Looking to spend less than $13,000 on a new car? Buyers looking for affordable and fuel-efficient transportation got a boost last week with the debut of the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage.
With a list price of $12,495, the Mirage is certainly inexpensive. By comparison, a base Hyundai Accent is $13,749. The Nissan Versa Note is $13,348. Only the Chevrolet Spark, at $11,945, beats it for lowest-priced five-door hatchback in Canada. But there is one important distinction: the Spark is a four-seater; the Mirage can carry five.
The Mirage is equally inexpensive to run, with fuel consumption of 4.6 litres per 100 km on the highway and 5.9 in the city. Apart from gasoline-electric hybrids, this is the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered car on the road, with fuel economy almost identical to a Smart car — which is only a two-seater. The optional CVT transmission is even more economical, at 4.4 highway and 5.3 city.
We drove a Mirage SE, a model with a number of extra standard features from the base ES.
No question the Mirage is small on the outside, but it is slightly larger than the Spark. It is longer, but more importantly, it is also wider. Even with the added volume, the Mirage might be the lightest five-door hatchback on the market, weighing in at only 905 kilograms. The Spark, by comparison, weighs 1,029 (both cars equipped with a manual transmission).
The light weight might be an advantage for fuel economy, but it makes the car feel insubstantial. Tap any surface and you will be rewarded with a hollow sound. It sounds like the manufacturer shaved off a millimetre or two from the sheet metal.
People should not feel unsafe, however, because the car comes with a full suite of safety equipment, including front-seat, driver’s-knee and side-curtain airbags. To keep out of trouble, the Mirage comes standard with stability control, traction control and anti-lock brakes. Even the centre position in the back seat comes with a three-point seatbelt.
The light curb weight means the car doesn’t need a big engine. Mitsubishi removed a whole cylinder, equipping the Mirage with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine producing 74 horsepower and 74 lb.-ft. of torque. The Spark is powered a four-cylinder engine that is 500 cc larger and 10 hp more powerful. The little engine is surprisingly smooth, pulling to 6,000 r.p.m. without complaint.
It may take a bit to get up to highway speed, but people attracted to low-fuel-consumption cars will probably not complain much.
The five-speed manual transmission gear shift doesn’t have the same solid feel as some of the competition, but shifts were clean and the clutch was feather-light to operate. This would be a good car for a beginner to learn to drive a manual transmission.
The Mirage is an excellent urban fighter, with a 4.6-metre turning circle and light steering. But don’t mistake the car’s low-speed agility for handling prowess. With a tall body, the Mirage leans on corners at speed.
This is an entry-level car and it shows. The interior is awash with a monochromatic sea of hard, black plastic. Most controls and dials are ringed with a faux-aluminum finish, which is appropriate for this price range.
Our SE model had a number of comfort and convenience items to take the sting out of the bare-bones car. Niceties include automatic climate control, heated front seats, power door locks with keyless entry, power windows with retained accessory power and a six-way adjustable driver’s seat.
A convenience package ($500), takes the Mirage further up-market with a leather-wrapped steering wheel with wheel-mounted audio controls, Bluetooth and cruise control.
The steering wheel can be tilted, but there is no telescopic function.
The seats are firm, but between the adjustable seat and steering wheel, most people should be able to find a comfortable position behind the wheel.
The back seats fold 60/40, but the extended cargo compartment is not flat. A compact spare tire is standard, along with a rear cargo cover — items that have become rare to find in some vehicles.
For $12,495, buyers also get a standard five-year/100,000 km new-car and 10-year/160,000 km limited powertrain warranty, the best in the industry.
If colour is important, the Mirage delivers with eight choices, from vibrant greens, reds and purples to a subdued white, silver and grey.
In absolute numbers, the Chevrolet Spark is smaller, more powerful and less expensive. But if seating for five and fuel economy is more important, the Mirage heads to the top of the class.