2018 Mitsubishi Mirage Road Test and Review

The Mirage is available as both a five-door hatchback and a four-door sedan. The hatchback is called the Mirage while the sedan is called the Mirage G4 and is treated as its own unique model. Although similar, there are differences between the two. Fuel economy drops slightly with the sedan and it has only two trim levels, with the top GT trim existing only in the hatchback.

The biggest difference between the hatchback and sedan is in how they carry cargo and passengers. Both have room for five people, but the hatchback has that wide rear opening and low load floor that makes putting heavy cargo in the Mirage easier. There’s 17.2 cubic feet behind the second row and 47.0 cubic feet behind the first row. The sedan offers much less cargo space with only a 12.3-cubic-foot trunk, but with a bit more room for rear passengers.

The Mirage features a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine with 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. This is paired to a five-speed manual transmission in the base ES trim with the option for a continuously variable automatic transmission. The manual is dropped for the rest of the lineup, which is available only with the CVT. Every Mirage is front-wheel drive. 

Even from a complete stop, the Mirage is on the slow side no matter how hard you press your foot on the gas. Merging into fast-moving highway traffic is even more of a challenge as the Mirage takes its time getting up to speed. If you need extra power for passing, make sure you plan accordingly. The CVT typically results in plenty of engine noise intruding into the cabin, especially during hard acceleration. The Mirage isn’t a good fit for those who crave a more performance-oriented ride, as it simply doesn’t deliver.

The base ES is the only trim with a five-speed manual transmission, though the CVT automatic is also offered. It includes halogen headlights, LED rear combination taillights and power side-view mirrors. Inside there are four-way adjustable driver’s and front passenger seats, a 7-inch touchscreen audio display, four-speaker audio with AM/FM/HD radio and a rearview camera.

The SE adds a new driver’s armrest, alloy wheels, a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and gloss black and chrome interior accents. Both the SE and GT trims get infotainment upgrades. These include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, CD/MP3, 6.5-inch smartphone link display audio system and steering wheel voice controls. The hatchback-only GT adds HID headlights, larger 15-inch alloy wheels and heated front seats.

The front seats are surprisingly comfortable for an economy car. Although they don’t have a wide range of adjustability, they're easy to position for both tall and short passengers. On longer drives they remained comfortable without causing undue fatigue. Rear passengers have a less appealing proposition with stiff seating that is only comfortable on shorter drives. There’s room for three, but realistically only two can sit in the rear seats.

The overall ride quality is good on highways where the pavement is smooth, but harsh on rougher road surfaces. Uneven or broken pavement makes for a rough ride with lots of bouncing and shaking. Venture onto streets with larger potholes and you will feel every one of them with a jolt. Stick to the highways and you’ll be fine, but if you’re often driving where the pavement is in poor condition, then be ready for a bumpy ride.

The Mirage stays true to its economy-car vibe with sloppy handling. Mitsubishi worked to improve handling with last year’s model by stiffening the front suspension and upgrading the brakes, but it wasn’t enough to make a significant difference in how this car feels when you’re behind the wheel.

The steering is so loose that it requires constant attention, which can be wearisome on longer drives. This isn’t so much of a problem when speeds are lower, but on the highway, it’s a challenge. Any dips or bumps in the road send the Mirage floating and wobbling, so the driver has to pay keen attention to keep things going in the right direction. Rough or broken pavement at any speed is especially challenging, as it requires constant adjustments to keep the Mirage in line and under control.

The popularity of larger vehicles like crossovers, SUVs and trucks makes safety a priority when you’re driving a small car. The Mirage's standard safety features include hill start assist, multiple airbags and antilock brakes, but advanced safety technologies like a forward-collision warning and emergency automatic braking are not available, even on top trims.

The Mirage performs well in crash testing, but there’s room for improvement. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives it an overall four out of five stars. In individual crash tests, it achieved a mix of four- and five-star ratings, except for the overall side pole rating, which came in at two stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not yet crash-tested the 2018 Mirage, but the 2017 Mirage tests are a good indicator of what to expect this year. The hatchback received a top rating of Good in all categories except small overlap front, in which it received only a Marginal rating; the sedan did slightly worse in the side-impact evaluation, scoring Acceptable. 

Fuel economy is one spot where the Mirage truly shines. The hatchback achieves an EPA-estimated 43 mpg highway/37 mpg city with the CVT or 41 mpg highway/33 mpg city with the five-speed manual transmission, and the G4 isn't far behind.

Looking at the competition, the redesigned 2018 Kia Rio comes in at 37 mpg highway/28 mpg city with an automatic transmission. The Chevrolet Spark does better with 38 mpg highway/30 mpg city, but that still leaves the Mirage leading the pack. The Mirage not only comes with affordable pricing, but also boasts fuel economy that makes it cheap to run even when fuel prices take a sudden jump.

The Mirage includes good warranty coverage to set your mind at ease and further enhance long-term affordability. It includes a fully transferable five-year/60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty, 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and seven-year/100,000-mile anti-corrosion perforation limited warranty. Topping off those strong warranties is five years with unlimited miles of roadside assistance.

Pricing is up there with fuel economy as one of the Mirage’s big selling points. It starts at $13,395 for the base ES with the manual transmission and bumps up to $14,595 if you choose the CVT. The SE, which only comes with the CVT, starts at $16,095 while the GT trim sits at the top of the range with a starting price of $16,595. The G4 sedan costs $1,000 more than the corresponding five-door. If you’re looking for an affordable car, then the Mirage is a top choice.

The 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage has some important perks. It's affordable for even those with the smallest of budgets and it has outstanding fuel economy. This makes it ideal for those who plan on doing lots of driving or who are concerned about busting their budget if gas prices rise. The downside to that great fuel economy is lackluster performance. Acceleration is sluggish and once you do get up to speed, the Mirage's poor handling requires constant driver attention.

It’s also a good choice for those who find themselves navigating congested city streets. Its smaller size makes even the narrowest of roadways easy to manage and parking won’t be a challenge. The flexibility of a hatchback is a bonus for those who plan on moving a bit of cargo. Although those who crave a performance ride will be disappointed, the Mirage is an appealing choice for budget-minded buyers.