This car really shows what the future of subcompacts (micro-cars, "city cars"?) could realistically be.
And honestly, its going to be pretty nice...
The Mitsubishi Mirage has been called a few different names around the world and hasn't really been in North America since its brief 2003 version. This is a completely new car that is aimed at being super economical and inexpensive to buy. It looks a little odd from the outside front as it seems to have almost no grill, but besides that doesn't look too out of place. This is really only meant to be a city car or a family's second car for short errands, and I quite like it. Take a look:
Different Styles:
For North America the Mirage only comes as a 5 door hatchback. It only has a 1.2L 3 cylinder engine. Yes, only 3 cylinders! A choice of either a 5 speed manual or a CVT transmission. Oh ya, it also only has 14 inch wheels, no matter what the trim. However, this combo of super small car, small engine, CVT, and tires means great fuel economy.
Styling and Comfort Impressions:
This is a small car, and its noticeable. I don't usually notice when wheels are too small, its usually when they look too big, but even I will admit these 14" look small on this car. The front sorta looks like it got punched and closed off the "nose" or grill portion as it appears to almost has none. From the sides and back it looks like many other subcompact hatchbacks, which means it looks pretty good, no complaints. It comes in a variety of fun colours including "kiwi Green", purple, and even light blue. The Mirage is really trying to give you more for less as there is a mighty list of standard features that you would not find on even some mid-trim levels of compact cars. For the exterior some nice standard features on both trim levels ( there are only 2) are: rear spoiler, colour keyed mirrors, and powered side mirrors. Some nice standard interior features are: automatic climate control, USB port, power windows and door locks, key-less entry, and tire pressure monitor. So, the outside looks ok, what about the inside? I was delightfully surprised to see the layout of the interior of this majorly budget subcompact. Does it have soft touch plastics or different colour options, no. But it does have a smartly laid out dash and center console with enough shinny plastics and chrome trim that it looks respectable. It sorta reminds me of the 2013/ 2014 Honda Civic front and center. Take a look:
So it looks pretty good upfront, where it matters. The seats and rest of the interior are pretty plain. The front seats are comfortable enough for short trips, but are not very supportive, so long drives and a lot of aggressive cornering would not be advised ( also because it only has 14" wheels!). The back seat is the definition of a bench, super flat and featureless. The good news, I fit decently comfortably in the front seat while driving and I actually do fit behind myself in the back, with plenty of headroom and legroom, for a car this small that is quite impressive. (Ed. note: seriously Chevy Sonic, what is wrong with your back seat?!) I don't think you would want to, or even really can fit 3 full sized adults back there but 2 would be fine, it also only has 2 rear head restraints.
It may be difficult to tell from the picture, but the trunk space with the back seats up is not very large. Id say its just large enough for 2 carry on suitcases standing up, but the nice thing is the floor is very low, meaning you have more room to put stuff on top without blocking your view. This low floor does however mean that when the seats are folded down, it does not have a flat cargo space, the area with the seat backs is about 4 inches higher than the rest, and they don't lie perfectly flat. Finally, big windows everywhere. Visibility is very good with large windows even though it has thick rear pillars. This also helps makes the car feel a tad larger than what it really is.
Driving Impressions:
Sometimes its hard to stay impartial when driving all sorts of cars. So I will get my main complaint over and done with quickly here. The engine really has no power. For someone who actually enjoys driving, I need at least something to work with, I like to push cars to their limit, its satisfying to know how far you really can push the car to go. But this car's limits come very quickly, especially with the CVT transmission. When idling you can feel the unevenness that is the odd numbered cylinders, its not loud, but you know its there. Going around the city the engine is loud and rough under acceleration, but not bad while coasting. A cool feature that this CVT transmission has is an engine braking spot on the shifter. The overall ride is pretty rough and bouncy with its tiny tires and short wheelbase being compensated with a soft suspension. The sound system is not bad for a budget car like this. The large windows all around mean visibility is very good and on the upper trim level you can get a back up camera and large center screen for the multimedia uses. Its not really necessary, but having it available in a car like this is another point for Mitsubishi and the Mirage. Due to its tiny size the turning circle is fantastic, you could almost turn around in a 2 car wide driveway, so parking is no problem anywhere. Finally, on the highway, Id advise against it. The combination of low power engine, CVT transmission, tiny tires, and overall small size of the Mirage mean that driving on the highway is not a relaxing place. The engine is loud, at all times, there is noticeable road and wind noise, and the car easily gets pushed around by wind and passing trucks. The small engine and CVT combo also mean that accelerating to pass a car at high speeds will need to take some planning and nerves.
Overall:
Im not gonna lie, I do have a few major complaints with this car like: the lack of power, the noise on the highway, and the overall noise of the engine. These things are pretty major if you love driving and must use the car to do a significant amount of it everyday. However, after driving it, looking at it in and out, and just being around the Mirage, I really like it. The 3 cylinder engine is funky and different, the style and colours on the outside are fun, and the inside is much better than other cars in its class. This car really tells you what you can have at a decent price ( you just have to compromise some power). Would I buy this car if it was my only car and I did not live in the downtown of a large city? Most likely not. If it was my secondary car to drive in and around a large city or suburbia, yes, very much yes. Add the fact that it has a very reasonable price, even brand new, and I would love to have this as a second car.
Facts / Figures:
Price ( for the upper trim level): $18,000+
FWD
MPG (approx*): 36 city /43 hwy
Cargo room (approx*): 17/47 CuFt trunk
Length: 149"
Width: 66"
Tank size (gal): 9.2
Miles on one tank (using combined MPG figures): 368
Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $16,000+
Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $16,000+
* when I say "approx" I usually am using the numbers given by the actual manufacturer or Consumer Reports, minus 1 to be a bit more realistic.
Links:
Please leave a comment with your thoughts and opinions on any of the reviews.
J.K.
No comments:
Post a Comment