An Aye for the i

Nobody asked me but . . .

When you’re driving one of only two examples of a car currently in America, you’re bound to draw some attention. When you’re controlling it from the side of the car that is opposite to the norm in America, that’s another attention grabber. But when that car also is so small that it looks like it was dropped off directly from Lilliput, be prepared for being stared at—a lot—and answering questions, lots of questions.

Say hello to the Mitsubishi i, a car so cute and huggable both Barbie and her Bratz counterparts wish they owned two of them. Heck, Mattel probably wishes it owned the manufacturing rights. They could crank them out on the same production line that spits out Barbie and Ken dolls.

What exactly is a Mitsu i? Think tall, narrow and short. A car without hang-ups or overhangs. A 649 cc, 3-cylinder engine with a turbo. Tires so narrow, they would embarrass most current motorcycles. A parking requirement about half the length of a Maybach, but room to comfortably seat four adults.

There’s a chart here to allow you to directly compare the i to the Mini Cooper, the Maybach 62 and the Toyota Corolla, but here are a few salient numbers. The i is almost a foot shorter than the Mini and the Maybach has a wheelbase that is nearly a foot-and-a-half longer than the i. The i is 8 inches narrower than the Mini or Corolla but the Maybach is a whopping 20 inches wider. And the Maybach’s engine is dressed to the nines: It’s got about nine times as much displacement, horsepower and torque as the Mitsubishi’s diminutive 3-cylinder engine.

Mitsubishi is quick to tell you that it doesn’t plan to sell the i in the U.S. But they are evaluating it here to measure consumer reaction to its size, shape and styling, among other factors. One of those “other” factors is the strong possibility of the next generation Mitsu i being a battery-powered electric car.

Mitsubishi introduced the third generation of its battery-powered electric car about a month ago at an international alternative vehicle symposium in Yokohama, Japan. That car is based on the i. Mitsubishi says the electric car has a top speed of 80 mph and can travel 80-100 miles on a single charge. Data collected during daily real-world use in Japan will be used to assess the commercial prospects of battery-powered electric cars, Mitsubishi says.

The i’s platform features a rear-midship layout that mounts the engine forward of the rear axle line, which is ideal for conversion to electric motor and batteries. The rear-midship layout also provides an effective front crumple zone, realizing a happy marriage between roomier interior space and improved impact safety. And with the wheels pushed out to the very corners of the car, the i has an extremely long wheelbase vs. its overall length. Its wheelbase is only two inches less than the Corolla’s, but the Toyota is nearly four feet longer overall! This results in agile handling and a surprisingly comfortable ride.

Driven sans passengers, the i delivers sprightly performance and a sporty exhaust note reminiscent of the Maserati Merak. Four adults fit comfortably within the i’s seemingly short and narrow confines, but each additional occupant places a heavy demand on the i’s rather miniscule 63 horsepower. So with four aboard plan your freeway passing maneuvers well in advance.

But keep the pedal to the metal and the i’s mettle shows: It will run all day long at 80+ mph and still sip fuel at a pass-the-pumps 45 mpg.

Driving the fun, funky Mitsu i is a smile-a-minute experience. It’s urban and urbane. A jellybean on wheels. I can’t wait for the battery-powered i. It should be an electrifying experience.