Used 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage for sale 

Starting at $13,395 and going up to $16,595, the Mirage has three different trims namely, Mitsubishi Mirage ES, Mitsubishi Mirage SE, and Mitsubishi Mirage GT. Each trim comes loaded with a 1.2-Liter 3-cylinder engine that generates a mere 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque.

Interestingly, there is a little smaller infotainment system in the upper models (SE and GT), which includes a 6.5″ Smartphone Link Display Audio (SDA) System. The Mirage SE and GT got all the standard features of the base variant ES.

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If you are looking to buy an entry-level hatchback, then you should consider the base variant of the Mitsubishi Mirage, which is named Mirage ES, which costs around $13.5k. The Mirage ES is value for money considering its low price. If you are an experienced rider and have driven mid-segment hatchbacks, then the Mirage 2018 won't impress you that much. In our view, Mirage ES is a better value for money than the SE and especially the GT variant (which costs around $16.5k).

Under the '18 Mirage is an old, low-powered 1.2L MIVEC DOHC engine, which is a 12-valve 3-cylinder engine. The engine only generates 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque, which is the lowest amongst the rivals or any other car in this budget.

The transmission is a 5-speed manual, and there is no automatic transmission available even in the higher GT variant, which is a setback as competitors like NISSAN Versa Note S and TOYOTA Yaris 5 door L are offering an automatic transmission with bigger and powerful engines at an almost same price as Mirage GT.

All the rivals of Mirage outshine the car in terms of performance. Nissan Versa Note S and Ford Fiesta S Hatch are offering bigger and powerful 1.6L engines, while the Toyota Yaris 5 door L offers a 1.5L engine with 4-speed automatic transmission.

Acceleration

Boosting the hatchback from 0-60 MPH in 12 seconds is acceptable, considering the price range and a small 1.2L engine. The ES covers a quarter-mile in 17.5 sec and gives tough competition to other higher-priced competitors who nearly take the same time despite having bigger engines.

While the competitors like Versa and Fiesta just take 9.2 and 9.7 seconds to finish a quarter-mile as they are boosted with a bigger 1.6L engine. The Toyota Yaris stands at slightly above 10 seconds with a 1.5L engine. Rivals also outperform Mirage in the 0-60 mph race.

How is the Ride and Handling of the 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage?

Mitsubishi underperforms in this segment. The ride isn't that confident, especially on uneven tracks, while its steering is light and feels a bit less confident at 70-80 mph and doesn't provide much feedback from the tires. The Ford Fiesta S Hatch offers a way better handling experience than the Mirage. The suspension doesn't offer much comfort taking the ride on the harsh side.

Braking

Mirage ES seems to have a powerful braking system as the car comes down from 60 mph to standstill at 118 feet, which is impressive and best when compared with the competitors at this price segment. The rear brake pad is of 7-inches, which is also an inch less than what competitors offer. Interestingly, the Mitsubishi Mirage weighs 2018 lbs and stands lighter than its competitors.

Other hatchbacks like Toyota Yaris Hatch, Nissan Versa Note S, and Ford Fiesta S Hatch are sliding 127, 127, and 129 ft, respectively before reaching a halt from 60mph. The Mirage has a front brake pad of 9 inches while others on the table offer approx. 10-inch front brake pad.

Fuel efficiency is an important point, which is one of the key factors while considering an entry-level low budget hatchback. It is the segment in which the Mitsubishi Mirage impressed us with an average of 36 mpg, which is better than its competitors and good for buyers who don't have a splendid fuel-budget.

The car gave an average of 33mpg on the city roads and 41 mpg on the smooth highways. Other hatchbacks like Toyota Yaris 5-door L, Nissan Versa Note S, and Ford Fiesta S Hatch are scoring a slightly less average of 32, 34, and 30 mpg, respectively.

The interiors are fine and nothing impressive for the hatchback. There is an armrest and gloss back interior detail present on the GT variant but not for the base and SE variant. The seats are not as comfortable and not well cushioned and can cause a backache on longer drives. The back seats offer more comfort than the front seats, but still, the low head and legroom will cause a problem for people above 5'10".

The hatchback is a five-seater and has a passenger volume of 86.2 ft cube, which is slightly higher than Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta but significantly lower than 94.1 ft cube of Nissan Versa Note. There is not a single area in the interior dimension where this budget offering by Mitsubishi beats the rivals in the segment.

Infotainment System

Inside, there's a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that works flawlessly. Interestingly, the upper trims (SE and GT) get a smaller 6.5-inch Smartphone Link Display Audio Infotainment System. The infotainment system is easy to connect with a smartphone and offers good output in the budget segment. The higher variant's infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto while these aren't available in the base variant.

Few key features include-

• 7-inch Touchscreen Infotainment Unit
• Available 6.5-inch Smartphone Link Display Audio Infotainment System
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Integration
• Bluetooth Connectivity 

Cargo Capacity

The Mitsubishi Mirage offers a splendid boot space of 47 ft. cube after folding the second-row. The buyer can easily lodge more cargo as compared with other similarly priced hatchbacks. While using the 2nd row, it offers a cargo volume of 17.2 ft. cube, which is relatively better than competitors.

The Nissan Versa Note has the best cargo capacity of 18.8 cu-ft when the second row is in use, but it falls short of Mirage when the second row is folded as the Mirage delivers a cargo capacity of 47 cu-ft when the second row is folded. The least space at the back is offered by Ford Fiesta S Hatch of 14.9 cu-ft.

The Mitsubishi Mirage is an entry-level hatchback and is the smallest car in terms of dimensions. The car drives high up the road with the best-in-class ground clearance of 6.3 inches. Being the shortest car in the segment, Mirage's wheelbase is also the shortest on the table.

Nissan Versa Note S is the winner in terms of dimensions but loses out on ground clearance to Mirage as the Mirage has a ground clearance of 6.3 inches. The Fiesta comes in second place with 6.1 inches, followed by the Yaris with 5.5 inches, and the Versa Note at last with 5.1 inches. Few key features include-

• Halogen Headlights
• 14-inch Alloy wheels
• Rear Spoiler
• Variable Intermittent Wipers

The mirage is loaded with safety features, which include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), and Engine Brake Assist (EBA). The safety features are good while considering the entry-level nature of the hatchback. It also includes an advanced braking system for safety, which includes Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD), and Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) features. Highlights of the safety features include-

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
• Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR),
• Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), and Engine Brake Assist (EBA)
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS),
• Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD),
• Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)Driver and front passenger, front and side thorax airbag supplemental restraint system crash-optimized
• Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS)
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

Mitsubishi Mirage vs Toyota Yaris L

With a bigger and powerful 1.5-L engine, Toyota Yaris L outshines Mitsubishi Mirage when it comes to power. Yaris 5-door L comes with a 4-speed automatic transmission while mirage comes with manual transmission. There is no doubt that Yaris has some edges over the Mirage, but it also costs significantly higher than the Mirage.

Mitsubishi Mirage vs Nissan Versa Note S

Nissan Versa Note S comes with a bigger 1.6L engine with CVT automatic transmission. The Versa Note S is priced somewhere between Mirage and Yaris. The Versa Note S offers higher passenger volume and better handling experience overall while the Mirage offers better mileage and boot space along with a lower price tag.

Mitsubishi Mirage vs Ford Fiesta S Hatch

Ford Fiesta S Hatch is one of the most popular entry-level hatchbacks available in the market. It is one of the topmost competitors of the Mitsubishi Mirage currently. The Fiesta offers a powerful 1.6L engine, which is the best in the segment along with bigger brake fronts and better interiors while the Mirage offers a better infotainment system, bigger boot space, and higher mileage than the Fiesta. Both cars are tough competitors of each other in the entry-level hatchback segment.

The 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage was chosen as the worst car of the year. Mirage disappoints car enthusiasts because of its extremely poor performance. It looks like the five-seater hatchback was produced just to save the fuel. The Mirage is the most fuel-efficient car in its segment with a good boot space but fails to impress the audience with its outdated interiors and slow acceleration.