I decided to buy a Mitsubishi i-MiEV rather than a Leaf. My brother has a Leaf and really enjoys it. It seems to be a very nice car. Its interior is certainly more deluxe than the i-MiEV's rather spartan interior. But the 4-passenger capacity of the i-MiEV is sufficient for us (the Leaf is a 5-passenger car). The i-MiEV is more in the mold of the Insight in that it's very small compared with the Leaf (2.5' shorter, 7" narrower, 800 lb lighter, 2' less turning radius), yet it has twice the cargo capacity with their rear seats down. Because of its smaller size, the i-MiEV is more fuel-efficient. But because its battery pack's capacity is smaller, the i-MiEV's EPA range is 11 miles less.
I paid about $7,000 less for my i-MiEV compared with a 2012 Leaf. But with 2013 Leafs being built in the U.S. (thus avoiding the high yen value relative to the dollar) and a new "decontented" model being offered, the least expensive 2013 Leaf will have a MSRP competitive with an i-MiEV which will make competing with the Leaf very difficult for the i-MiEV.
It's good to have such different choices, though.
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Aloha,
Art Isbell
2000 Insight A/C #559
Genesis One MIMA+FAS and grid charger, OBDIIC&C, Rostra, Fumoto, DEFA engine block heater, Philips LED DRL's, Honda security system
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