Electric Dream: Shallow Gal

Jessica O'Brien, winner of the carsales.com.au 'Electric Dream' competition, updates us on what it's like living with Mitsubishi's plug-in i-MiEV city car
discount new cars  » Get the best price on a new Mitsubishi

By her own admission, our Electric Dream winner Jessica O'Brien ranks "below the average for tech-savvy Gen Y's" but her competition entry was bright enough to make her the pick of the finalists. And  she's fast learning all about motoring in a high-tech plug-in electric car from Mitsubishi, the i-MiEV. You can read her latest weblog update below...

Shallow Gal

My July began with anticipation about two approaching dates.

July 14: A short two weeks until I would make my final commute back to Carsales HQ with my electric exchange student,

July 7: An even shorter week until my 22nd birthday.

You might wonder what on earth these two dates have in common; I mean it's not like the Carsales crew were going to give me a Mitsubishi shaped birthday present.

Or where they?

Ok, well they didn't. But they did notify me that should I choose to, I would be able to keep the car for another four weeks. I chose to all right! It's fabulous news: not only do I get to continue my noiseless parade of electo-tainment, you all get to read another four of these (enjoyable!) blog instalments. It's just the best birthday present ever. (Of course Nan, if you are reading this, those socks were a 10/10)

So now that I am fuelled with great news, I would like to take charge, so to speak, of an issue that has been niggling at me since I first laid an eye on the i-MiEV.

It's just not ridiculously good looking.

Now if this is my biggest complaint about a car (which is generally designed to hit roads, not catwalks) it honestly can't be that bad at all. But I want all you Mitsubishi newbies out there to be getting to know the i-MiEV with me; the good, the bad and the teeny bit ugly.

I need to put it out there; it does somewhat resemble an egg-shaped cartoon image that you might find on a Japanese food package (Happy egg waffle?). Which I suppose can be attributed to its Japanese origins. Perhaps its engineers had a hankering for such a snack during the design process?

This carton-toy resemblance is exemplified by the amount of plasticized interior (no doubt a product of Mitsubishi's efforts to keep the weight down and the range up). The seats are light foam and the amenities feel a bit like (a life-size) Barbie-Car, sans pink paint, flower stickers and 9-foot blonde.

The general consensus from my passengers is that this lightweight feel costs the credibility in a market that associates a car's solidity with its safety. (The i-MiEV still received a 4 Star ANCAP safety rating.)

In saying this, its appearance is not something I even acknowledge on a day-to-day basis. For any viewing displeasure is well trumped by its awesome air-conditioning, rear sensors, large-screen sat-nav, Bluetooth, MP3 and traction control. Undoubtedly these are luxuries that I will miss dearly when I step foot back in my MX-sucks. I mean six.

Anyway, for visual preference, it's all in the eye of driver. I say that as opposed to Eye of the Tiger because whether it's the golfer, the footy club or the airline, no one is kicking goals lately. Which of course is beside the point. Just as the appearance of an enjoyable, economical and efficient vehicle can be.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site