Mitsubishi i

Mitsubishi's latest offering makes other kei car manufacturers say, 'i-yoh!'

What's New
For a company that until recently, was plagued by recall scandals and a severe loss of consumer confidence, Mitsubishi is still able to churn out quality product like the i minicar which is nothing short of amazing.

The i is a kei car, a special class of tiny vehicles designed specifically for urban use. Kei car owners enjoy special tax breaks in Japan, but unfortunately this isn't the case here. Local Mitsubishi distributor, Cycle & Carriage Automotive, has therefore resorted to playing up the car's lifestyle accessory angle in its marketing efforts, but really, it probably didn't need to. For most people, the way the car looks should be reason enough to sign on the dotted line.

Drawing inspiration from a host of influences, anime and manga characters in particular it seems, Mitsubishi's designers have crafted what is essentially a Pokemon character on wheels. The i's proportions, especially its cartoon hamster-like crouching stance, are very appealing, and the car doesn't seem to have a bad angle. In actuality, though, it would be all too much if it weren't for the fact that the i has virtually no front or rear overhangs. This tempers the general cuteness by invoking a sense of solidity and purposeful aggression.

All that said, the i isn't all about looks, there's plenty of substance underneath as well.

The i is a very sophisticated little car, and uses plenty of innovative construction techniques. For starters, it's rear-engined, which frees up a huge amount of room in front for impact absorbing crash structures. In addition, Mitsubishi has incorporated a robust crash protection cage into the passenger cell that's made of high-strength steel.

Another benefit of relocating the engine round the back is manoeuvrability. With nothing limiting the turn angle of the front wheels, you can practically spin the i around on a dime. This, coupled with the car's tiny dimensions, means that it's great in tight confines like multi-storey carparks.

Considering how dinky the car looks on the outside, the i's cabin boasts a surprising amount of room. There's only space for four passengers, but on the upside, you're probably not going to have anyone complaining about being cramped. Luggage space isn't huge, as you'd expect, but the rear seat backs do fold forwards, liberating some useful extra room.

Everything is cheerily designed, with big knobs and tactile switches on the dashboard that work to neatly complement the exterior detailing, and there's nothing to complain about with regards to build quality.

How it Performs
The i is powered by a 659cc, three-cylinder engine that develops 64bhp, with the help of a tiny turbocharger. Small, three-cylinder engines tend to be very characterful, and the i is no exception. The i's little powerplant comes off as smooth and quite torquey, and it revs all the way to the redline with little hint of raucousness.

The engine is mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox which works well enough, but the lively engine does make keener drivers wish there were a manual option as well. The 0-100km/h sprint takes a decent 11 seconds.

The i is rear-wheel driven, which ordinarily has good implications for steering feel and handling. The i's steering is electric, and the assistance varies according to road speed. It's feather light when you're parking, but weights up quite nicely on the move. There's no self-centring action, though, which makes threading the car through the corners trickier than it would otherwise be.

The overall quality of the ride and the level of refinement in the cabin are both good, though. Wind and road noise are kept low, and the i's suspension does a great job at filtering out road surface imperfections.

How it Stacks Up
The i comes in two variants, i Casual and i Style. The former comes without an integrated stereo but mechanically the two cars are identical. Standard equipment levels are generally high, and include automatic climate control as well as keyless entry.

If you're in the market for one, you'll probably know that there are just three tiny cars on sale in Singapore at the moment, the i and the Subaru R1 and R2. While the R2 has price on its side, and is sharper to drive than the i, the Mitsubishi arguably wins outright is in terms of styling and it's generous equipment level.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Mitsubishi i (A) ENGINE Engine: 659cc, turbocharged12-valve in-line 3 Max Power: 64bhp at 6,000rpm Max Torque: 94Nm at 4,400rpm TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic TOP SPEED 140km/h 0-100km/h 11.0s