Used 2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2016 i-MiEV, so we've included reviews for other years of the i-MiEV since its last redesign.
Can you tell I like my car?
ev_owner, 09/18/2012
2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV ES 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
16 of 18 people found this review helpful
So far I've only had one month of ownership. No regrets. My other vehicle has been used just a few times since buying this one. There is enough torque/acceleration to pull away from the crowd at traffic lights if one wanted to. The comfort is not perfect for all day driving, but for the hour max that the car would be driven, it's adequate. The initial cost may be higher compared to other compact cars, but the eventual total cost of ownership is calculated to be lower. (Pay a little more up front for greater benefits down the road.) The vehicle is very stable since the wheels are located at the corners.
2-1/2 years into owning a 2016 Mitusubishi iMiEV
Barry L, 08/12/2016
updated 02/14/2019
2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV ES 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
iMiEV is a basic modest simple vehicle - which is what we're used to (we also own a Toyota Yaris). Good for local travel, not long distance, although it does also have the 30 min. fast-charge port, if one wants to try for longer distances using public charging stations. But be aware that frequent fast charges age the battery faster - this is true for all lithium-battery EV's. Range: During warmer weather, actual range on local roads is about 70 miles. Range gauge after a local road trip and then recharge will show as much as 85 miles. But I haven't gone this far - my longest trips are about 60 mi, and the gauge shows about 10 mi. left when I get home. Plus there's about another 5 miles of driving "on the turtle", maybe a bit more. The battery seems to holding up, no obvious loss of charge-holding capacity yet. The range-remaining gauge seems accurate, although its calculation is based on the last 15 min. of driving. In hot weather, using the A/C may lop about 10 miles off the range, but often it can be run intermitttently. In colder weather, the range drops; after a recharge range drops to as low as 60 miles (after off-highway driving). Using the heater would knock this down further. Instead of the heater, I use a 12V heated travel blanket on my lap for winter driving, plus a warm pair of heavy wool socks and looser shoes. This winter also got some 12V heated gloves, very helpful. But I'm can see why some folks install one of those little kerosene or alcohol burning heaters. In very cold weather, the window defroster seems a bit underpowered. Under some circumstances, defrost is inadequate unless one runs heat plus AC. More range loss. When the range remaining drops to about 10 miles, the gauge starts to blink as a warning that a battery recharge will be needed soon. Driving the car into a very low battery state triggers a turtle-shaped dash light, and results in somewhat reduced performance to save power. I drove about 5 miles "on the turtle" just one time and got home without a problem - able to drive up to 35 mph, didn't try for more in any case. As for drivability, highways feel fine at 65-70 mph, but it's a small car, and you'll feel it on a windy day or when a big rig zooms past. 60 mph feels more stable. On local roads, it handles a bit like a go-cart, and is fun to drive. It has good pickup: the motor is directly coupled to the wheels, and the car feels quite zippy. Another plus: the car is QUIET. Stability on snowy roads isn't bad, I think in part because the regenerative braking puts a drag on the rear wheels that helps keep the car straight. In this way, rather like driving a rear-wheel drive car with a clutch, in snow or ice. We charge it overnight at 120VAC household, 12A, and this suffices for about 2 hrs of driving per day, my usual use. The car can also be charged at 240VAC (twice as fast) but you need a 240V line and a special charger unit that runs about $500. (Price is steep, and there isn't that much inside these, they are just over-priced. In fact, the 120V chargers can be converted to 240V - people show how on youtube.) I have no 240V line to the outside of my house, and haven't needed faster charging anyway. I find the front seats comfortable. They are heated, although it's a mild warmth, not hot. Front side mirrors also have a heating option for winter. Seating and windshield are a bit higher than in the Yaris, and I like the better visibility. Biggest negative to my mind is the poor safety rating of the rear seats. Also, the defroster could be more powerful. Lastly, for cold-weather driving, a bigger battery would have been a plus to compensate for range loss by use of heat. As a city car, the imiev is perfect. I have some commutes totaling around 60 miles. In very cold weather, I've avoided them by carpooling or taking the Yaris. The rear seats can be lowered flat, and the car can then used to move fairly good sized objects. For us, that's included a dishwasher and a set of tall Ikea shelf kits. Very handy.
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2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV for sale near you
3 of 7 listings
- ES 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $4,998422 mi away
- ES 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $7,498529 mi away
- ES 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $6,536698 mi away
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Great little car
sandange, 09/04/2012
2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV ES 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
We have had the car now for over 2 months & put over 5000 km on it. The car has performed better than we had hoped for, & it is our only car. Comfortable, great visibility, and quiet. We plan to swap for or rent a gas car should we need to go on any long trips. We are 2 drivers sharing this one electric car and it has already saved us a whole lot of money from fuel bills. There was an adjustment period to get comfortable with the range limits, no prob driving our regular routes, Work commute, Shopping, Family visits. Once we got familiar with the charging station locations, we started enjoying taking longer trips, venturing further and further. A great all round car
My experiment with the electric car just that
DocJr., 07/22/2017
updated 07/30/2018
2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV SE 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
If San Diego Gas and Electric is your utility, then this review applies. I was one of the first adopters in my S. O'side neighborhood. As I am a huge Mitsubishi fan (I have two others), and, since an electric car was an experiment, and no used ones available yet in my local area, I took a plunge on the $12K (you can get a $7,500 Fed tax rebate and a $2,500 California credit) 2012 Mitsu (Leaf was at least 5K more) I got from out-of-state. But even with the special SDG&E EV rates (which require you to charge only at night or pay a penalty), I am averaging 20 miles/$. The (albeit ugly) Mitsu Mirage gets 50 mpg which at the current (temporarily low?) price of $3/gallon, works out to 16 miles/$. But here's the deal breaker. At around 30K miles, my range is down about 10%. I figure by 40K miles (next year sometime), the car will be not worth keeping unless Mitsu honors the battery warranty. Since a replacement battery is $10K (or so), and the car is worth around $4K on Craigs List now, my car has depreciated around (I bought it in 2013) $2K/year. I figure I am saving $195 (difference between a years gas at today's prices in the Mirage vs. the i-MiEV electricity cost). I looked at used Mirages, and they depreciate less, and, are able to get you to work and back after 40K miles. I wonder what California will do with all of the 4 and 5 year old electric cars that are just now trickling into junk yards (Leaf battery exchange is ONLY $5,500-parts only). Will I buy another electric? Heck ya, but let's see how the 200-mile latest and greatest (Chevy Bolt or Tesla Model 3) holds-up first. Sometime in 2018, I'll have to switch to driving my Mitsu SUV to work. One last thing, there are so many electric cars in S. Calif. now that the carpool isn't any faster when traffic is at it's worst. Jan 2018 update: Just hit 30K and my range is down 20%. I am just able to make it to work and back. Car still looks great. Too bad some third party doesn't make battery replacements. July 2018 update: have not noticed any further drop in range. Maybe it's because it is warmer and the car does seem to go father in warmer temps. My plant manager won't let me plug my car in at work anymore (was using an outlet on side of building since we have no dedicated EV charger). Now I have to drive my other car whenever I need to go somewhere at lunch or afterwork since my range has been reduced to getting my to work and back and not much else. FYI: a lot of early Leafs are hitting the junk yard because CA hasn't grasped the fact that owners need help funding battery replacements, but, this means I can pick-up spare chargers pretty cheap now.
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Excellent city car/second car or first Electric Ca
A J, 09/11/2017
updated 09/12/2019
2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV ES 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I owned the car for more than 3 years and driven over 20,000 miles. Bought it used and got a great deal on it. After a couple issues that were resolved under warranty (long time at dealership due to parts availability). However, they gave me something else to drive for free so no major complaints. It is a basic car which serves it purpose well, for around town car and for small drives. I do not take it on the highway or long trips. Charge it overnight with the OEM charger and lasts me couple days due to short commute and occasional trips to the grocery store. Using the heat in winter causes about 30% dip in the weather, including defrosting the car while plugged in with the remote. The car has a good getup and go from stop, however not the best handling in slightly bad weather. I installed winter tires and survived just fine. The heated driver seat is extremely hot and I rarely use it. The car gets a lot of attention and comments. It is our primary car and have saves us a lot of trips to the gas station. Seats are very basic and not comfortable for long rides or bumpy roads, the storage space is very minimal; however rear seats fold flat. I have driven 72 miles with 6 miles left on the guess-o-meter. Update** The car does surprisingly well in Chicago winter also with some snow tires. There is surprising amount of room in the car if you ever have to carry some cargo. I can fit a 7 ft Christmas tree or 15+ bags of mulch and 30+ folding chairs in the car. Excellent car for city use or for a work car.
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