Inside - the Triton's cockpit is modern, futuristic. We were to repeat those same comments for several of the vehicles tested that day.
The dash featured the same "pop-up" display hood found on several North American Mitsubishis (Galant, Endeavour) and a similarly familar blue digital display. The dash materials however, were hard and my driving partner and I both commented on some vibration.
Seats were comfortable, and fully adjustable. The rear window lowers - a nice feature for a truck in this segment.
Visibility was good, other than the rear seats and headrests -- which really limited rear vision.
I found the steering to be too much work - I was constantly shuffling my hands to complete a turn and felt it was imprecise, too light and disconnected.
Underhood, a SOHC V6 diesel engine, was quiet and just fine for in-town driving, but was underpowered on the highway. Both of us opted to turn the overdrive off in order to get a bit more "oomph" when passing.
Our tester came with 4 Hi and 4 Lo 4-wheel drive, although we didn't have an opportunity to test it. Structurally, it was stiff -- there's a fully-boxed hydro-formed frame, and independent front suspension and live rear axle.
The i Car
It's name is a play on words, coyly referring to the Japanese word for love, and the pronoun "i" describing its owner. The i car was released in 2006 after debuting as a concept at the 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show and its innovative styling made it an immediate success in Japan, and in the UK where the limited numbers imported were quickly being snapped up.
The 57-bhp, 660 cc turbocharged engine is located behind the passengers, which aside from the safety factor, frees up space for a large interior without increasing the overall size of the car.
My driving partner and I loved the look of the "i" and we weren't alone in this: the waiting time to drive it was the longest of all the cars tested that day. Egg-shaped, with a flat face -- it reminded me of a smart car crossed with a Toyota Yaris.
The dash featured the same "pop-up" display hood found on several North American Mitsubishis (Galant, Endeavour) and a similarly familar blue digital display. The dash materials however, were hard and my driving partner and I both commented on some vibration.
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Seats were comfortable, and fully adjustable. The rear window lowers - a nice feature for a truck in this segment.
Visibility was good, other than the rear seats and headrests -- which really limited rear vision.
I found the steering to be too much work - I was constantly shuffling my hands to complete a turn and felt it was imprecise, too light and disconnected.
Underhood, a SOHC V6 diesel engine, was quiet and just fine for in-town driving, but was underpowered on the highway. Both of us opted to turn the overdrive off in order to get a bit more "oomph" when passing.
Our tester came with 4 Hi and 4 Lo 4-wheel drive, although we didn't have an opportunity to test it. Structurally, it was stiff -- there's a fully-boxed hydro-formed frame, and independent front suspension and live rear axle.
The i Car
It's name is a play on words, coyly referring to the Japanese word for love, and the pronoun "i" describing its owner. The i car was released in 2006 after debuting as a concept at the 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show and its innovative styling made it an immediate success in Japan, and in the UK where the limited numbers imported were quickly being snapped up.
The 57-bhp, 660 cc turbocharged engine is located behind the passengers, which aside from the safety factor, frees up space for a large interior without increasing the overall size of the car.
My driving partner and I loved the look of the "i" and we weren't alone in this: the waiting time to drive it was the longest of all the cars tested that day. Egg-shaped, with a flat face -- it reminded me of a smart car crossed with a Toyota Yaris.
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