2023 Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback

　　

2023 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

byAlex NishimotoCorrespondent

　　Alex Nishimoto has worked in the automotive industry since 2007. He was a staff writer for MotorTrend for 10 years and since then has contributed to CNET, PRI, AutoWise and other publications.

　　There's nothing quite like that new car smell. But sometimes you have to ask yourself if that olfactory experience is worth sacrificing a few creature comforts, especially when you're working with a limited budget. The Mitsubishi Mirage is one such case where you might instead consider a used car over new.

　　The 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage is one of the lowest-priced cars on sale today, and it shows. The Mirage gets a basic interior equipped with only the bare essentials. Under the hood is a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that makes a scant 76 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. With so little power to work with, that engine is constantly huffing and puffing, which makes the cabin a noisy place to be. For 2023, Mitsubishi dropped the five-speed manual transmission, which previously came standard on the base ES. That means every Mirage now gets the efficient but whiny continuously variable automatic transmission. 

　　But the Mirage does have a few things going for it aside from its low base price. For one, it gets exceptional fuel economy. The tiny hatchback gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway, which is better than some hybrids. It also, surprisingly, offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration as standard. Still, if price is your chief concern, we recommend stretching your budget a bit and considering competitors like the Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent and Nissan Versa before settling on the Mirage.

　　

Which Mirage does zzdcar recommend?

We generally don't recommend the Mirage, but if you have your heart set on getting one then make it the base ES trim. That way you won't pay too much and you'll still get a decent set of standard features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

　　

Mitsubishi Mirage models

The 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage is a front-wheel-drive subcompact hatchback available in four trim levels: ES, LE, SE and Black Edition. Every Mirage comes with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 76 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque and is coupled with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

　　ES

　　The ES is the base model for the Mirage hatchback line. Standard features include:

　　14-inch steel wheels Automatic climate control Cruise control Tilt steering wheel Keyless entryTechnology and safety features include:

　　Rearview camera 7-inch audio display Bluetooth Four-speaker sound system with USB input Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)LE

　　The LE adds:

　　14-inch alloy wheels Leather-wrapped shift knob FoglightsBlack Edition

　　The Black Edition is essentially a Mirage LE with a handful of exterior cosmetic enhancements.

　　Additional features include:

　　15-inch alloy wheels finished in black Black exterior mirrors Black roof spoiler Red grille accents Red interior accentsSE

　　The SE adds to the ES features with:

　　15-inch alloy wheels LED headlights Automatic headlights with auto high beams Rain-sensing wipers Cloth and simulated leather combination seats Heated front seats Driver's seat armrest Leather-wrapped steering wheel Push-button ignition and proximity keyless entry Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)

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