2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV
2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV pricing
in Ashburn, VAEdmunds' Expert Review
Overall rating
A small electric vehicle, the 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV offers the prospect of gas-free commuting at a low entry-level price. Basically, this is one of the least expensive electric vehicles on the market. Factoring in government tax rebates, you're potentially looking at fewer than $20,000 for a new EV. Unfortunately, that's about all the i-MiEV has going for it.
For starters, the i-MiEV doesn't perform as well as rival EVs. The EPA says you can expect a typical driving range of just 59 miles before running out of battery power. Most other EVs that are similarly priced can go about 20 to 30 miles more. And once you've depleted the i-MiEV's batteries, it will take quite a while to recharge. With the i-MiEV, expect charging times about twice as long as those in rival EVs.
Once you've got it on the road, the i-MiEV is one of the slowest cars on the market to reach 60 mph. And if you are brave enough to venture onto the highway, you'll quickly discover a bouncy and rough ride. It's loud, too, with not much sound insulation to keep out the wind and road noise. This isn't the kind of vehicle that will keep you calm and undisturbed on the way to work in the morning.
Other EVs fare better. The Chevrolet Spark is the closest in size and prize to the i-MiEV, and it's much quicker and it comes with more standard equipment. The Fiat 500e, Ford Focus Electric and Nissan Leaf are all more expensive than the i-MiEV but give you longer driving ranges, much more upscale interiors and superior refinement. So while the idea of using a small, inexpensive EV for commuting is enticing, we recommend avoiding the i-MiEV as the means to go about it.
Standard safety equipment on the 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV includes antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum), stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags. It also features an "Approaching Vehicle Audible System" (AVAS), which alerts pedestrians that the i-MiEV is nearby by emitting a sound at low speeds. Rear parking sensors and a rearview camera are optional.
At the Edmunds test track, in a simulated panic stop, the i-MiEV came to a stop from 60 mph in 120 feet, which is typical for an EV in this class. When the government crash tested the i-MiEV, it received an overall rating offour out of five stars, with four stars for total frontal-impact protection and three stars for total side-impact protection. The lower side-impact score is the result of excessive rear door panel intrusion during testing, suggesting an elevated risk of torso injuries for passengers riding in back.
2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV configurations
The 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV is an all-electric four-door hatchback with seating for four. There's just one trim level and it's called ES.
Standard equipment includes 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, foglights, heated side mirrors, full power accessories, air-conditioning, heated front seats, 50/50 split-folding rear seats that also recline, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.
Also included are a Level 3 quick-charging port and a remote system that activates the climate control and the charging timer.
The optional Navigation package adds a 7-inch touchscreen, navigation, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity (known as the Fuse hands-free link system), steering-wheel audio controls and a USB port. Stand-alone options include rear parking sensors, blue LED interior lighting and a cargo net.
Powering the rear-wheel-drive 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a 49-kilowatt electric motor (66 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque) fed by a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. At the Edmunds test track, the i-MiEV went from zero to 60 mph in 14.7 seconds, which is a long time for any modern car, even an EV. For comparison, the Nissan Leaf posts a 10.2-second time, while a Fiat 500e will make it to 60 mph in just 8.2 seconds.
According to the EPA, the2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV has an estimated driving range of just 59 miles. That's far less than the i-MiEV's competitors that typically have 75-85 miles of range. (The Nissan Leaf, with its optional battery, can go more than 100 miles.) The EPA has given the i-MiEV an energy consumption estimate of 30 kWh per 100 miles rating (the lower the kWh number, the better), which is on par with competitors like the Leaf and Volkswagen e-Golf.
Because of the i-MiEV's 3.3kW onboard charger, it can take a long time to charge fully. Plugged into a 120-volt household outlet, the Mitsubishi takes 14-22 hours to reach a full charge, and in our testing, it was usually closer to 22. With a Level 2 (240-volt) charging station, the EPA estimates the i-MiEV can be recharged in seven hours, though we found that the i-MiEV typically needed eight hours. Mitsubishi claims that a Level 3 charger will restore the i-MiEV to 80 percent of a full charge in just 30 minutes, but these chargers aren't as common, so you'll want to check your area for availability.
Driving
One of the benefits of driving a small, electric-powered vehicle like the 2017 i-MiEV is that it has decent pep off the line, especially in the city. At low speeds in city traffic, it's particularly at home. In general, the lack of a gas-powered engine makes for a quiet cabin, but there is a distinct sound from the electric motor when you accelerate hard.
Driving a Mitsubishi i-MiEV on the highway is a much less enjoyable experience. The last time we tested one, we achieved a top speed of just 81 mph. The time it takes to accelerate to 60 mph just isn't up to modern standards. Once it's on the highway, the i-MiEV depletes its batteries at a particularly swift rate and there's a noticeable increase in wind and tire noise. Comfort is an issue too, with a bouncy, busy ride.
Interior
While it may have seemed funky five years ago when it was introduced, the i-MiEV feels dated and cheap on the inside by today's standards. Most of the cabin surfaces are hard plastic, with a sort of monotone feeling throughout.
Thanks to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV's tall body, there's plenty of headroom, but the driving position is awkward and legroom is tight for taller adults, who will likely run out of seat-track travel. Legroom is also a problem in the backseat, and the seats themselves are flat and not very supportive.
For storage, there is 13.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, which isn't much by EV or hatchback standards. There's enough room back there for some golf clubs or a standard sized suitcase, but some EV rivals have nearly double that space. Fold the seats down to get a much healthier amount of space: 50.4 cubes. That's similar to cars like the Kia Soul EV and the VW e-Golf.
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See your car's valueAs far as electric cars go, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a bargain. Its take-home price is just under $23,000, and that's before the thousands of dollars in government tax incentives factored in. But you do get what you pay for: The i-MiEV may undercut its rivals on price, but it falls woefully short in terms of performance, range, charge times and amenities.
The egg-shaped i-MiEV is based on a Japanese-market city car called the Mitsubishi i; like its gas-powered counterpart, the i-MiEV bundles its powertrain near the rear-drive axle, freeing up a surprising amount of headroom for both front and rear passengers. Unfortunately, legroom is in short supply for tall drivers; the seats simply don't slide back far enough. Cargo space is also lacking, at just 13.2 cubic feet. The cheap cabin trim, simple instrumentation and flat seats belie the i-MiEV's bargain price.
The i-MiEV is powered by a 49-kilowatt (66 hp/145 lb-ft) electric motor fed by a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. In Edmunds testing, the i-MiEV needed 14.7 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph, an excruciatingly long time by any standard; for comparison, the electric Fiat 500e needs just 8.2 seconds. Acceleration feels fine around town, but reaching highway speeds is a strain and the i-MiEV tops out at just 81 mph. With its bouncy ride and excessive noise at highway speed — not to mention the deleterious effect high speeds have on battery range — highway driving in the i-MiEV just isn't that pleasant.
Thanks to its light weight, the i-MiEV is one of the most efficient EVs on the market. The EPA rates it at 112 mpg equivalent combined (121 city/102 highway — mpg equivalent stands for "miles per gallon equivalent," a measure of efficiency for electrified cars). Unfortunately, the small battery means the i-MiEV's 59-mile EPA-rated range is among the shortest in the business. Most EVs offer closer to 100 miles, and Chevy's new Bolt offers 238 miles. With its short range, you'd expect quick charging, but the i-MiEV uses a 3.3-kW onboard charger (as opposed to the 6.6-kW units found in most electric cars) that requires seven to eight hours to charge using a Level 2 EV charger, twice as long as most other EVs. A full charge using a 120-volt household outlet requires the better part of 22 hours. That said, the i-MiEV does come standard with Level 3 DC fast-charging capability, which will charge the battery from zero to 80 percent in less than half an hour. Fast chargers are not as common as Level 2 chargers, but the i-MiEV uses the same CHAdeMO fast charger as the more popular Nissan Leaf, which helps with availability.
Mitsubishi offers the i-MiEV as a single model, the four-door ES; some electronic nice-to-haves are offered as either stand-alone options or as part of a bundle. What's the best way to configure yours? Edmunds can help find the perfect 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV for you.
2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV Overview
The 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV is offered in the following submodels: i-MiEV Hatchback. Available styles include ES 4dr Hatchback (electric DD).
What do people think of the 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV?
Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2017 i-MiEV 4.5 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2017 i-MiEV.
Edmunds Expert Reviews
Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2017 i-MiEV featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
Our Review Process
This review was written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.
We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
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Should I lease or buy a 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV?
Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.
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