge stations that only take 20 min and give you must of your range back, you could grab a coffee or lunch whilst it charges. You can charge later that night as well when arriving home, just plug it in through the night. Pop that seat down if you need room for those laundry baskets. You need some pills. Or, just a second car for "spontaneity". Driving the is nearly free, far less polluting than a conventional car, you would never need a tune up, never need to get an oil change (convenience! you like that, right??!), never need to stop for gas (more convenience!) .. that would be what would be constantly on my mind, not range....saving $$$ and the environment.
No mention of rapid charging? The price after federal credits? And the LEAF has a range of 84 miles, of which is the average range, not the maximum range.
While it was up beat and happy though and though, just like Emme, I really only saw negatives dominating the review for the i-MiEV. I also don't think it's fair that Emme's first EV review was the i-MiEV. Range anxiety is compltely normal for a first time experience, it wears off after driving the kind of car over a week. I think Emma should've gotten to test drive the BMW i3 or Mercedes B-Class ED. They would offer far better first impressions.
Should have done a "DC circuit" of the five CHAdeMO stations: A
I didn't know there were that many in DC. Now, that really is bollocks right there! CHAdeMO capability (as standard) is the most competitive feature the i-MiEV has among most EVs. I like TFLCar and Emme but this review really makes me question that.
toyotaprius79 I'd give them benefit of the doubt, but they should definitely amend their review. It's a glaring omission.
"E" You make a good sales person for Nissan but 68 miles is MORE than enough for your daily City driver & thats why Cities around the world are asking for to cut down pollution in town. Your style of driving in the City should be adjusted for the New wave of saving the planet not for "Red Shoes"!
Ummm... she mentions at the end that the Smart Electric Drive is cheaper than the i-MiEV... that's actually not the case. The i-MiEV starts at ~$23k, while the Smart ED is ~$25k. The low price quoted on Smart's website is actually the figure that you'd get AFTER federal and state tax credits. For extra dishonesty, on the "state" side, they used Georgia's EV rebate, which is the largest available, and that's how they get the just under $13k figure. This is, of course, ridiculous because the federal tax credit you get depends on your total tax bill and so $7500 is a theoretical maximum, and since it only comes when your refund comes back, it doesn't really do anything for your car loan. The state-level rebates may or may not help with that depending on how they're delivered, the size of the rebate, or they may not even _exist_ depending on the state you live in... By the same sort of dishonest pricing, though, you could argue that the i-MiEV is ~$10k.
BTW, if you want a pure EV that still offers some driving enjoyment, that pretty much limits you to Tesla... I don't know about the i3, though... there is the Spark EV with its 400 lb-ft of torque, but that is only available in CA and OR. As far as the convenience and spontaneity thing, though -- I'm pretty sure that no pure EV even has the _theoretical_ capacity to offer that. Plug-in hybrids, sure, but not a strictly electric vehicle. There are potential solutions that could make that sort of generic freedom you get out of the ICE in-a-very-contrived-sense-possible for EVs 25 or 30 years from now, but that will not exist any time soon.
My sister had a Mitsubishi and she was looking for a new car to replace it back in 2002. She called me up one day and asked what I thought of Daewoo. I asked her if her prerequisite for buying a car was if the company also made televisions. She said no I'm thinking of buying Mom a new tv for her bedroom in your house.
That's the problem with Mitsubishi cars though. They are about as exciting as staring at a television that's switched off!
Thankfully my sister bought a Focus hatch fully loaded and it's now twelve years old. Hasn't given her a problem yet.
The television blew out in months when lightning traveled through the cable line. I bought mom a new tv after that. Then the house burned down in 2008 just before the economic crash. Got a large settlement and since all of the fine furniture stores were closing I did really well and now we have flat screen televisions. The programming hasn't gotten any better though. Same garbage they've been showing for seventy years.
My i miev has Bluetooth, navigation, and on n on!! I'm so happy with my I car.
Where do I even begin on the inaccuracies on this "review"? First off, the top speed is 81 MPH, not 61. If she'd actually push on the accelerator, she'd realize that ECO mode does nothing more than extend the pedal travel and increase no-pedal regenerative braking. Full power is always available in any driving mode. ECO mode is excellent for level roads to very easily maintain a certain speed. Also, if she didn't have the rear seats fully reclined, those baskets would have no trouble fitting in the back. And then there's the range "anxiety". They never said what her route was or how far she actually went on the charge, but the i-MiEV can drive 3/4 of the way around Washington, D.C. on the I-495 beltway at highway speeds before running low on charge. In addition, there are 5 quick chargers in D.C. Locations are:
2 Walgreens
The Fashion Center at Pentagon City
City Center
City Market at O
Any of these locations can juice an i-MiEV to 80% in less than 25 minutes.
I know my i-MiEV suits my driving perfectly. I take it everywhere I need to go, haul what I need to haul. It's the most reliable and practical car I've ever driven. With a sticker of $23,000 and 50 miles per dollar to drive it, it can't be beat. It's a very underrated engineering marvel that performs very well in the real world, and goes like a champ on snow/slush roads. Not bad for the most affordable EV in the US.
(By the way, her price quote of $13,000 for the Smart is for the gas version, or the electric version with $10,000 in rebates and incentives.)
Describing this car as an EV for sedentary lifestyle is, in my opinion, missing the point about the purpose for its existence. It's a city car (a definition that probably has more meaning in Europe) where highway cruising or range is less of an issue. For that reason, and if your show is intended to appeal to an International audience, it should be compared to the Nissan Micra (available in Canada for $10,000) which is the gasoline alternative. The question then becomes, is it better to save $14k on the Micra and get an equivalent lifetime supply of gasoline for free and never having to worry about the expense of changing the battery? The answer should be pretty obvious.
Did Fisher Price design the gauges and instrumentation in this car?
I would love to have one , however It couldn't be my only car. As a daily driver for me that would be fine
For most people that want EV characteristics and lack of range anxiety, probably best to go with a Chevy Volt or Caddy ELR (now affordable with the current incentives).
I can fit one of these AND my fullsize nissan titan in my small two car garage. my titan cant share garage with even the smallest gas car. although I have not tested this with smart car
The I-MiEV is a Japanese Kei car with a battery powered lawnmower engine. It’s basically a city puddle jumper for tight spaces. Not suitable for most of us drivers used to wide and fast roads. I am kinda snapping around for one just for giggles and grins. Not going to pay much money for one though. In reality, right now, it would easily cover 90% of the driving I am doing.
look at her go complain about not being able to waste more than 2h/day(and the equivalent of 15 bucks a day) driving around town. this cars were a great product, weren't completly incapable of traveling a decent distance if the infrastructure is avalible(by my small country standards)... but they just weren't worth the money they initially asked for the thing.
You test acceleration in ECO? First time I see so much hate.
Love the design and how simple it is
So Mitsubishi has replaced performance anxiety with range anxiety. Thanks but no thanks.
No worries about performance if you pick your date up in that crate. It won't be happening...
This car is so cute. It would be better if it were a plug in hybrid
All EVs, are meant to be grocery getters and work to home commuters, if you live in a place where you need to drive more than 68 miles in a day you should buy a diesel car.
If you want to go out for a drive, buy a nice car, no EV is a "just out for a drive" car.
I have a diesel and an EV. When I want to go out for a drive, I take the EV. It's about 1/5 the cost for "fuel" and much lower maintenance.
toyotaprius79 even when I'm going out for a drive across the water aboard a wsdot ferry, though I might plug in if I get the chance: plus.google.com/108161928669055573248/posts/YBn5HWs3PnD
(irony alert: #WSF uses a #biodiesel blend aboard their boats)
Nissan versa gets up to 41 mpg and starts off at 12K
+dvddmc These end up being less than 16k new after incentives, rebates, government rebates, etc in most locations. To follow; you end up with no tune ups, no gas to pay for and add carbon issues to the air, no oil changes, a smooth quiet operation.. it goes on. I want one.
There is no way I would have an EV for my only vehicle. Maybe if I used it exclusively to go to and from work it would be ok, but I would have to have a 2nd vehicle for any personal stuff. If I wanted to go green (not a bad thing) and could only have 1 ride, it would have to be something like a volt, or plug-in hybrid.
The vast majority of households who own EVs like the LEAF lease them at an affordable price while holding on to their old car in "emergencies". It's common for the EV to become the primary car used and the one being fought over. Ultimately, old cars typically only get driven for services (no good to leave a petrol or diesel car sitting for 10 months).
The Volt while new is still expensive, but there are now an abundance of second hand Votls that are ending their 3 year leases. Now's the time to buy, so good luck! Unless, you want to wait over a year to see Nissan's long awaited 150 mile, 2nd gen LEAF, or the 200 mile GM "Bolt".
Emme, that should have been, " Wheeled Girl's Reviews ". Now that would be a great tag line for you. Please accept it as a gift to you from your number one fan !!!!!
First off, I understand this is a city car. But even when you have a "city car" you do want to venture outside the city.
This is just another failed exercise to bring electric vehicles to market. They had to do it to meet some sort of standards, but not to cater to the public. It's a novelty piece.
Right now the only 2 small compact electric vehicles which stand a chance is the focus and the VW golf. And even then, it won't let you live without the dreaded range anxiety.
In truth, there is no "affordable" electric vehicle on the market right now.
Which is why Tesla's model 3 will be the game changer when it comes to market.
Emme, you're looking absolutely gorgeous!!
The only "failure" with the i-MiEV is Mitsubishi's failure to properly market the car. There is barely any advertising for the i-MiEV.
I drive my i-MiEV everyday, and I don't live in a city. I live out in the rural areas, where you have to drive at least 10 miles to even get to a gas station. I've driven my car across two counties on one charge, charged at my destination, and drove back.
If they did it to meet standards, this car would only be available in California, in even more limited numbers. These are known as "compliance cars", cars such as the Honda Fit EV, the Fiat 500e, and the Chevy Spark EV. Oh, and the Honda is lease-only, you can't buy it, unlike my privately-owned i-MiEV in Pennsylvania that suits all my driving needs perfectly.
MrTsolar Mitsubishi is a pretty obscure car brand. I've only recently started seeing more commercials for them.
MrTsolar
The "i"(-MiEV) is a kei-car, something special to the japanese market. Mitsubishi is generous to allow us to buy it. They don´t offer all their different cars in every country... Daihatsu, Suzuki and Chevrolet already retreated from the german market for example. Hopefully Mitsu stays and gives us the "XR-PHEV" ;)
logipilot I'm glad they brought the i-MiEV to the US, so much that I now have two of them. They are supposed to be releasing the Outlander PHEV sometime in the next two years.
I think it would have been easier if they made a 10 second video of her just saying "don't but this car"
Stop with the whining about range anxiety, it's not about if u'd like it. Your supposed to review w/o too much personal gripes about it and be impartial review. Me personally if the car's top speed is 61, I wouldn't take it out on the highway anyways. More suited for city/service road driving.
the top speed is 81 mph: fast enough to get a ticket in most places
Emme in a posh frock. Life don't get better than this !!!!!!
Emme, your French pronunciation is nothing short of incroyable !!!!
Clever use of French there Keyboard!
Bruce Solomon Thanks, Bruce, it's very nice of you to say so. My old French teacher never said things like that !!!! ;-)))
My French is a disaster! My friend asks me how I speak French with a Kentucky accent when I'm originally from New York. To be honest, I feel since my French is so bad I may as well add the accent just to make fun of it.
Can you explain how the lighter and cup holder work?
REAR WHEEL DRIVE on an e-city econobox?????????????????????????
I want one :)
66hp....almost the same as your miata!
I wonder if the remote controlled AC is actually for if you leave a child or pet in the car. That's the only logical reason I can come up with other than that AC would drain the battery and if you're about to leave winter or summer you can have the car set before you get in, IDK.
Mitsubishi just put on a clinic on how to make a car that absolutely sucks beyond compare with this thing.
62 mile ev range and a 23,000 dollar price tag? lol no thank you.
less 7,500 federal tax credit. How far do you drive in a day? It takes a car with pretty good mileage to beat out an electric in terms of operating cost.
Still better than the Coda... marginally.
I think you missed the point of that car...
For Range Anxiety buy a gasoline generator and stick it i the back, bam your good to go!!
Rather have the Tata nano
Lol at the 'ad by 76' banner.
A cd player???
What year is this?
Better have an aux jack.
A golf cart with windows, doors, A/C, and a radio.
It's certainly a niche vehicle. I see it doing well in certain large cities that have less than stellar public transit systems and ample parking spots, small cities (of course), and retirement communities, of which are steadily growing with the baby boomer population. So, not all is lost with the i-MiEV...they just need to market the right folks, if they haven't done so already. I like the convenience of a small EV when I have to make a quick run nearby. Sure, a subcompact can do the same but any help in decreasing my carbon footprint is welcomed.
believe it or not this car actually is rear wheel drive.
btw if you guys want more money make a pinn up calendar with Emme ;P
Ugly car, and not even ugly practical. Just ugly and useless. Maybe a golf-cart replacement.
If you can snag one of these for cheap and maybe have it as a secondary car for errands or if you have a short commute to and from work, it could pay for itself in a few years. I'm seeing some listings for $7900 (probably including gov tax credit and all available incentives on that price though). I think Mitsubishi having a hard time getting these off some lots...
awesome...thanks for the info
Why does she open the front while the engine is in the rear?
ssh..
I really like her reviews, she is funny, very energetic and all, but that guy talking in the background make her look a little unprofessional.
Yes, the I-Miev is basic, but you never drove it in regular mode, just "ECO" which turns any EV into a snail. Even my Leaf is a snail in ECO mode. Also, your comments are very subjective (as in only applies to you). I agree with some of the other folks here, you comments are totally about YOU !! NOT about the car.
Er, the motor is in the back, not under the hood!
It looks like something from the 90s...
This was a really fun one, I love emme's reviews... btw The Fast Lane Car can you guys do one of the Soul EV please? I'm really into that one :D
Ah com on lets get serious here folks and review a "CAR" Just stick a blade under it and go mow the lawn and put that thing back with the garden tools !!!!!
Dan Lubar why did you click to see this video?
the laundry baskets fit........but barely
That's not the motor, It's in back.
Emme that Mitsubishi ain't doin it for you
Just shut the doors in the US market Mitsu.
Sorry Emme, you probably had a horrible week driving that car.
So whats up with the Eclipse? Because Mitsubishi ain't got shit but the Evo..... If they still have that. Lol
They are killing the EVO after this year. Good buy Mitsubishi, you will no longer offer any thing of interest
MrGovenator1 wrong! Their removing the mitsubishi Ralliart, not the evo.
rockbandwii61 From what I understand, they are going to do a "EVO" crossover type thing. Kind of like the nismo Juke.
the seating position seems Excruciating ,, just very odd
200 mile range please
I'd like an EV, but that thing isn't good enough, I'd rather have a range closer to 100 miles. Also I find the reviewer to be incredibly annoying.
The only shot of those heals was in the back seat. More please!
annoying review. but she does do a good job illustrating a huge obstacle ev's must overcome: spoiled lazy american people that have lived there whole lives driving anywhere they want to go, even if that means two blocks to the grocery store and expect everything to be easy for them. Or we overcome our laziness and change our lifestyles a little or we are already too far gone.
Sorry about your third world limitations.
Oh I get it I stands for electronic
electromatic
Please cover-up. Terrible review. I've seen teen girls give a better review on a car. Unsubscribed.
most annoying review in history
The engineers at Mitsubishi must wear big shoes and red noses. Their thought process never seems to be in the right direction. At least here in the American market. I feel it won't be very long until we won't see dealerships any more. None of the cars the produce are interesting. And none of them compare to other cars in their segments. They generally cost more, and are of much lower quality. I find the lancer to be a good looking car, but its not worth getting over a corolla or civic. And the outlander is quite cool, but its way out of its league with other comparable products. And now that the EVO is going away, they will no longer have any thing performance oriented. If they decide to keep the Lancer Ralliart, they really need to offer a manual transmission in it, and beef up the suspension. It is the same price of a WRX, but doesn't no perform nearly as well.
Saving for the i-MiEV and owning a lancer ralliart with tc-sst I have to say: The lancer ralliart is the coolest car ever. You can feel the gearchanges like in a rally car (if in sports mode) - not like the lame DSG from VW. And the engine is growling and i can hear the tiny waste gate if I shift at full throttle and at low revs. (Yes, you can shift manually with the paddles or the stick). If some VW comes up from behind, I simply use the left paddle twice (goind from 6th to 4th gear), kick down and wave him good bye.
My old datsun 210 is better than this
The should have awards for designs teams that build the ugliest cars.
moev
This car is a sucker. Looks like deposable, cheap, and crappy car. Poor thing... BTW you look great Emme :).
UGH Time to wash my eyes out!! what a awful car. Tesla all the way!!
I appear to be the first, but I'm too cool to mention it. ;-)))
That;s because this video hasn't been published yet. TFL Patreon financial donors get to watch new reviews first as a perk and thank you for your support of TFLcar and TFLtruck.
The Fast Lane Car Wow, that makes me cool AND elite. What a guy !!!! :-)))
hypervigilance1 Perv, my dear boy, there's no need for grumpiness. The elite have always received preferential treatment, and it is only right and proper that we should do so.
MrKeyboardCommando no need for selfishness either.
Nathan Spence I have never displayed anything but selflessness. Honestly, I'm my own worst enemy. I am asked, and I give. Noblesse oblige, old sport, noblesse oblige !!!
I love electric cars and own a Chevy volt, I wouldn't go near this piece of junk
Glad you drive a Volt, but the i-MiEV is far from a "piece of junk". Network with some owners and drive one, don't listen to the nonsense "professional" reviews. Source: I drive one every day.
This lady should not be reviewing cars. She is lost and NOT funny at all!
Scary car. Will I make it home on this charge? If I crash with anything larger than a moped I will die........
Electric cars and the people who buy them are, I won't say stupid but certainly they have more money than sense. They say they want an electric car as they only commute short distances in the city.... well then take a cab or the bus or the train why spend all that money for a car you don't want to drive much anyway?
When will E-cars make sense to own? When they are big enough to be safe to drive, When those same cars have a 300+ mile per charge range and when they can be charged in 5 min on the road and those charging stations are everywhere in the US (or whatever country you live in now)
This car is a piece of junk!!!!. They could have designed a way better car than this. Whoever designed this car and whoever accepted the design idea should receive life sentences.
She has no idea how to talk in a video.
I'm sorry but this car is a total piece of shit
That is the worst car ever!!!!!!
But why does it have to be so ugly and cheap
Just not much of a car.
What a overpriced golf cart
golf carts used to be predominantly gas powered