I was crawling through that section of the owners manual. I used to reset the Fiesta every trip so the auto reset function actually is my preference. I found when you run it through a complete tank any changes are not enough to change the overall average.
It's all going to come out at the fuel pump anyway. After 150 miles I would call it 10% better than the Echo I had with no AC. The Mirage is optioned out like crazy,base model standard.
Auto climate control that does not REQUIRE you run the AC.
Power
Steering
Brakes
Windows
Door Locks
Mirrors
AMFM CD player with 4 speakers, enough to finish off my hearing
.
Nice little stubby aero shaped antenna on the back of the roof.
MPG instrumentation good enough for me.
Variable intermittent wipers.
Nice carpeted floor mats.
Parcel privacy cover.
The glove box holds as much as the Sentra glove box and both door pockets combined.
Personally I think the plastic hub caps should be very aero (not knocking your mod 3dplane), maybe 2 points of CD better than the alloys.
The undercarriage has been carefully though out and looks to be very aero as built.
I'll add things to the post as I remember them.
TO ANY ONE INTERESTED IN A MIRAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just drive one, or rent one and take it on a trip, even if it is not the transmission you want. Auto Rag reporters are not advocates of ecomodding or driving efficiently. They make more money convincing you that a $135,000 BMW I whatever it is is a good hybrid to buy. May be for less than 1% of the population. If you gave me one I'd sell it. I'd take a rental fleet of 10 Mirages.
In my biased opinion the Mirage is light years better than a 20 year old Civic or a Metro and significantly better than the Echo. My 94 year old father can get in and out of the back seat as well as my almost 90 year old mother. 4 doors are essential to me now. I would not have even considered a 4 door in my younger days. (that's why I want 4 doors Chrysler Kid).
regards
mech