Darin's test drive review notes: 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 sedan 1.2L CVT

[Daox]

Not all countries got the front sway bar as a stock piece. You'll want to check that.

The rear can only be had via aftermarket. The torsion beam suspension acts as a sway bar, but could definitely be beefier IMO.

[MetroMPG]

Turbo whine!

The CVT is funny: when coming to a stop at low speeds with no other sound competition, you can sometimes hear a very faint "falling" whine from the trans -- similar, but even quieter than the sound some hybrids make under regen. It also hilariously sounds like a big Cummins turbo spooling down, at a fraction of the volume.


Smooth cruise

Tapping up or down to change speed is nicely programmed - probably the smoothest of any car I've driven.


Needs a center arm rest

Silly that the top spec car doesn't have one. Mitsu's PR rep says that's also "on their wish list".


ONE dimmer to rule them all!

It bugs me that in some cars with infotainment screens in the center stack, dimming the instrument cluster lights doesn't also dim the screen -- it's a separate setting.


Speaking of infotainment, I hate screens in cars

I hate how much attention it requires to change settings. Knobs and buttons are so much easier & safer.


Picky styling critique: headlights should not be bigger than wheels



The previous gen Chevy Spark was guilty of this too: a car's wheels should not look smaller than its headlight assembly! From some angles, the G4's wheel:headlight ratio is awful. And this car had the 15 inch wheels - 14's are standard, and this issue is even more pronounced.


Baby got back!(up camera)



This just reveals how old my personal fleet is: the G4 was the first car I've driven with a big, colour back-up camera. (I once drove one with a small, mono one, but it was nearly useless.)

I noticed how absorbed I could get using the screen. Video-gamey? Hard to explain, but when I would look up afterward, it felt like snapping back to reality. The screen completely saps my wider awareness. Which I think means Nissan's 360-degree system is probably the best way to go.

The camera is fantastic for precision, tight quarters parking. Sucks getting used to it, then it becoming useless when the lens gets wet (rain) or if the lighting is bad.


Rear seat room

It really was startlingly roomy in the back seat, with room to actually stretch out (feet under the seat).




Final thoughts...

The changes made to the 2017 in steering, handling & NVH are a noticeable improvement over the 2014/15 car. But really the 2014 model should have started out this way.

It was interesting to spend time with the CVT -- the transmission that the vast majority of buyers will choose. But I was happy to go back to my stick shift; the automatic saps away too much driving engagement for my liking. Plus the manual is more efficient (if you want it to be) - never mind the EPA ratings.

Then again, the CVT makes for a surprisingly calm & quiet driving experience, if you're just toodling around. (It actually encourages toodling... if you push it, the engine does get loud and droney.)

Lastly, I think Mitsu should have priced the base model sedan to undercut the Versa sedan (the Nissan is America's perennial best-selling subcompact car, and has the least expensive MSRP.) I realize Mirages have almost permanent manufacturer rebates on the hood, but I think they're missing a marketing opportunity by not simply dropping the MSRP to an eye-popping number.

This top spec G4 was $19,498 CAD including delivery, but before taxes/registration. If there's no current factory cash on the hood, that becomes over $22k out the door after taxes. To me, top spec price makes no sense for this car -- the Mirage is all about value and low cost of ownership. Go for the base model.


Last of Mitsu's featherweight platform?

Now that Nissan has a controlling stake in Mitsu and will be looking for ways to share costs, I wonder if the superlight Mirage platform will see a next generation (2019?) evolution, or if the next Mirage will simply become a variant of the just-released 5th gen Micra/March platform.

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Oh, and on a related note, my 80+ year old dad actually preferred riding in the Mirage over his Civic:

- The Civic sits noticeably lower than the Mirage, making it harder for him (with his creaky back) to get in & out
- The Mirage's suspension is tuned more for comfort than handling. His back prefers comfort these days.

Both of these cars are remarkably quiet to drive in when driven lightly to moderately, because their CVT's are programmed for economy, with surprisingly low engine RPM. On the other hand, because they both have small engines and snowmobile transmissions, they get downright raucous when you want fast acceleration.

I also think the Mirage's CVT drives better than the Honda's. The Civic's is lurchy, rubber-bandy, and inconsistent.

Why he bought that Civic I'll never be sure.

I can sympathize with your Dad , about the creaky back / bones / joints . Too low to the ground is a problem . Whether you are talking about vehicles , couches , chairs , etc. . My daily driver is a company Silverado . Not much problem getting in and out .

What is the MSRP for the little test car ?

God bless
Wyr

[niky]

Funny thing.

Went down a driveway and we scraped the underside of the bumper. Surprised when the bumper popped out of alignment.

Took it to a shop, they refused to touch it. Said they'd need to dismantle the bumper and take the whole front end apart to fix it.

Now... I was one of the first journalists to get ahold of this car. I brought it to a shop where they prototyped an intake on the spot (and where we discovered the need for a resonance chamber in the intake due to the torque dip in the powerband).

I've been in, around and under the car.

I know that the front end is merely a lightweight radiator frame bolted to the frame rails. It isn't triangulated by a front subframe or engine mount bracket. It's just hanging there off the end. Sort of like a sideways T.

So I brought it to an old-school mechanic. Explained what I wanted. Took me a while, but he finally got the idea.

All we did was unbolt the bottom of the bumper, attach a hook and a rope to the bolt on the steel bracket down there... and pull... slowly.

Problem solved. No $$$ trip to the dealer.

-

I think I'm in the wrong business.

[MetroMPG]

Nice going!

I distinctly remember reading about the front assembly being the way it is to keep manufacturing & repair costs down in the event of front end damage (because it's replaceable).

Did you remove the bumper cover itself? It's ridiculously easy on the Micra - you don't even need tools. It's about 8 or 10 push pin clips... whatever these are called:

[niky]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Nice going!

I distinctly remember reading about the front assembly being the way it is to keep manufacturing & repair costs down in the event of front end damage (because it's replaceable).

Did you remove the bumper cover itself? It's ridiculously easy on the Micra - you don't even need tools. It's about 8 or 10 push pin clips... whatever these are called:

Nope!

Just unscrewed one bolt, attached a hook to it, screwed it back in, then pulled on the hook.

[hydrive]

The thing I find most interesting about the G4 is that, for a sub-compact sedan, it has tremendous back seat space and interior space overall. There is plenty space for 4 large sized adults to sit comfortably.

[MetroMPG]

Agreed - the car is surprisingly Tardis-like: very roomy inside for its small exterior size. There's literally more room to stretch out in the back of the G4 than in my parents' 2005 Camry (because you can't slip your feet as far under the Camry's front seats).

The big drawback to the G4 sedan is no folding rear seatback. That hinders practicality somewhat. However, Mitsu apparently added a "pass-through" for 2018.

[LeanBurn]

The want $17,721K for a G4 ES 5MT Mirage (base car with zero options) in Alberta Canada.

next....

[MetroMPG]

People aren't paying sticker price for Mirages.