I DRIVE THE MICROLINO FOR THE FIRST TIME! A REIMAGINED ELECTRIC ISETTA

EV Channels Review

The Microlino, a retro-inspired electric city car designed in Switzerland and built in Italy, offers a unique and undeniably fun driving experience, particularly for urban environments. While the "Pioneer Series" model tested boasts charming design elements and a surprisingly spacious interior for its size, its objective shortcomings are significant, especially considering its price point of around €20,000-€23,000. The reviewer highlights a loud, unrefined motor with noticeable cogging at low speeds, a basic and sometimes wobbly key, and a primitive software stack. Build quality of the body and structural components is praised, but the powertrain and software require substantial improvement. Safety features are minimal, with no ABS, traction control, or airbags mentioned. Despite these objective drawbacks, the reviewer expresses a strong emotional connection to the car, emphasizing its "smile factor" and "coolness" as its primary selling points. It's positioned as a "toy for the rich" or a "third car" rather than a practical, dependable daily driver. The reviewer intends to reserve one, driven by emotion rather than objective practicality.