2018 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byCalvin KimVehicle Test Engineer

　　Calvin Kim is an automotive journalist at zzdcar.

　　

What’s new

　　The 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage gets a few more standard features this year. In particular, the ES trim level now comes with the 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth and a rearview camera.

　　

Vehicle overview

　　We'll get straight to the point: The main reason to consider buying a 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage is its inexpensive price. When new, it's one of the cheapest cars you can buy. If you're on a tight budget, the Mirage represents a viable new-car option that also gets you the warranty and financing benefits that come with it. Just know that you're also getting one of the least appealing cars to drive right now. It's slow, uncomfortable and unrefined.

　　If your budget allows, we suggest going with more practical and desirable subcompact hatchbacks, such as the Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit. The Mirage may be inexpensive, but rivals still offer more car for the money.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

5.9 / 10

　　Though its name might suggest otherwise, the 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage is pretty much what it appears to be. It's an inexpensive hatchback that will get you from point A to point B, and that's about it. Refinement, power and desirability are all lacking.

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our First Drive of the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (1.2L inline-3 | CVT automatic | FWD).

　　NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current Mitsubishi Mirage has received some revisions, including refreshed exterior bodywork, new interior materials, optional smartphone integration, revised suspension tuning and engine power. Our findings remain broadly applicable to the 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage, however.

　　

Scorecard

Overall	5.9 / 10
Driving	4.0
Comfort	4.0
Interior	7.0
Utility	7.0
Technology	8.0

　　

Driving

4.0

　　Combining a tiny three-cylinder engine with a CVT is a recipe for slow-moving transport. The underdamped suspension causes the car to skitter across midcorner bumps. The brakes at least work well.

　　

Acceleration

3.0

　　The Mirage weighs just a bit more than 2,000 pounds, but its engine is not up to the task. A zero-to-60-mph "sprint" drags out in a laggardly 11.7 seconds. Merging and passing require extra caution.

　　

Braking

8.0

　　Around town, the brake pedal feel is jumpy and hard to modulate. Our panic-stop test resulted in 121 feet from 60 mph. That's respectable, although stability was lacking.

　　

Steering

5.0

　　The steering is slow and lacks feel, and we can't remember the last time we felt so many kickbacks through the steering wheel.

　　

Handling

8.0

　　The Mirage offers little handling grip from its skinny tires, and the chassis is easily upset by any kind of midcorner road imperfections. It's also highly susceptible to crosswinds.

　　

Drivability

4.5

　　Even the slightest push on the gas pedal causes the CVT to drastically increase engine rpm, making the Mirage lurch at low speeds. The engine is loud during acceleration and generally unpleasant to listen to.

　　

Comfort

4.0

　　The Mirage's front seats are surprisingly comfortable, although the door armrests are made of rock-hard plastic. Over rough roads, the Mirage's ride quality is unduly harsh.

　　

Seat comfort

5.0

　　The seats are cushioned enough for long stints, though they look flimsy and the cloth material feels cheap. There's no center armrest, and door armrests are plastic.

　　

Ride comfort

6.5

　　On smooth roads, the Mirage's suspension feels adequate, but even the smallest bumps can be felt and heard. Serious vibration comes into the cabin.

　　

Noise & vibration

2.5

　　The three-cylinder engine sounds rough even at idle. Wind noise is fairly well controlled, but the Mirage is boomy and seems to have a complete lack of sound deadening.

　　

Interior

7.0

　　The interior controls work well for the most part, and if you're familiar with Mitsubishi products you'll recognize some of the shared parts. There's more space inside than you'd think, and it's easy to get in and out up front.

　　

Ease of use

6.5

　　This is about the most basic interior you'll see these days. The driving position is high, and you can't adjust the distance of the steering wheel. The push-button ignition is oddly located to the left of the steering wheel.

　　

Getting in/getting out

7.5

　　Pretty much perfect step-in height up front plus the large doors make things easy. The rear doors are small, though. The rear seatback is quite upright, and you need to duck your head to avoid the roof.

　　

Visibility

7.5

　　Roof pillars are narrow up front for good sightlines, but the rear pillars are thicker, somewhat reducing blind-spot visibility.

　　

Quality

4.5

　　Other than the interior controls, the whole car feels cheap, as if it's made out of tin. If you tap the roof liner, you hear metal. There's no soft-touch anywhere, and there were some interior rattles over harsh pavement.

　　

Utility

7.0

　　Though small and lacking small storage space, the Mirage uses its interior space efficiently and is even competitive with cars one class bigger.

　　

Small-item storage

5.0

　　The center console cupholders don't hold bottles in place, and there isn't much in the way of bins. The door pockets are well-sized, and there's a handy key fob pocket.

　　

Cargo space

7.5

　　The trunk is large for class, but it has a small opening. The 60/40-split fold-down rear seats ensure you have access to what little space is available.

　　

Which Mirage does zzdcar recommend?

　　One of the key benefits of the Mirage is in its comparatively inexpensive price tag, so stick to the base ES trim level. It comes with a touchscreen interface, a rearview camera and Bluetooth connectivity this year, which enhances its appeal. The more you spend on the Mirage, the more it's going to make sense to buy a different kind of car.

　　

2018 Mitsubishi Mirage models

　　The 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage is a four-door, five-passenger compact hatchback offered in three trim levels: ES, SE and GT. Moving up through the trims provides additional convenience and style-related features. Every Mirage comes with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. The ES and SE trim levels give you the choice between a five-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while the GT is exclusively available with the CVT.

　　Standard features for the base Mirage ES trim include 14-inch steel wheels, a rear spoiler, automatic headlights, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a tilt-only steering wheel, 60/40-split folding rear seats, a rearview camera, a 7-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity, and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and a USB port.

　　The Mirage SE adds alloy wheels, foglights, keyless ignition and entry, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat, automatic climate control, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. On the SE, Mitsubishi also replaces the ES' touchscreen with a slightly smaller 6.5-inch screen that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.

　　If you go with the range-topping GT, you'll get 15-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights and heated front seats.

　　Notable options for the Mirage include front and rear parking sensors, remote engine start and a six-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system.

　　

2018 Mirage Highlights

Trim: ESSEGTES

　　

Base MSRP	$13,395
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	36 MPG
Cost to Drive	$104/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	17.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles