The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a compact car built from 2012 to 2018. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: Electric. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the i-MiEV is
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a compact car that Mitsubishi built from 2012 to 2018 — 7 model years. It has been offered with Electric power. Its closest siblings in the Mitsubishi range: Eclipse, Mirage, 3000GT.
Where the i-MiEV is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 13 i-MiEVs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JA3 | 2012-2017 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Mitsubishi VIN decide which of these 1 lines your i-MiEV belongs to. What every character in a i-MiEV VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Mitsubishi i-MiEV adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Mitsubishi i-MiEV tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment i-MiEV owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Mitsubishi i-MiEV have? Power & range
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is offered with 1 powertrain — Electric. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Electric motor | Single-speed | RWD | Electricity |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The i-MiEV by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | i-MiEV | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 16 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 14 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV?
The i-MiEV is a compact car, built from 2012 to 2018. Engines offered: Electric.
Where is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV made?
Across 13 cars in our records the split is: Japan (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV warranty?
New models carry 5 years / 60,000 miles basic cover and 10 years / 100,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the i-MiEV reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific i-MiEV?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Mitsubishi
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 2003–2026 | 140 | 28 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1990–2012 | 136 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Mitsubishi Mirage | 1985–2026 | 65 | 39 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Mitsubishi Lancer | 2002–2017 | 78 | 30 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Mitsubishi Galant | 1985–2012 | 67 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Mitsubishi 3000GT | 1991–1999 | 21 | 19 mpg | 4.0/5 |