2019 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byDan FrioReviews Editor

　　Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to zzdcar, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.

　　

What's new

New LE and RF trim levelsMore standard features for 2019Part of the fifth Mirage generation introduced for 2014

　　The 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage is a car that, name notwithstanding, is just what it appears to be: an inexpensive hatchback suited for basic travel. Closer inspection and even brief seat time further reveal that the Mirage, in reality, lacks the power and refinement of any of its nearest competitors.

　　The main reason to consider buying a Mirage is price. It's one of the least expensive new cars you can buy and represents a viable option if you're on a tight budget but still desire the warranty and financing options of a new car. The Mirage delivers impressive fuel economy (39 mpg combined and 43 mpg highway) and a robust 10-year powertrain warranty. For 2019, you also get a handful of new standard features including cruise control and an adjustable-height driver's seat.

　　While the price may look right, just know that the Mirage is one of the least appealing new cars to drive. In a very real sense, you're getting what you pay for. We'd strongly suggest trying to stretch your budget a bit further for one of several superior competitors, including the Chevrolet Spark, Ford Fiesta or Kia Rio. Notably, the 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage is a featured vehicle in our Cheapest New Cars article.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

5.9 / 10

　　

Trim tested

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

　　

Scorecard

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

　　

Driving

4.0

　　Not all cars should be judged on outright performance, but the Mirage almost fails to provide the driver with the bare minimum of performance necessary for modern travel. Most drivers might be unwilling to push the Mirage as far as it needs to go to keep up, let alone have any fun.

　　

Acceleration

3.0

　　It takes everything this 1.2-liter engine has, and then some, just to keep up. Merging onto a highway is almost hazardous. And acceleration, once at highway speeds, is glacial. The Mirage is woefully underpowered, clocking one of the slowest times we've ever seen to 60 mph: 12.7 seconds.

　　

Braking

8.0

　　Although unimpressive on paper, these front disc/rear drum brakes feel quite good on the road. Braking force is easy to modulate at any speed, and the pedal gives more than adequate feedback. Panic stops felt like a nosedive, and the rear end would wiggle and squirm but was always stable.

　　

Steering

5.0

　　The steering lacks the ability to self-center between 11 and 1 o'clock, meaning you need to guide it back to the center. You'll often be chasing the Mirage around in a freeway lane or somewhat clumsily navigating it along a twisty road. A 30.2-foot turning circle makes it extremely maneuverable in tight spaces, at least.

　　

Handling

8.0

　　If you can accept a fair amount of body roll, the Mirage turns in with reasonable quickness and is a nimble car around town. The narrow 175-section tires have enough grip to help hang on to precious momentum, and the stability control system is well judged and doesn't interfere in everyday situations.

　　

Drivability

4.5

　　The CVT automatic defaults to efficiency when it should help you wring what little power there is from the tiny engine. Going up hills is stress-inducing because the Mirage readily loses valuable momentum with the slightest lift of the throttle due to the CVT automatic's calibration. Sport mode makes the responses needlessly jumpy.

　　

Comfort

4.0

　　The amount of noise and vibration that infiltrates every second of driving the Mirage is shocking. The din overshadows the powerful climate control system and the fairly comfortable ride. Had any other production engine been installed instead, the Mirage's fortunes may have turned around.

　　

Seat comfort

5.0

　　With almost no bolstering to speak of and very little support, the front seats are more like fabric-covered chairs than car seats. The seats led to fatigue in less than an hour, but the seat heaters are quick and powerful. The rear seats will do for short trips, but they are firm and fairly upright.

　　

Ride comfort

6.5

　　The Mirage dispatches speed humps and singular highway dips with ease thanks to a fairly compliant suspension. But over an undulating surface, the Mirage shows itself to be underdamped, bounding up and down and even side to side. Broken surfaces can shake the little car pretty hard.

　　

Noise & vibration

2.5

　　The Mirage is a very noisy thing. The engine sounds like a cement mixer, and wind noise is excessive. At idle, the car vibrates like it's misfiring. Once underway, wind noise becomes noticeable at moderate speeds and is loud enough at highway speeds to drown out the beleaguered little engine.

　　

Climate control

8.0

　　While the low-contrast orange and black screen could be brighter, the interface is simple and easy to use. Both the air conditioning and heat are fast-acting and powerful, but the overly stylized center vents simply spill air into the cabin rather than direct it where you want it.

　　

Interior

7.0

　　The interior won't win any design awards, but it has pretty solid basic functionality, with good visibility and user-friendly access and controls. Though getting in and out is easy, being comfortable once inside is not. But there's decent space inside for such a diminutive car.

　　

Ease of use

6.5

　　The interior is pretty straightforward. Most of the controls are self-explanatory and within easy reach. The seat heater switches are the only exception since they are located in the center console underneath the dash.

　　

Getting in/getting out

7.5

　　The step-in height should be agreeable for most everybody. The doors are exceedingly light. While the front seats offer easy access, getting into the tighter rear seats might take a bit more thought and time.

　　

Driving position

6.0

　　Taller drivers might find the seating position a bit too high. Anyone taller than 6 feet will be looking out through the top of the windshield. The seat bottom doesn't adjust much for height. And while the steering wheel does adjust for tilt, it doesn't telescope.

　　

Roominess

7.5

　　There's a fair amount of room up front, but the lack of a center console can leave the passenger without an armrest on one side. As long as you stick with two rear-seat passengers, they will have enough shoulder room, but rear legroom is tight.

　　

Visibility

7.5

　　Thanks to thin roof pillars and lots of glass, visibility forward and to the sides is very good. The short front and rear overhangs make it easy to judge distances when parking. Rear-seat headrests substantially block the view out back, but they can be removed.

　　

Quality

　　Though there were no squeaks or rattles in our test car — commendable given the amount of vibration from the engine — panel fitment and overall fit and finish were well below expectations. For starters, the fabric in the cargo area wasn't adequately attached, and there was visible paint primer around the fuel filler cap.

　　

Utility

7.0

　　While cargo space is more than adequate and adds great practicality to the Mirage, storage for passenger items almost seems like an afterthought. Its in-cabin storage is sparse and not very well laid-out.

　　

Small-item storage

5.0

　　What storage space there is seems poorly thought out. Rear passengers will have to fight over even less storage space and should probably just keep anything on their laps or alongside them on the seat.

　　

Cargo space

7.5

　　At 17.2 cubic feet, there's a fair amount of cargo space. That's more than a Fiesta or a Yaris, but less than the Nissan Versa Note. Split-folding rear seats help carry larger items, but the fabric in the cargo area isn't attached very well and easily snags on cargo.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

6.5

　　LATCH anchors are unmarked but easy enough to find thanks to the rough fit and finish of the rear seats. Larger car seats might not fit without sliding a front seat forward because there isn't a lot of room in the back seat to begin with.

　　

Technology

8.0

　　There are cars costing three to four times what the Mirage does that don't offer the same smartphone connectivity. Therein lies the most appealing thing about this Mitsubishi. A solid stereo rounds things out, but with only one USB port, all of this tech seems like a last-minute addition.

　　

Audio & navigation

8.5

　　An optional Rockford Fosgate sound system offers plenty of punch. Navigation is available only through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, both of which are compatible. The 6.5-inch touchscreen graphics aren't cutting-edge, but they're simple and straightforward.

　　

Smartphone integration

8.0

　　Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are supported, which is a nice surprise on a vehicle priced this low. Bluetooth audio is also supported. No connection issues were reported across any devices. But only one USB port is provided for the entire car.

　　

Driver aids

7.5

　　Stability and traction control are offered. And while they cannot be fully disabled, they can be relaxed and are not overly intrusive. A backup camera is standard and useful but looks tacked on.

　　

Which Mirage does zzdcar recommend?

　　The primary reason to consider the Mirage is its inexpensive price, so we'd suggest sticking with the base ES trim level. It comes with a touchscreen interface, a rearview camera and Bluetooth connectivity. Mitsubishi added cruise control and an adjustable-height driver's seat this year, too. The more you spend on the Mirage, the more it just makes sense to buy a different car.

　　

2019 Mitsubishi Mirage models

　　The 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback is offered in five trim levels: ES, RF, LE, SE and GT. Every Mirage comes with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. The ES trim gives you the choice between a five-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while the remaining trims offer only the CVT automatic.

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

　　The new-for-2019 RF has the same features as the ES but comes with a six-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system. You'll get more features with the new LE trim. It lacks that sound system but gains 15-inch black alloy wheels, a driver-seat armrest, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated front seats, a CD player, and a 6.5-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Red interior stitching and accents enhance the LE limited-edition status.

　　The Mirage SE offers similar equipment as the LE. But it reverts to 14-inch wheels (although alloy rather than steel) and adds foglights, keyless ignition and entry, and automatic climate control. Heated front seats aren't included, however.

　　Finally, the range-topping GT comes with 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 the six-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system.

　　

2019 Mirage Highlights

Trim: ESRFLESEGTES

　　

Base MSRP	$13,795
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