CTC Review: Mitsubishi iCar

[CD_Editor]

Picture Gallery:  Mitsubishi iCar

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I was lucky enough to have the opportunity recently to drive a vehicle that is not sold in Canada.  The iCar is produced by Mitsubishi for the Japanese and European market.  To a lot of Canadians it might resemble a smart car, but it differs in many key areas, the most obvious one is the amount of doors it sports.More ...

[initial_D]

Very interesting vehicle. Is it gonna be available in Canada soon?

[rrocket]

Cool car!!  I'd drive one...

[joie_de_vivre]

It is basically a streched smart, made in collaboration with DaimlerChrysler. The 2008 smart uses the same Mitsu engine.

[Demosthenes X]

Why does Mitsu keep giving you cars they have no plans to sell in Canada?  Yeesh...   

[carcrazed]

... to make us immigrate to Japan

[carcrazy]

The trunk looks big for the size of the car. For its class, it’s a good-looking car in and out. I wouldn't buy one, but the downtown TO crowd would for sure.
Mitsu should bring both the Colt and the iCar here. If they want to become a real presence in the Canadian marketplace, they need more vehicles in their lineup of currently 3 selling models.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Very interesting vehicle concept I would consider. It would need to deliver better fuel efficiency tho than what was estimated.

[Cortina]

Why does Mitsu keep giving you cars they have no plans to sell in Canada? 

I love this little car.

Maybe it is to test the water and gage the public reaction to these vehicles.  It is amazing to see these Mitsubishi cars on Canadian soil. I think they are much better alternative to the smart. You can get 4 adults and a possibly a dog in the back too.  I'm not sure what they could be priced out. Because these cars like the Smart should be less than a Yaris or a Fit to make them viable. The Smart is more like a toy and it is not the public who is buying them, mostly company using them for advertising. I think that is because of the price on the smarts which is a shame. I wonder what the i car would sell for.


660CC turbo charge engine must be the smallest engine wing as ever tested.

[Blueprint]

Well, at least this one won't be less expensive in the US 

[Blueprint]

Why does Mitsu keep giving you cars they have no plans to sell in Canada? 

I love this little car.

Maybe it is to test the water and gage the public reaction to these vehicles.  It is amazing to see these Mitsubishi cars on Canadian soil. I think they are much better alternative to the smart. You can get 4 adults and a possibly a dog in the back too.  I'm not sure what they could be priced out. Because these cars like the Smart should be less than a Yaris or a Fit to make them viable. The Smart is more like a toy and it is not the public who is buying them, mostly company using them for advertising. I think that is because of the price on the smarts which is a shame. I wonder what the i car would sell for.


660CC turbo charge engine must be the smallest engine wing as ever tested.

Smarts are everywhere around Montreal (I think GTM buys 50 - 75% of all Smarts).  The public is buying them alright.

That doesn't mean their drivers are smart...I saw one in the "hybrid-only" parking spots at IKEA 

[initial_D]

The Smart car does have a battery ...

[Mitlov]

The Smart car does have a battery ...

The world's last non-hybrid:



Why do they even have "hybrid-only" parking spaces?  A Yaris or Fit or even a GTI is more fuel-efficient than an RX-h, GS-h, or LS-h...

[UmroAyyar]

Mitlov's query got me curious. Most small cars are very fuel efficient. Here's what Ikea intended to do. You can load up Yaris/Fit much better than the Camry Hybrid.

Starting May 16, the Swedish furniture retailer will dedicate two spots near the front of the store for hybrid vehicles. Ikea spokeswoman Debbie McDowell notes that drivers of low-emission cars can also make use of the spots.

"At this time we're saying hybrids but it's really open to people driving what we also are considering low-emission vehicles — anything that falls under the recent federal government incentive program would apply," she said.
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/05/10/ikea-hybrid.html

[safristi]

Do invalid hybrid drivers get ta autocross around IN THE STORE......I KEA BIRD COMING ON....

[A Reader]

"I did not get a change to take the iCar onto the highway"   ?

I think thats an error.

The cars brought into the Canadian Market all seem to be bigger. What needs to happen is that people should not buy the bigger cars.

[jcon]

"I did not get a change to take the iCar onto the highway"   ?

I think thats an error.

The cars brought into the Canadian Market all seem to be bigger. What needs to happen is that people should not buy the bigger cars.

But everyone (or almost everyone) needs a vehicle that can handle well on the highway at some point, be it gigantic or tiny, so this is relevant information for car buyers.

[initial_D]

Able to merge onto a freeway like the 401 in front of traffic, 'cut' in front of big trucks would qualify as handle well on the highway?

[jcon]

Able to merge onto a freeway like the 401 in front of traffic, 'cut' in front of big trucks would qualify as handle well on the highway?

in Canada? That's a must!

Plus we need a very large rear window so that the vehicle in behind can see us flipping them the bird!

[redroadster]

38 miles per gallon in the city isn't bad. How did you drive it to achieve this? easy or peddle
to the metal to keep up with traffic.