Motor Trends iMiEV revew for Car of the Year - No highways

[iMiEV808]

Can we say "clueless"? I can't help but wonder if they ever drove a iMiEV to see how it feels on the freeway?

Here is another one of those automotive journalists comments.

This is more golf cart than go-kart," opined Harwood. "Its motor is fine for driving around town, but I wouldn't feel all that comfortable on the freeway in this thing."

Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph comes in 13.4 seconds, but the i MiEV feels quicker. We'd stay away from highways in the electric Mitsubishi, and it'd be best to avoid winding roads as well. Handling limits are very low. "I thought I knew understeer," Evans said. "Now I know understeer. No real handling dynamics to speak of."

To be fair, they had some good things to say too.
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1201_2012_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_contenders_and_finalists/mini_and_mitsubishi.html

 

[Plankton]

Unreal. I commute 30 miles round trip on freeway with no issues at all. Been doing it for 2 weeks now and I love it! It feels and handles great

 

[Vike]

My first i-MiEV test drive I stuck to surface streets and frontage/marginal roads, avoiding the highways; this was partly because of all the negative comments about the car's high-speed road manners, partly because the more limited operating range at freeway speeds and the excellent network of non-highway arteries running through our town made me think freeway driving was both avoidable and undesirable.

On reflection, I decided this had been a bad idea, so when I went to the dealer's other store to check out some different colors and configurations, I went out for a second, much longer, test drive. This time, we got it up to well over 75 mph in moderate traffic. After reading so much about the i's upright stance and narrow tires making it less than surefooted on the freeways, I was mainly curious about exactly how shaky and rattle-prone it would be at speed.

I'm happy to report that my experience was the complete opposite of my expectations. The i accelerated smoothly onto the freeway and felt surprisingly planted through merging and lane changes. It seemed more than capable of anything I asked of it.

I guess if you've been reviewing Miatas and BMWs all week, a transportation appliance like the i-MiEV must seem quite the crude little sled. But for ordinary folks driving ordinary cars (my current ride's an old Toyota Matrix), there's nothing about the i-MiEV that seems unacceptably crude or rough. Quite the contrary, for most small car owners, the i will provide a noticeable improvement in the overall driving experience.

 

[danpatgal]

To be honest, highway driving is not the i's strong point. It can go fast enough for sure (though range is depleted much faster), I've noticed some buffeting in cross winds that is to be expected with a small tall vehicle. But, as Vike points out, compared to a Matrix or other vehicles in the class, it does very well. Besides, it is such a complete JOY to drive around town without the extra bling I've seen on other EVs that I find annoying - it's been a really nice vehicle for us.

 

[tonymil]

Here's a better and more thorough review:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/mitsubishi-i-miev-review/

I like the way it sums up:

"Still, if you're concerned about your carbon footprint, serious about giving up your gas-guzzling ways, and
looking for a more affordable way into the green car scene, then the Mitsubishi i is your ticket to the show."

Yes it is.