2010 Mitsubishi i Full Test Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published January 27, 2010

2:18 min

This is the 2010 Mitsubishi i. As you can see, it's small � incredibly small. It belongs to a niche of vehicles sold in Japan known as kei cars that must meet strict limits on size, engine displacement and power to grant their owners certain tax breaks.

Inside Line got a chance to test the I and see if it would have a fighting chance here in Super-Sized America.

The I is 27 inches longer than a Smart but 2 inches shorter than a Honda Fit. Like the Smart, though, its tiny engine is located in the back under the cargo floor.

This 659cc three-cylinder is turbocharged to produce the maximum 63 horsepower allowed for kei cars in Japan. That makes it slightly more powerful than a lawnmower in America.

So not surprisingly, the Mitsu i is pretty darn slow with a 0-60 time of 14.9 seconds . This isn't a big deal if you live in a congested city, but should you find yourself on a freeway, you'll find the I doesn't have nearly enough power.

Plus, when the engine is taxed in such a way, we found it falls way short of achieving stellar fuel economy. We only observed 27.7 mpg.

If rumors that some version of the I is coming to the U.S. are true, the I would likely come with a bigger engine, so let's focus on some of its other attributes.

For one, it's a packaging marvel. It's big enough inside to fit four average-sized adults and there's so much headroom, all of them could wear a ten-gallon hat.

The rear seatbacks fold to create a nearly flat load floor and enough space for a bike or some other bit of bulky cargo. Compared to the two-seat Smart, the I is huge. Compared to a Honda Fit � well, it gets outmarvelled.

Out in a crowded city, the I will impress with its tiny turning circle and a small footprint that should make finding a parking spot easier. Our test car's right-hand steering wheel made drive-thru burger places a tad difficult, though.

The I would certainly represent a major downsizing, but for those in a crowded city, we think the intriguing Mitsubishi I would be a much smarter decision than a certain two-seat city car currently sold in this country.