Attn cheap used car buyers: 200k+ Mirages have now been sold in the U.S.

[MetroMPG]

Good news for aficionados of cheap, efficient little cars: there are now 100,000 150,000 200,000+ used Mirages on U.S. roads.

(150k sales total updated January 2021; 200k sales total updated January 2024.)

When Mitsu brought the 2014 model year Mirage to North America in 2013, they had extremely modest expectations, estimating about 7k sales a year.

Surprise #1: sales have been averaging about 20k a year.

Surprise #2: in the past 5 years, while sales of almost all other small hatchback cars have tanked and many have been cancelled (see: Small / economy car deathwatch: we've passed "peak econobox" again ), Mirage sales have actually increased a little bit each year.

Surprise #3: a healthy number of them have manual transmissions. (Despite the CVT having a better EPA rating, the manual is a lot more efficient in the real world in the hands of a mildly motivated eco-driver.) Around 10-15%, going by listings on cars.com. While 50% of forum members are getting manuals.

Not a surprise #4: due to Mitsubishi's reputation (didn't you know the Mirage is the WORST car you can buy?), used Mirages are selling for peanuts.

That's why Daox got one! 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage 5 speed build thread


And that's why I've bought THREE of them over the past 5 years! The latest one is a base Canadian car, no options and sub-2000 lbs curb weight! 3rd time lucky! Bought yet ANOTHER cheap, 3-cyl Mirage eco-appliance!


Unfortunately, the car's future looks murky with Nissan's take-over of Mitsubishi last year. The next gen model is due out in the next year or so, likely based on an existing Nissan or Renault platform. So the next Mirage will probably be bigger, heavier & less efficient. They may even CUV-ify it, because apparently CUV's, crossovers and SUV's are all that the new-car-buying public is interested in.

That doesn't change the fact there now exists a decent sized fleet of 6th gen Mirages which will be coming up for sale sooner or later.

I have an e-mail alert set up for cheap, manual Mirages.... Even though a lot fewer have been sold north of the 49th (under 15k so far), it's probably just a matter of time for me.


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Some Mirage threads on EM ...

• City ecodriving comparison: 2014 Mirage CVT vs. Mirage 5-speed vs. 1998 Metro 5-speed
• The Mitsubishi Mirage is the WORST CAR you can buy!
• Pryme's in car review of my 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage SE 5spd. In depth video.
• Review notes: I've got a 2014 Mirage 1.2L 3-cyl 5-speed for a week. Any questions?
• Daox's Review notes: 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage CVT on loan for a week
• Darin's test drive review notes: 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 sedan 1.2L CVT
• 3rd time lucky! Bought yet ANOTHER cheap, 3-cyl Mirage eco-appliance!

[redpoint5]

I had just assumed the car was terrible considering it's a Mitsubishi, and it's inexpensive (it's inexpensive, right?). Never liked the Yaris, including the name which sounds like something a pirate would say, and the Aveo is the worst car in the world (not really, but it's not good).

I didn't know Mitsubishi was being bought out by Nissan, but that's probably a good thing. Seems crazy Japan has so many car manufacturers for an island the size of CA.



Now is probably the time to buy a car like the Mirage since used ones should be in good supply, the economy is strong so people are ditching cheap fuel efficient vehicles and going bigger, and as Darin pointed out, the future of the car is uncertain.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I had just assumed the car was terrible

Define terrible!

- If you (like most auto reviewers) want blistering acceleration, it is definitely terrible.

- If you (like most auto reviewers) want tight, responsive handling, the 2014/15 Mirages were objectively terrible and the 2017/18 are somewhat less so (due to suspension/braking/steering upgrades). Aftermarket suspension bits are available.

- If you (like most auto reviewers, and maybe a lot of normal people?) want to be coddled in soft-touch surfaces and isolated from drivetrain & road noise, it is probably on the terrible side of the spectrum.

- If you (unlike most auto reviewers, and probably most normal people?) appreciate a light, relatively aerodynamic, efficient, cheap-to-own car, it's definitely not terrible.

the Aveo is the worst car in the world (not really, but it's not good).

Good contrast: the Aveo is objectively a bad car because (A) it was not very efficient, and (B) lots of known mechanical/electrical problems. The Mirage is proving to be pretty reliable, despite being so lightly built.

[redpoint5]

At minimum, a good car is reasonably priced, efficient, and reliable (including the accessories).

I'm less tolerant of road noise these days as I have a hard enough time hearing people talk, and I don't want to have to blast my podcasts to listen.

If I want road noise, fast acceleration, and good handling, I'll take my motorcycle.

The Mirage sounds like a good choice for those wanting a decent ride at that price point.

[MetroMPG]

FYI, CR just came out with its used car ranking in the Sept 2018 issue.

Of 12 cars in the subcompact category, only 4 had a "good" reliability rating. The Mirage was one of them. (Only one reliability rating of "excellent", which went to the Yaris.)

Mirage had the lowest used price, the 2nd best observed fuel economy at 37 MPG for the CVT (after the Smart Fortwo @ 39).

Yet they ranked the car at the BOTTOM of the list, due to the influence of their subjective "Road Test Score" (29/100) in the tally.

CR hates the Mirage.

Thread: Consumer Reports September 2018 Issue: Used Car Ratings

[gone-ot]

"You can please SOME of the people SOME of the time, but you can piss-off ALL of the people ALL the time."

[Xist]

I only found four lunchboxes in the Phoenix area, the least expensive is a 2014 with a salvage title and automatic transmission for $5,200.

Have any of you seen this?

https://mirageforum.com/forum/showth...rage-(2L-turbo)

Well, any of you besides Metro. Some administrator named MetroMPG contributed to the discussion. I dunno. He is probably weird.

[jjackstone]

..."Yet they ranked the car at the BOTTOM of the list, due to the influence of their subjective "Road Test Score" (29/100) in the tally.

CR hates the Mirage."

Cool. Maybe that will drop resale prices even lower.
JJ

[niky]

LOL. The Mirage is TERRIBLE by all subjective measures. Steering feel. Shift feel. Suspension steadiness. Tactile quality. Noise and road insulation. Mechanical Grip. Handling. On a slalom course where a Sonic or Fiesta grips n' goes, the Mirage washes wider than a pick-up truck on all terrain tires.

BUT: I would consider buying one, brand new, again. And again. And again. This is the 21st Century Metro. Only better in every way.

I would never consider buying an Aveo. Brand new. Used. At bargain basement "Ex-FBI car, mechanically perfect, don't mind the bloodstains" auction prices. Ever.

Also: Yes, sure, it's slow. But 0-100 km/h, it beats an automatic Yaris. It beats an automatic EgoSport. It's "slow" but not SLOW. Light weight means that it's quite peppy if you're willing to wring it out, and it will do over 100 mph (160 km/h) no problem. And that light weight makes it fairly fun to weave through traffic in.

-

I hope the upcoming CMF-B platform will be suitably light. There's hope there, as the new Suzuki Swift, which is a half-size larger, is just as light as the Mirage. With Nissan-Renault money, the new CMF-B platform should be able to match that. If the upcoming Juke comes in around the 1- to 1.1 ton mark, then it's likely they can keep the Mirage under 900 kilograms.

[ProDigit]

How are progressions with Turbo mirages going?
I always liked the car, and the price; I'm a sucker for cheap!
But the performance is just too low.
When it got introduced, I wouldn't even buy it for the city!

If ever, there would be a turbo version sold, or turbo upgrade kits available, and some tuning on final gear drive (lowering highway RPM by at least 25%, to 33%), I would consider one!

With a turbo at 14PSI and 115HP, it should be able to reach a modest 110-115MPH tops, but it should cut it's 0-60 somewhat from 12.8 to about 9 seconds; and about 6 seconds if the boost is bumped to 21PSI (~140HP).

As far as Fiesta, I have the Fiesta ST, and it has torque vectoring.
On a slalom, or just anywhere, it's virtually impossible to make it spin. The Fiesta WILL drive where the hood points, regardless of how fast you're making a turn.
Even in sports mode; though it is possible to spin it around in Track mode.