True enough.
The Mirage CVT, however, has a "Brake" function, which allows it to hold revs at the horsepower peak from what is technically the end of "first gear" (where the CVT's lowest ratio allows it to hit 5,500 rpm... the hp where the dyno says the stock motor hits its hp peak).
In our testing of the Mirage over the past two years, we've been lucky to have both the manual and CVT variants available on the same testing days, for both basic and loaded "GLS" trims, for the hatch and sedan.
Discounting the "launch" advantage of the manual by subtracting the 0-60 km/h time from the 0-100 km/h, you still get a slight advantage 0.2 second advantage in acceleration times between 60-100. But that's not the whole story. Having to shift the manual from second to third to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) typically wastes about 0.2 seconds of time due to the interruption of torque. In the Mirage it's worse, because the upshift puts you just below the MIVEC changeover point, and there's an added delay before acceleration resumes. Some cars have turbo-lag. The Mitsubishi has valve-lag.
The increment between 60 and 80 km/h, which you can do in just second gear, effectively simulates "in-gear" passing. Here, the manual is nearly a second faster. The CVT definitely has a big effect on power there.
Of course, this means little on the road, since most people take about half-a-second to a second to complete a shift. And with a full load, you'll appreciate the ability to sidestep that lag in acceleration with the CVT.