2024 Mitsubishi Mirage Review: The Bare Necessities
The cheap-and-cheerful sub-$20k hatchback is on the verge of extinction in the USA. While the Mitsubishi Mirage soldiers into 2024, the Kia Rio5 saw its last run in 2023, and not a single hatch with a price that compares remains. You'd have to settle for a Nissan Versa sedan for around $17k since the only other small car you can buy with less than $20k is the Kia Forte - and that's barely under the limit. With the Hyundai Accent, Chevrolet Spark, and Rio Sedan all long gone, the Mirage is simply treading water in a segment that no one seems interested in anymore. Of course, you can also have it with a trunk if you want to, but the Mirage G4, which we review separately, isn't necessarily a step up. What's kept the Mirage around when other budget hatchbacks have already called it a day?
New for 2024
There aren't many changes for the new model year, but the 2024 Mirage gets two new paint colors called Graphite Gray and Jet Black and a standard tonneau cover across the range. The standard specifications list has also been bolstered on the second trim up, the LE, which now gets rain-sensing wipers and automatic/auto-on headlights as standard, along with a driver's armrest.
2024 Mitsubishi Mirage Price: Which One to Buy
The price of the 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage remains its biggest selling point. At an MSRP of $16,695 for the base ES, it's one of the cheapest cars you can buy today. One step up to the LE sees the price increase to $17,445, while the BE goes for $18,045. The most expensive Mirage model, the SE, will cost you $18,895. These prices exclude the $1,095 destination fee.
If we absolutely had to buy a Mirage, we wouldn't settle for anything other than the SE - that's the only trim you get heated front seats and additional safety tech on, and at least it's not overly bland inside. It costs just $2,200 more than the base model - and it's all cheap as dirt anyway.
ES | SE | Ralliart |
---|---|---|
Base Model | Top Model | Special Edition |
$ 16695 | $ 18895 | $ 18895 |
1.2-liter three-cylinder engine (78 hp/74lb-ft) | Based on the LE, plus: | Based on the Black Edition, plus: |
14.-inch steel wheels | 15-inch alloys and LED headlights and DRLs | Remote keyless entry |
Halogen headlights with auto on, LED taillights | Integrated turn signals on exterior mirrors | Ralliart fender flared |
Cloth upholstery and single-zone climate control | Cloth/leather upholstery | Limited availability |
Seven-inch infotainment display with four speakers | Heated front seats | White Diamond exterior paint plus contrasting black roof |
Lane-departure warning |
Interior and Features
The cabin of the Mirage is simple and functional above all else, so expect it to feel every inch the budget car that it is.
As is expected of a vehicle in this price range, the interior is more functional and hardy than anything else. It's also tight on passenger space in the rear, but that's common in this segment. The cabin is not unattractive, but it's far from modern and plush. Key touch points do feel a little low-rent, but build quality isn't anything to worry about. Drivers of the Mirage don't have the most comfortable driving position, but everything is within reach and easy to use. Of course, passengers in the front of the car get the lion's share of space.
Space
Although the 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage technically seats five, only those up front will be comfortable. We advise you limit the back seat to two people, not just in terms of space, but also in terms of comfort. There isn't a lot of headroom, although most people will be fine in the front. Legroom is in short supply in the back row, as is expected of compact hatchback vehicles, but it's still more than most rivals have to offer.
Cargo
Finally, a positive aspect of the Mirage is its generous 17.1 cubic trunk, thanks to the hatch-style rear end. The now-defunct Kia Rio5 had a bit more space, but the Nissan Versa Sedan - one of the few cars left you can compare by virtue of price and entry-level status - only has 14.7 cubes.
Considering it's focused on functionality, the Mirage has a bunch of small-item storage options that include door pockets with bottle holders, two cupholders in the center console, and a rear cupholder. There is a glovebox, but it's not massive. And, from the LE up, you now also get a driver's armrest with a small bin beneath it.
Mitsubishi Mirage | Kia Rio5 | Nissan Versa Sedan | |
---|---|---|---|
Seating | 5 Seater | 5 Seater | 5 Seater |
Headroom | 39 in. front 37.2 in. rear | 38.9 in. front 38 in. rear | 39.5 in. front 36.3 in. rear |
Legroom | 41.7 in. front 34.2 in. rear | 42.1 in. front 33.5 in. rear | 44.5 in. front 31 in. rear |
Trunk Space | 17.1 ft³ | 17.4 ft³ | 14.7 ft³ |
Materials and Colors
Mitsubishi has made an effort to equip the mirage with decent-grade materials in terms of upholstery, but there isn't a lot of choice. The two base models get black fabric seats and the Black Edition ups that to Dark Gray with Red accents and stitching. This model also gains red door-card inserts and some accents throughout the cabin. The top SE model gets black fabric too, but with patterned inserts. The top trims get a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
Features and Infotainment
As is befitting of its budget orientation, the Mirage isn't blessed with the latest tech, biggest screens, or longest list of standard features, but it doesn't come entirely spartan, either. You get keyless entry, a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, single-zone climate control, a rearview camera, and cruise control across all models. The SE adds heated front seats and a push-button start.
Infotainment lives on a seven-inch display screen that comes imbued with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as AM/FM Radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and four speakers as standard. You can charge your phone via the one USB port the car comes with.
ES | SE | Ralliart | |
---|---|---|---|
Seven-inch infotainment display | S | S | S |
Four-speaker audio system | S | S | S |
Single-zone climate control | S | S | S |
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto | S | S | S |
Heated front seats | N/A | S | N/A |
Performance
With eleven seconds needed to get to 60 mph, the Mirage is really just a runabout for urban jaunts when you don't need to do anything but get from A to B.
'Performance' may not be the right word here, because, with just 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque, there isn't much performance happening. The 1.2-liter three-pot is meek, but since the little car weighs just 2,106 pounds at its heaviest, it manages to get the hatch moving without too much effort. Still, don't expect to reach top speed easily (it peaks at 105 mph), and you'll need around 11 seconds to get the Mitsubishi Mirage from 0-60 mph. You also only get a CVT to send the power to the front-wheel drive setup, so there isn't even the stimulation from rowing your own gears.
The Mirage was never intended to excite, and its slow progress is the result of trading off economy with the crudest form of transport - it's functional, and that's really all there is to it. For daily trips between home and the shops, schools, or office, it'll do just fine.
Fuel Efficiency
Another of the Mirage's strong suits is good gas mileage. Thanks to its three-cylinder engine, it manages to be quite fuel efficient, with EPA ratings of 36/43/9 mpg on city/highway/combined cycles. No rivals come close to these figures - there's a reason it's the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid car in the USA.
With a fuel capacity of just 9.2-gallon, you can cover 359 miles without spending too much.
1.2L Inline-3 Gas Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT) FWD | |
---|---|
Power | 78 hp |
Top speed | 105 ph |
MPG | 36/43/39 mpg |
0-60 | 11 seconds |
Safety
Don't expect too much in terms of safety, because the review of the Mitsubishi Mirage from the NHTSA is middling. It scores four out of five stars for all tests. The IIHS hasn't tested the 2024 model, but if the 2023 version (which is pretty much identical) is anything to go by, it's nothing to write home about either: The small overlap front driver-side test yielded Marginal scores, but everything else managed a Good rating.
Safety is covered by six airbags as standard. A rearview camera and cruise control are equipped to all models in the range, alongside forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic braking. Rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlights are now standard from lower in the range, but the SE gets lane-departure warning and LED headlights.
ES | SE | Ralliart | |
---|---|---|---|
Forward-collision warning | S | S | S |
Pedestrian detection with automatic braking | S | S | S |
Rain-sensing wipers | N/A | S | S |
Auto on LED headlights | N/A | S | S |
Lane departure warning | N/A | S | S |
US NHTSA Crash Test Result
Overall Rating | Frontal Barrier Crash Rating | Side Crash Rating | Rollover Rating |
---|---|---|---|
4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Reliability
Probably due to being recall-free for the last few years of its life, the Mitsubishi Mirage scores high reliability ratings from JD Power: 80 out of 100 for quality and reliability, and 76 overall.
In terms of the warranty for the 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage, that comes in the form of a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, and a generous ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Warranty
Basic | Drivetrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance |
---|---|---|---|
5 Years / 60,000 Miles | 10 Years / 100,000 Miles | 7 Years / 100,000 Miles | 5 Years / Unlimited Miles |
Design
We can't really fault the cutesy, compact design of the Mirage, and it's an inoffensive and modern enough little hatchback. Its small proportions are spread over a slight 96.5-inch wheelbase, and it runs on 14-inch wheels in base specification or 15s in the upper trims. The BE, SE, and Ralliart special edition are the best-looking models in the lineup as they come spruced up with blacked-out exterior accents, a roof spoiler, red accents along the sides and on the grille, and bigger wheels. The Ralliart even gets bespoke graphics and has unique colors - this includes a contrast black roof also found on the BE. The headlights are halogen items that only get switched out for LEDs at the top-end of the range.
Verdict: Is The 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage A Good car?
The Mitsubishi Mirage really has very little going for it, with its price, fuel economy, and cargo space being the only real plus points to it. That being said, there isn't much to compare it to, so it's difficult to recommend in isolation. The Nissan Versa is only slightly better in terms of having a more potent engine and a much better safety rating, but it can't touch the Mirage on fuel economy. If we were looking for a starter car, we may even consider looking at safer, better-specced second-hand cars that would cost the same as a Mirage does when new; it's just too simplistic and distilled for economy for our liking.