13:30-15:24 This is the segment where I was guessing about what the different mpg estimates mean. I now realize that when you set it to the letter A, that is the automatic resetting, meaning that the car decides when that one will start over, and it seems to reset after a few hours of not driving. But you are also free to reset it yourself at any moment while you are on it's screen. When you change it to the letter B, that's the one that you can control when it resets, and I'm guessing you reset it while on the mpg screen. It was a bit confusing, but a fellow Mirage owner helped clear it up for me.
I work for an auto parts company. We have about 30 Mirages as our parts cars. These things can haul so much cargo, they are so reliable and very good on gas. I'm in northern Canada, so in the winter they are starting in -40c weather regularly. Also, we start the engine at least 20 to 30 times a day, just saying.
Wow! That is such a great testimonial, and it says so much about the Mirage. It certainly doesn't get that cold where I live, but it's great to hear how well it handles the extreme cold.
It's a sin that smaller, sub compact, and even compact cars and sedans are disappearing from the U.S. market! And those large behemoth oversized and overpriced pickups are ridiculous! I was in Europe recently, and was blown away at the choices of smaller cars there, and how well many of them drove (I rented a few). Ditto smaller displacement motorcycles.
I totally agree! It is so frustrating how few options there are in the US, and that most of the compact cars are not compact at all. It's all about driving up prices. I haven't been to Europe, but I've heard that other countries have so many more options.
Its a sin because, the majority of consumers have allowed it and the greedy corporations have run with it. I love small cars. If I could, would love a manual transmission; but that's also on the way out. Thanks for the great video. Your commitment is admirable.
I have a 2020 manual model that I bought brand new for $12000. 4 years 40K+ miles later and it's been wonderful. I removed the backrests for the rear seats, leaving just the bottoms. It makes the car into a wonderful little van. I just replaced all 4 tires for $260 mounted and balanced. Love this car.
That is awesome! I love hearing all these great reports from Mirage owners. I have also removed the backrests for the rear seats. My follow-up video to this one is where I showed how I did it. It opens up so much room, which worked out great for my road trip in July. $260 for 4 tires is such a great price!
@@OklahomaCoasterFan I plan to add a small hitch and haul with mine as well. I'm not sure if you're aware, but the fluid in the CVT should be changed every 30K miles, and that includes a cartridge filter and cleaning the pickup screen. And it probably wouldn't hurt to do it every 15-20K even. Do that and I've seen these little auto transmissions go 200K miles and beyond. I hope the car gives you a long trouble-free service, and cheers!
We have replaced our Chevy Aveo’s and Kia Rio’s with Mirages. We use them as run abouts and errand runners for company business, we don’t let our employees use their POV’s for any company business. We did have a driver quit because we got rid of the Aveo’s. What I like about the Mirage is that we can park them practically anywhere. Our female employees love these little cars.
@tomfuller4205 Seems like a very smart choice! I looked into a Kia Rio but decided against it even before discovering the Mirage. I'm surprised someone would quit over a car, as the Aveo doesn't seem that much bigger. I hope those Mirages serve you well for a very long time!
Congrats! I have owned 2 Mirages and 1 Mirage G4 in the color of yours (2015 Mirage ES, 2017 Mirage G4 SE, 2021 Mirage SE) and they are good cars and the engine is so simple and basic older tech which makes it great in my opinion. Even the Jatco CVT 7 model in these cars is a pretty good CVT thats more reliable than most as long as you do maintenance. You got a good little car!
Thank you! Simple, basic older tech is right up my alley. I have been loving the car so far, over 3000 miles in. I have heard that these CVTs do better with the Mirage, maybe because of the smaller engine & lower horsepower. I am loving the feel of the CVT, and that was one thing I wasn't sure if I would like. It's nice to hear that yours were great for you as well.
This is a very good review. I wanted a small hatchback myself and bought a '24 Mirage in April. I really love the car both for in town and for longer trips as well.
That's great to hear, and that's what I was hoping would be the case. I'm supposed to change the fluid on my non-cvt Fit every 30k too, so that's not new.
@@helpfulreviews9319 Torque kills CVTs. The Mirage has none and weighs a few hundred pounds less than a Miata. There're tons of these with original CVTs with 300k+ miles
The gas mileage is so amazing, better than most hybrids! I love hearing all the reports about it's great reliability from those who have put plenty of miles on theirs.
You're welcome, and that is so true. They just don't make cars like this anymore. They used to all be like this, and everybody who likes small cars loved them.
I'm over 11k miles now, and I love it even more. Over 47mpg actual lifetime (I do the math). It has plenty of power, way more than I usually use. No problem merging onto highways, it can maintain 70mph fine (I rarely go over that in any car), it can gain speed quickly for passing. Comfortable seats for long drives, great capacity in back with the seat-backs removed. Engine sounds and feels smooth, handles bumps better than my Fit. Those tires seem to handle the rain really well. The CVT was weird at first, but I now really like how smooth it is. I tend to not use cruise control if it's a little hilly, because cruise control doesn't keep the rpms as steady as I'm able to, but that does make it a more engaging experience. Overall, there's very little to complain about, only a couple tiny nitpicks. I can't imagine being even close to as happy with any other new car out there.
I have 2 Mitsubishi Attrage 2020 (Mirage g4 in US) and they are fantastic. What I wanted was reliable, easy to drive, economical and with lots of space and Mirage g4 ticked all the boxes. It will not gonna win any races, or give you any status points, since it is what it is. Reliable, cheap, comfortable and well-equipped basic form of transport
Exactly, and that's all I'm looking for from a car. I never cared about status points. It's great to hear another positive testimony. If I preferred a sedan, I certainly would have bought the G4/Attrage.
So true, and they're the last of the actual small cars, at least in the U.S. The Mirage GT is the sedan version for anyone who would prefer that over a hatchback.
Wow! I didn't know you could adjust the brightness! Thanks! I've got a 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage ES, yellow. I got it September 27th, 2023, and have put 19,600 miles on it. It's an awesome car! I was cautious, so I changed the transmission fluid and filters at 15,000 miles. My torque wrench broke, and never clicked, so I stripped a bolt out holding the pan filter in! So now the car rattles at 1,550-1,650 RPM. I noticed it goes away when turning right weirdly. Over the life of the car I've averaged 52.1 MPG. It's been awesome! One recent trip I did was 412 miles, and I averaged 67.6 MPG. It was more rural roads, was able to hypermile the whole thing. Trip B's MPG is the life time of the car, it doesn't reset unless you manually do it. My trip B says I averaged 57 MPG. But in terms of math I averaged 52.1. The forward collision mitigation is a great feature. It has slammed on the brakes once for me, someone came into my lane right next to me, and the car slowed down before I could react. It also slowed down when a deer ran across the road. Didn't know it could do that with a deer, but it did. It has never failed and stopped for no reason. I did have it give an error once when driving in dense fog, it turned off the mitigation. The push button parking brakes in most new cars, although seem weird, they are actually very useable. Sometimes they auto turn on, since people tend to not use the parking brake, so it helps save the parking pole. The manual brakes work too, but if you don't use them for years, then use them, they can end up being frozen, or engaging, and getting stuck on. Not guaranteed to happen. Just 1 downside. The backup camera, to me, seems safer than looking behind. I usually look in the mirrors, make sure nothing is next to me, or behind, then look at the camera. It gets rid of blind spots when backing up, and when parked in the store between 2 cars, you can't see down the isle either way, so without the camera, you just randomly back into traffic hoping no one is there, but with the camera you can see without needing to back out. Also with that USB port, you can plug your phone into there, and get Android, or Apple Carplay. So you get GPS, or you can use Spotify, or TH-cam Music, and listen to any songs you want, and save them into playlists too. Quite nice! I prefer that to using a USB stick. One thing to note, you can adjust the speakers sound inside the settings. So go to settings, then sound, and you can adjust the balance, bass, treble, and all that. It's pretty neat. The car does have daytime running lights. When you turn the headlights on the 1st click, the running lights are on. You may also notice it lights up the dash when you do that. Then the next click is the headlights. Where did you get the nice trunk mat? I ask as I only have a flimsy peace of carpet in the back. That mat looks much nicer! One thing to note, these transmissions are a bit weak. What I mean is, they can get hot easily in city, or mountain driving. And if you do a lot of that, make sure to change your transmission fluid and filters every roughly 20,000 miles. But if you don't do a lot of city and mountain driving, every 30,000 miles will be fine. Do NOT go 60,000 miles as the book suggests. And for engine oil changes, I do mine every 3,750 miles. But you can likely go 4,000, or 5,000 miles on a change if it's easy miles. I want my car to last, so I change it more.
I was hoping you would notice my video. I have watched several of yours as well, and I commented under my other account, mattrooker. It's impressive the mpgs you have been able to get with yours. I like the way my Honda Fit does the estimate. It resets when I reset the trip odometer, which it looks like I can do with the Mirage under the B. It was confusing to figure out, but what you said helps put it all together. For me personally, I almost always use the parking brake, so I am happy to have the manual one with the Mirage. I do see times when the forward collision thing can be helpful. It did turn off after a bunch of bug guts got in the way of the camera. I didn't talk about it in the video, but I found how to adjust the sound settings. I'm not tech-savvy at all. I don't know what people are talking about most of the time when they talk about that stuff. I just smile and nod, then I pull out my CDs. I rarely use my phone's data, and I don't have any music subscriptions. I purchase CDs or mp3s, then I organize them in folders. Putting it all on a thumb drive, and keeping it updated, works well for how tech-dumb I am, and it's a great option for others who are like me, and I actually do know plenty. What I meant by daytime running lights was the automatic running lights, which cannot be turned off. I was surprised the Mirage didn't have it, but yes, we can turn it on ourselves. The trunk mat was a part of the cargo essentials package, which you can see at 24:54. It added $250 to the asking price, but all the Mirages on the lot had it. I won't use the net or the bags/storage things, but the trunk mat is nice. I just got back from a weekend trip to Dallas, and I managed around 50mpgs on the trip. It did great on the highways, and I got to take it slower on the back roads. But throughout Dallas, I wondered what the drivers in those high-powered cars and SUVs thought when my weak little Mirage was zipping by them in the left lane at 70mph, while they're over in the right lanes, going 45-50. 1600 miles in now, and I'm really enjoying it. It is a fun car to drive. And I like some of the little additions I've added to it, which I'll probably post a video on. Keep posting your videos as well.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan Thank you! You are pretty savey, you managed to make a voice over on the video! (: Setting up Android Auto is very easy, just plug your phone in, and it was ask you to set up Android Auto, just press "Yes" or "Accept" a lot, and it will work. Then you got GPS. (: 1,600 Miles! Time for your first break in oil change. How do you like Dallas? I drove through there in a rental 2023 Toyota Camry, found it pretty neat how busy it was.
@@extralock1045 Dallas is an easy weekend getaway, with Six Flags over Texas. I can also catch a Rangers game. They were playing the Angels this weekend, so my friend in Santa Ana was watching closely. I don't like all the traffic and the traffic jams of Dallas-Ft Worth, but there are so many great things to do there. I am able to figure out tech things, if I'm motivated enough. Although, some youtubers would be shocked at the simple way I put together my videos, even with the voiceovers. I'm sure I do it the long way, but it's also very simple, low-tech, and old-school, just the way I like my cars.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan Ooo! Santa Ana is very close to me, 8 miles. We both make videos very simple, and that's a nice thing. Sometimes simple is great! (:
My Mirage is great. It actually gives a comfortable ride and has plenty of leg room in the back. My phone automatically connects to infotainment center and I can take calls and listen to music I have chosen on Spotify. The trunk is good size too 😊
I bought the same car in May 2024 but the top model. I have driven 8500 kms (5000 kms urban, remainder long distance) so far and happy with it. It is really economic in all aspects (fuel, tax, insurance etc.), and you fit in everywhere. I installed a dashcam, armrest and back parking sensor. Since the cargo space is small I bought a new generation 350-liter bag style over-the-top luggage for using in long distance travels with whole family.
It's so sad the Mirage is being discontinued in the U.S. From Car and Driver (Aug 6, 2024): The news of the Mirage's demise was confirmed today to Car and Driver by Jeremy Barnes, Mitsubishi's North American spokesman. "Mirage is being discontinued in the U.S. market, and there will not be a 2025 model," he said. "Production will cease late this year, and we expect to have sufficient dealer stock to last into the summer of 2025." Great detailed review geared especially for people who still want small cars with traditional features. Thanks!
Thank you! I was hearing the rumors that the Mirage was being discontinued before buying mine, so I felt that I should do a review while they were still available. It is very sad to see it go. The supply of the hatchback Mirage is already gone where I live, and has been for several months. Only the sedan remains around here, if anybody wants a new one, and it's running over $2000 more than I paid for my hatchback, and no base trims (ES). I'm glad I bought one while I could.
Good, honest review. The last true subcompact economy car sold in the US. Less is more. Simple means long lasting and low long term cost. I bought two Geo Metros. A '96 and a '97. Very similar cars to the Mirage. About 1800 pounds. Long lasting 1L 3 cylinder motors that ran to 185K and 186K miles before the unibodies rotted. On the '97 I could get 51mpg highway. I'm picking up my new mirage this week.
Less is more! It is sad that there aren't more subcompact options in this country. I hope you love your Mirage as much as I love mine. It is very interesting to hear testimony about the Geo Metro. I am intrigued by it, having not known much about it before, but then I heard about the comparisons to the Mirage.
Unfortunately, I think it is going away. They probably want to also switch over to the more complicated vehicles. That's why I bought one while I could.
I have a 2010 Honda fit. Love it. It's so dependable. It was either that or mirage, but I wanted a manual transmission, and the fit came up first. I've seen quite few personal reviews on a mirage and not one didn't like it, and every pro reviewer who had never owned one hated it. From what I've heard, if you keep the fluid changed on the ATV they last pretty good. I still trust a manual the most.
The Honda Fit is still my favorite, but the Mirage does have some unique advantages, and it's a close call. It's too bad they took away the manual option, for those that wanted it. What you said is true: everyone who actually owns a Mirage loves it. Those enthusiast types are probably pushing an agenda. One commented on this video, telling us that we need to just get an SUV so that dealerships can make more money. I deleted that comment.
I enjoyed your review immensely! I couldn't agree more that we're being forced into vehicles we don't want or need. Your car is truly a unicorn! I'm not in the market for a new car, but your video makes me want to snatch one of these up anyway! Thanks for taking the time.
Thank you! I think there are more of us out there than we realize, but most people have settled for what the industry is telling us we have to buy. But I've always loved unicorns. Rumor is that the Mirage is going away after 2025. If so, we don't know what will replace it. It might be another huge "compact" car with more technology than a space shuttle. If they will be going away, it's worth considering getting one.
I have a 2023 Mirage G4, White Diamond color. I love it. I'm not a speed demon either, so the power is good enough for me. Just changed the oil myself. Very easy on this car. Only had to put my head under the bumper and I could already reach the drain plug. Same with oil filter. A hole in the splash shield to get filter.
Same with me, the power is enough. My first oil change is coming up soon. I get the 3 free ones, but it's nice that these are so easy to work on. Not many new cars like that anymore.
Awesome video. Love it. Thanks for the review. Doug DeMuro hated this car when it launched. I think he still does. Not sure why. Seems like a great budget proposition to me.
Thank you! I don't think much of Doug DeMuro's approach. He just doesn't understand that different people have different opinions, and that's okay. Not everyone is like me, but for people who think like me and have similar preferences & needs, the Mitsubishi Mirage is an awesome car. Over 3,000 miles in now, and I love it even more.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan I agree. Love his content but that wasn’t the best video I’ve seen of his. For that same reason. Awesome. I’ve been wanting one since they came out. Soon I’ll get my hands on one.
@@williereyeschannel2075 Rumor is that the Mirage will be going away in the next year or 2. We don't yet know what it will be replaced with if it does leave. They could decide to jump on board with the monster cars with tons of complicated technology.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan true. I doubt they will give the US an equivalent replacement in a world of SUV’s. Such a shame. That’s the Geo Metro of back in the day. Which I owned and loved for many many years. I had an XFi.
Interesting to see for sure! Have to agree that I prefer smaller cars myself, so this will be helpful for sure the next time I start considering a new car!
It's still early on in my time with it, but so far, I love it. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes small cars, especially if you don't like all the new weird stuff that has been done to most cars lately.
8:54 Did you ever think about buying 2021-2022 used manual transmission Mirage with lower mileage before you made the purchase? That is what I am currently debating now that I am wanting to buy a mirage.I also heard this is the last year for the Mirage before being discontinued here but not sure if that's 100 percent yet
It wasn't a consideration for me. Even though I'm mostly old-school, I actually dislike manuals. But if I were going to go with a used car, which you have to if you want a manual, I would have gone with a Honda Fit with low miles. Since I don't like manuals, that left me stuck with 10+ yr old Fits to avoid CVT. But a manual would open up newer options, and Fits were made to last forever. The Mirage is still a great option though. I've heard that this or next year will probably be the last for the Mirage, but I don't know if they 100% confirmed it yet. Maybe we can change their minds if sales pick up.
I own a 2020 manual from new. They actually use a Toyota part for the transmission, and it works well. You do have to shift on its time though, and the first to second engagement can be long. Clutch is dirt cheap if you ever need to replace it too.
I don't own one but I think it's a great little car. Simple and relatively reliable. Even the CVT isn't a problem because the car is so light and the engine doesn't put any strain on it.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan It's crazy to me that 2024 is the last year for the Mirage. The Nissan Versa is going away as well so after that we will have no small car choices at all in the USA. The closest thing will be a Fiat 500e but no one wants a micro electric car that costs $35k. Fiat will probably go away permanently in a year or two as well.
@@nodak81 It is sad that we're losing all of our truly small cars. We'll then either have to buy used or settle for a gigantic 2900+ lb car. I plan to upkeep what I have for as long as possible.
Your video was truly a pleasure to watch! It felt like me talking because our views on cars are so similar! I'm also old school and financially prudent and as such, prefer small affordable fuel efficient cars. I also prefer a physical handbrake and a proper key and yes, I'm also a huge Mirage fan though I don't own one currently. Speaking of a physical key, the 2024 Toyota Corolla LE sedan does come with a proper key but the higher trims don't. One additional pro of buying a new Mirage that you didn't mention was the 2 years of complimentary maintenance included with every new Mirage purchase. That plus the 10 year 100 thousand mile warranty is pretty enticing! New Civics and Corollas also come with 2 years of free maintenance but the Versa doesn't. New Elantras come with 3 years of free maintenance but I don't recommend them for long term reliability Congrats on scoring a great deal on your Mirage! If you had bought your Mirage just a year or two earlier, you would have likely had to pay thousands over MSRP. Even extralock, who purchased his new 2024 Mirage ES around 5 months before you, paid roughly a $1000 more than you. So buying later really helps! I know you're not tech savvy and I get it because I'm not either. However do seriously consider extralock's suggestion about plugging in your phone and using apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Having Navigation/GPS right on the car screen sure is nice! Heck, just 15-20 years ago, that was only available in luxury cars! However if you're rather not, I totally understand I would love to meet you the next time you're in Dallas. Check out your sweet Mirage and buy you a drink or coffee, whatever you prefer. If you're comfortable with that, lemme know!
It's so great to hear from another like-minded individual. And those are great notes to supplement my video about the key and the maintenance/warranty details, which I only glossed over. I wasn't sure what others provided. I wasn't considering the Elantra, due to well-known issues, as well as no more hatchbacks. I did not know that new cars were going for that much over msrp so recently. Mine was still over msrp in total, after adding on the $1000+ destination, documentation, and the extra supplies. I talked them down some, but I feel I could've gotten them down to 18k total or even less if I played hardball. They could tell that this is what I wanted, and paying for it outright takes away some bargaining power. They now prefer us to take out loans, but I wasn't doing it. With my phone, I don't have unlimited data, so I don't usually turn it on unless I need it. Most people have unlimited, so I know I'm in a small minority there. I use my old-school GPS device when needed, which isn't often. It would be great to meet you sometime. If you have a Six Flags pass, you could join me for some laps on Freeze and Giant. My summers are usually booked, but I'm sure I'll make it back there in the fall.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan I don't have a Six Flags pass but I'll happily pay for a day pass. It's so much more fun to go with someone than go alone. Fall sounds good, just lemme know whenever you plan on visiting Ahh the limited data is why you don't use CarPlay/android auto. Makes sense now. Well whatever works for you. You're spot on that the dealerships prefer financing. I also plan on paying cash when I buy a vehicle so I was disappointed to find that out. Also, the destination fee is mandatory so don't feel bad that you paid $1000 for that. It's a pricing trick that the car manufacturer (not dealership) plays to make their cars look cheaper. Oh the 2024 Mirage is only 17k but you need to pay this mandatory destination charge. It's very sneaky of the car makers and they all do it
Neat review! The Chevy Spark base model was probably one of the last new cars that had a manual crank window. From my understanding, the base model mirage is supposed to have the wiring and everything else for the fog lights, just not the lights themselves. I have a 23' Mirage SE model.
Nice! I hope your Mirage has been serving you well. I think you're right about the fog lights. Everything seems set up if I ever wanted to add them in. I can deal with the power windows, even though I would prefer the manual.
@OklahomaCoasterFan I'm lovin' every second of havin it. I'm just happy to have one of the last true small cars in America before they become an extinct breed. Lol. The Mirage Forums has some posts that go into detail about the foglights, I believe, if you need any extra info on adding them.
@@samarafujioma6588 I'm not sure if I'll do the foglights, but I need to get more involved in those forums. One of the posts on there was where I found good instructions about removing the back seat-backs. It is sad that us small-car enthusiasts are losing out to the monster-car mob, but I'm glad I got a new Mirage in time.
I had considered that as well. It is a great option for anyone with similar preferences as mine. If I went used, I probably would've gone for a Honda Fit over Toyota Yaris, but it would depend on what was available.
I got owned a 2017 model mirage hatchback, this little car is invincible a very good small car until now not even a single problem brought this car to me, a fast and durable car that I had.
Also for me who used to drive a Micra K12 with a CD Drive sometimes if you drive at uneven road / streets whatever and get every single time those bumps the cd player can stutter sometimes... So yeah having those USB Stick can be more comfortable at hearing music, unless you have the Traffic Alert System Turned on.
That car does have similar stats to the Mirage. I don't use any traffic alerts or anything like that. I remember using a portable cd player with my first car that had a cassette player. That would skip a lot. My Honda Fit does well with not skipping when I hit bumps, and that is a very rough ride.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan The Traffic Alerts was just in case you're driving at the Highway / Speedway and get some information how long the traffic jam gets etc. But that was it. Now I don't own a Micra anymore but a Corsa F which was built in November 2020 but it's a complete different car. Yes you still have all the basics but it doesn't have the CD Player anymore but I don't really care about the music in my car. Although it's nice to have the Android Car so I can connect with my Android Phone for the GPS thing if I want to drive to other cities where I never have been or just to make sure that I drive the right way. Other than that it's a perfect car to me right now.
That feature is available on a higher trim level. Depending on what car it is, some will just beep at you, others will try to pull you back into the lane, which is very dangerous. It's good that the Mirage only beeps. I'm still happy to not have that, as I personally find it very distracting.
I rented one a couple of weekends ago. The one I rented was brand new, only 200 miles on it and i liked it. I wish it had crank instead of power windows and a manual transmission. Also, what is the point on this car of having a speedometer that reads up to 140 mph? An 85 mph speedometer would be more appropriate.
I've had mine up to 80, briefly for passing, and I was maybe only halfway pushing the gas pedal down. I think it has plenty more speed potential than 100. However, most Mirage owners are content with going 70 or lower, so we would rarely if ever have that needle over 100, but it can get there, eventually. I'm glad you liked the one you rented.
There is a double floor option for a Mirage, so You can get a flat floor without removing the seats. I also provides storage under the floor for extinguisher and other stuff You always carry, so it does not clutter the boot ;)
Cool. If only I knew that before buying. I'm sure that would have to be a special order, which will be more difficult now that the Mirage is discontinued in the US.
Great in-depth review of this car. I prefer the Mirage G4. I think it's one of the most classy looking small sedans out there. So much of what you said I agree with. Toyota and Honda, the two kings of small car production don't make small cars anymore. Nissan doesn't even make a small car. The Versa is not really small. The only thing that makes me mad about the G4 is the choice of engine. I would have much preferred a 1.5L 4 cyl for smoothness and mpg's. The old Mitsu 1.5 L 4 used to power the Mirage, Dodge Colt, etc. It was a reliable and solid engine. I'm also not a fan of driving fast and dodging huge trucks and cars which dominate the roads today. Enjoy your Mirage.
Thank you! I understand what you mean about the 1.5L 4 cylinder. The hatchback does fit better with how I travel, but it's great that they also had the sedan option. I would be okay with something the size of the Versa, because it's still much smaller than a Corolla-Civic-Impreza, but it still has more technology than I personally prefer.
@@OklahomaCoasterFanI personally like the g4 body style better than the hatchback version. But they're both pretty good basic cars if you go with es base version About the only discontinued car you didn't mention is the Spark. Now that cute little hatch is super tiny and it makes the mirage look quite loaded with tech by comparison. Otoh because Spark and Mirage were direct competitors for so long , many spark owners point out that the major difference (apart from the engines) is the fact that when comparing the interiors, it looks like Mitsubishi just tacked on a few more electric doodads and called it a day. Any thoughts on this?🤔
@resetsetmefree478 The hatchback does fit my lifestyle better, but they're both great options for whatever is a better fit. I've never looked into the Chevy Spark, as it was already discontinued. They do look like direct competitors, but the stats are different. The Spark is shorter in length and width, but it's heavier with a larger 1.4L 4-cylinder engine and more horsepower. I never looked up real world reliability on the Spark. I know Chevys don't do well in that category, but the Spark could have been an exception. I do notice them out on the road.
@@OklahomaCoasterFanspark owners say: if 1 cylinder goes bad I still got 3 of them rotfl 😆 anyways the spark was designed and made by GM korea so its not "regular" Chevy. Fun fact: it was rebadged and sold in Vietnam as the Vinfast Fadil and Vinfast is introducing the vf3 in the USA . it's an ev but about the same size as the mirage
I driving an Saturn ion 2 though the paint faded and chipping idc I just drive around city and work yeah interior falling a part it has 176k have no problems one annoying part with while putting gas I have to give it gas to start and yeah ac compressor is broken
@HiTechBoy96 Mine with just a few chips and scratches, minimal fading, and doesn't usually need gas to start. But ac compressor broken, interior falling apart, power windows broken. The engine head cracked twice. My dad knew how to change it. 3rd one was the charm, has lasted almost 15 years, and the car still runs well today.
I suggest that CVT's are oil change dependant. Make sure you do your service to the transmission fluid ON TIME / MILES recommended by OEM if not sooner.
I have enjoyed both parks very much. 5 Cedar Point visits: 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021, & 2023. 6 Kings Island visits: 2018, 2 in 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2023. Cedar Point has the best coaster collection anywhere, but that does draw huge lines every single day. But Kings Island has had short lines on weekdays, and the coaster collection is still great, plus they have better entertainment, so Kings Island is by far in a way my favorite of the 2.
Did you ever remove the back seat? For just daily driving I think removing the backseat, spare tire and jack would really help the little engine out and maybe get a bit better gas mileage.
Yes, I removed the seat-backs, but I left the seat. With a few little adjustments, I have it quite flat back there, and I like that it is still a softer surface by leaving the seat. I will always carry a spare tire in any car I drive, even if I stay in town, but it would give a tiny improvement in gas mileage if you removed it. So there is more that can be done that I didn't do, but I'm willing to sacrifice a little in mileage for the car to fit my style and needs better. Here's my video where I walked through the process of turning the Mirage into a mini-camper: th-cam.com/video/uE8PKTtvXb8/w-d-xo.html I just got back from a longer trip today, and the car did quite well. It's more powerful than the Honda Fit, and even at 65-70mph with AC going, I calculated about 45mpg. It did even better for the leg where I was on a minor highway with no traffic, going 55-60mph, with the car estimating me at 56mpg. Although, the car has been estimating about 2-3 over what I'm actually getting.
Great video! I have four of these cars for my driving school - various years with the newest being 2024. I like them because they are the only "old school" car still available. I like the manual hand brake, the real spare tire, the tactile climate control buttons, the steel wheels, the fact that the only things on the screen are the back-up camera and sound system, and the LACK of special, unnecessary features (lane assist, adaptive cruise, auto wipers and headlights, etc.), and a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Maintenance is also very simple. New cars are getting ridiculously complicated.
My thoughts exactly! It sounds like we feel the same way about cars. I haven't needed to do maintenance yet, but it's great to see how straight-forward everything is. It's great to hear that you trust the Mirage for your driving school.
Currently, I own a 23 SE and love the MPGs on it. The only thing I find odd is where the jack is stored on it. I am somewhat tall, and I always hit my head otherwise because of where the jack is. The car is well built; sadly, it’s no longer being sold in the USA. I agree the government ruins everything and they like we spend a lot on cars
I also thought that was a strange place to put the jack. Government ties with the car companies in this country have been ruining so many things for the consumer. The Mirage is still available, but rumor has it that 2025 will be its last year. I did this video to encourage others to get it while you can.
It's a long standing debate. Alloy are lighter, giving a very tiny boost in gas mileage. Steel wheels are stronger, able to withstand more, which also protects tires better. My alloy wheels on my Honda Fit have withstood all the potholes and flying rocks that are standard on U.S. roads, but steel wheels are even better. Tires on my Saturn with steel wheels seemed to never wear out, but my Honda Fit with alloy wheels have needed new tires earlier. Alloy wheels do look better, but I have never cared about how "cool" my car looks.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan thanks for your answer. i wasn't thinking about looks either, for me, apart from the lightness, i like alloys because they don't rust. i hadn't heard of them influencing tire wear, but it's interesting to consider. from a fellow small mitsubishi nugget owner, congrats on your purchase!
@@minidisque Thank you! It could be a coincidence with my tire wear. I don't have to worry too much about rust where I live, but I know that is an issue further north. Enjoy your Mitsubishi
You wanted a hatchback, so yeah, I don't think there are any other options these days. If a sedan was an option, I'd have gone for a Nissan Versa S (base trim) with 5-speed manual transmission. Me? I have a '19 Fit EX MT6. Magic Seats are amazing. Also, as much as some people hate new age tech, I love adaptive cruise control. I also own a '24 Civic Sport MT6, bought entirely for preservation purpose (the last of its kind: no turbo, no direct injection, and manual transmission). Note Civic LX and Sport are still under 3000 lbs. Mine should be under 2870 lbs or so, because I replaced the giant 18x8 wheels with 16x7 RPF1's, saving some 65 lbs.
Civic and Corolla have hatchback options, but for all the other reasons, the Mirage was the clear choice for me. But we are all different in our preferences, and with what of the new stuff we may like and dislike. For those that do prefer manual, it's too bad that Mirage had already discontinued it. I do love my Honda Fit also, but that monstrous 2600-lb vehicle is as large as I want to go.
Yes, but that was yet another casualty in the U.S. It was discontinued in 2019, as they don't want to sell affordable small cars in this country. But that would be a fantastic option for anyone living somewhere that still sells them new. Otherwise, if a used one is the only option, I would recommend a used Honda Fit instead.
Another advantage to getting a non-transponder key... is that if you leave it somewhere handy like the glove box or under a mat... you could (also spouse or child) be able to roll the windows up, if you leave them down without having to run back into the house and try to find a key...
I hadn't thought of that. For me, being able to lock the car with the key inside it without having to jump through a ton of hoops is a big deal. It's a safety issue in some cases, while in other cases, I'm able to protect the transponder key from potential damage. That spare key that only unlocks the doors comes in quite handy.
I would love to throw little bit of bigger tires for winter but the car ain’t got the power for snow . There is a lifted smart car where I’m at looks cool asf
One youtuber up in New England got a Mirage partially because of how the small tires can cut through the snow nicely. It hasn't snowed for me since I bought the car, so I haven't had the chance to try it out to see if that's true. In terms of power, since my Honda Fit has the power for snow, the Mirage should do fine, since the Fit is much weaker. But as always, huge vehicles are better for thick snow, especially if they have taller clearances at the bottom. Fortunately, thick snow doesn't happen too often where I live.
I would get a Mirage but there are no Mitsubishi dealerships within 100 miles of my area, which in turn nullifies all the warranties because I’d have to ship the car out every time there was a problem. Now, if there never was a problem, that would be okay.
That's too bad. I don't expect to have any problems, but the 3 free oil changes that come with the car are nice. Unfortunately, the Mirage hatchback is already almost gone. None are left at my local dealership, only sedans. With both discontinued in North America, the supply of new ones will soon be gone forever.
I feel this car does the job. It’s all you need and less is more. Good warranty. Cheap to own. The only issue I’d have is merging into traffic and keeping up with the viciousness of Tesla drivers on your ass tailgating
@@viyau10 I live in Jacksonville. Here it seems to be any vehicle with dark-tinted windows, especially if it's a black-painted vehicle. Reckless entitled drivers who think they own the road.
I've always called my preference in cars 'European'. Small and hatchback is what I want. Currently driving a Toyota Matrix, bigger than the fit, but still tiny compared to the monsters on the road today. It has over 200k miles on it, and is 17 years old. Oh, and I MUCH prefer stick, it's still got it's original clutch
Nice! Same preferences here. The Matrix seems like a great car, and no surprise that a Toyota from that era is still running at over 200k. Hang onto that as long as you can.
the engine bay has so much room. It's sad that these basic subcompacts are almost non-existent. I want to get one of the newer 2021+ designs, may get one used in the future.
It will be so easy to do work under the hood, unlike most newer cars. It is sad that the industry is taking these small simple car options away from us, and it's all about $$$. At least you can still buy used for awhile. Even older Mirages are still out there, going strong.
I have the same trim, and it is possible to add the fog lights in yourself if you want them, as I did. There was a video I found, and it was quite easy to do actually.
My sister bought one in 2019...here in Germany Back than the barebone model was a 1.0 stick, no a/c, no central locking, no Radio, nothing... for 6990€.
That is a great price, but I'm surprised they sold one as barebones as that. In the U.S., there was no option to leave those off, but I would want the radio, and A/C is necessary with how hot it gets here.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan Maybe your points are exactly the Important reasons for Mitsubishi to not sell the real barebone SpaceStar/Mirage in the US. Only included extra were electric windows in the front, but only one switch on the left for the left window and the same for the right side. But my sister managed a gas consumption in the Autobahn around 2.9l/100km. Round town 3.9l/100km.
@@frisco-2.0 Auto makers want to get as much money from the US customer as they can, which is why they include far too many extras with no option to remove them, then they tell us that we will want all those. It's been a big frustration for the citizens of this country, being forced to pay more to have things added that we don't want, and that extends beyond cars. Many parts of the country don't need A/C, but in the South, we do. That 2.9l & 3.9l/100km is incredible! For people in the US, that equates to 81 & 60mpgs. I have averaged around 4.95l/100km (47.5mpg) lifetime so far.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan Okay!? I didn't know that. But i think there is a trend in Europe too that customers are getting treated the same way more and more. That great fuel consumption of my sister's SpaceStar 1.0 depends on her gentle style of driving and that it is a Stick shift.The 1.0 71bhp engine is known for its superb fuel consumption. But today there is only the 1.2 with 71bhp which had 80bhp before.
If so, then they're on every vehicle. This would basically be the last car to get something like that. This is the type of car that authorities have been wanting off the market for years, maybe because they're harder to track; not enough new-age technology that takes control away from the driver. EVs and monsterous modern vehicles with all the technology installed are more likely to be able to be tracked.
Personally I lost interest in the mirage when they decided to remove the manual transmission option. I drive a 2003 Corolla that has just over 170k miles on it with a traditional 4 speed automatic. I definitely know what you mean when you refer to old school car features like a physical key and being easy to work on. If I could go back and do it again I would have bought a earlier model mirage or chevy spark with the manual transmission brand new. On the used market they are still going for above their original MSRPs. The 10 year/100k warranty is great but I would plan to keep any new car I bought well past that point so it doesn't give me much confidence. If I were to buy something in the subcompact class I would go for the Nissan Versa, yes it wouldn't be ideal for you as it is a sedan rather than a hatch, but I think it would make a worthy replacement for my Corolla, plus by choosing the manual you can bypass all the CVT crap that is so common nowadays. The MSRP is also the same as your Mirage.
I do think it was a mistake for them to discontinue the standard on the Mirage. The people that this appeals to are old-school people, and they tend to prefer standards. I should have mentioned in the video that standard is no longer available for that reason. I personally prefer automatic, but I wish it weren't a CVT. The Nissan Versa isn't a bad option for you, if they still sell standards. Nissans get criticized, but probably again by car enthusiasts. I have a couple friends that are happy with their Nissans. I plan on keeping my cars as long as possible too. I actually still have the Saturn, over 21 years. I don't need it, but it still runs. I may put some more work into it.
They are nice i got a 23 last August and have 23k on it if you change the cvt fluid and filter every 30k you can get a long life out of it also it is not the car manufacturers who added all the tech the federal government has mandated most of it and all mirages are pre wired for fog lights thats why it has the switch you can buy some cheap aftermarket ones get a relay and just plug them in the plugs are taped up in the fender
I have heard about changing the fluid. It has been recommended for my Fit every 30k as well. I know the government is trying to force all that tech on us, which is why I wanted to be proactive and get the Mirage while I could. I almost never use the fog lights in my Fit, so I'll probably leave it alone on my Mirage, but it's nice that it can be added if desired. I hope your Mirage lasts you 200-300k+
I do not know yet. If it is, it may not be available in some countries that are currently selling them. No lo sé todavía. Si es así, es posible que no esté disponible en algunos países que los venden actualmente.
Never had an issue with subaru eyesight and I drive in the state of California where drivers cut you off when you're going 20 over on the right lane. I keep all the safety features on and it has never bothered me, with the exception of a few people who driven my car who tend to not use turn signals and fail to stay in their lane. Then they'll mention to me that the car is annoying.
Well I learned some things here as my newest vehicle is about 6 years old now. I didn't know they are removing dip sticks or putting the battery anywhere other than under the hood where it belongs. I don't like all the technology in vehicles these days, just more stuff that'll break. Don't even get me started on the gauges being replaced with a digital screen. I didn't know you could still get a car with an actual key. Enjoy your new ride!
Thank you. You are so right that all this technology just means more stuff that'll break, then you have to take it to them to fix it, which means more $$$$ for them and less for you. A friend of mine had to remove the front passenger seat entirely to reach the car battery. It is crazy what they've been doing to cars now, and I only touched on some of the more widespread things that have been done. There's so much more. I think this might be the last car maker to offer an option with an actual key. I don't want to be taking a fob onto roller coasters and into waterparks. That's what my door-only key is for. Some cars don't even have a key hole. It's all electronic, so no opening the car door, even from the inside, if you don't have power (dead battery). This Mirage truly was my only new car option.
@OklahomaCoasterFan so nearly every non luxury manufacturer has at least one vehicle in their fleet do have a true key system available. Ford specifically has approximately 10 vehicles where you are able to get traditional key starting in their lineup
I have an old soul. Where I live, Nissan Versa does cost more, but all the new-age technology even in their base model is where the Versa lost me. I would be willing to pay more to not have that stuff in my car. Just my personal preference.
Congratulations on the new wheels! 🛞 How many miles have you put on the Fit, with all those coaster trips? And how many miles are you hoping to get on this new ride?
My Fit is at 160,000 miles, mostly highway miles, so it should have plenty of life left. It still runs like new. Being able to use the old Saturn (which was over 265K, 200K by me) around town and for short trips helped extend the life of the Fit. That's the purpose I now want the Mirage to serve, but it can also handle some longer trips if I want, which will also help. I'm hoping for 200K from the Mirage, which sounds very possible. In regards to the Fit though, I plan for it to outlive me. 400K-500K+
These cars are the best cars ever! Im 120,000+ miles in and this car has been great and so reliable and it drives really well for 74hp! So efficient and made well! Tough!!!
Way better warranty most definitely. Slightly better on mpg than a Chevy Spark . Axed just recently 😢 sad ....mirage has slightly better mpg but with body design and ergos spark was just a better car for the money
In a way, that's what makes you even safer in a car like this. It's very difficult for those behemoths to hit a small car, and it's so easy for me to avoid the crazy drivers, between the small size and how it can maneuver. The only time I've ever been hit in 30 years, had I been in a Mirage, I would have been able to avoid it. I personally don't feel safe at all in a large vehicle.
This set of wheels gets you about 40 on the highway...mph, that is. We're talking one of the slowest production cars made in the last decade. Try merging onto the highway with this vehicle.
I have merged onto the highway, quite easily every time. It can do it just fine, and can do over 40mph. I regularly drive mine 65. I prefer to not go faster, but the car can do it, and I have had it over 80 briefly with no issues.
I do see the similarities. I'm sure the Geo Metro owners totally loved their cars, just like the current Mirage owners do, but the so-called experts don't like them.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan But then again, the Geo was also ridiculed as a cheap box of nothingness, with no real chance in the american market, soon a cult-following developed around them
@@greeneking77Canada received a batch of 23s only in white or silver ES trims with everything manual... No power windows (rear) no power locks and no cruise. I also seen a post about Norway did not get cvts at all in 2023, only 5 speeds but I can't verify except that one online claim.... Also you could get Dodge Attitudes (Mirage rebadged) G4 sedans in Mexico 2024s with the 5 speed... But I think that is all I could find after 2022 year model.
@@Have.An.AmicoDay I didn't know about all that. It's interesting to hear about what other parts of the world have access to, even if we can't get them here in the U.S. I wish we had better selection when it came to new cars in this country.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan To be fair, other then myself, there's only one person in my friend group who'd be capable of changing a tire. My mind always goes to the movie A Christmas Story where Ralph helps his dad change a flat tire, I don't think most dads are capable of that anymore, nevermind showing their kids.
I am keeping the Honda Fit. That thing is going to the grave with me. I love it! The Mirage will allow me to not have to put as many miles on the Fit, extending the life of both cars, and not being without a car when one is needing work.
13:30-15:24 This is the segment where I was guessing about what the different mpg estimates mean. I now realize that when you set it to the letter A, that is the automatic resetting, meaning that the car decides when that one will start over, and it seems to reset after a few hours of not driving. But you are also free to reset it yourself at any moment while you are on it's screen. When you change it to the letter B, that's the one that you can control when it resets, and I'm guessing you reset it while on the mpg screen. It was a bit confusing, but a fellow Mirage owner helped clear it up for me.
Good of you to mention these details. You cleared up how to brighten up the instrument cluster for me too, thanks. Mine was quite dim.
@@classic287 I also prefer that to be brighter
I work for an auto parts company. We have about 30 Mirages as our parts cars. These things can haul so much cargo, they are so reliable and very good on gas. I'm in northern Canada, so in the winter they are starting in -40c weather regularly. Also, we start the engine at least 20 to 30 times a day, just saying.
Wow! That is such a great testimonial, and it says so much about the Mirage. It certainly doesn't get that cold where I live, but it's great to hear how well it handles the extreme cold.
Im in need of a 1995 mitsubishi mirage back windshield can't seems to find one help me someone
@@MarquiJohnson See if safelite has what you need. Their website can walk you through it, or visit one of their locations.
Tried no luck@@OklahomaCoasterFan
There's a ton of them in Puerto Rico. If you can find someone you trust the shipping m8ght be high @@MarquiJohnson
I bought a new Mitsubishi Mirage today and cannot wait to see everything it can do!
I hope you enjoy yours as much as I've enjoyed mine. There is such beauty in its simplicity!
It's a sin that smaller, sub compact, and even compact cars and sedans are disappearing from the U.S. market! And those large behemoth oversized and overpriced pickups are ridiculous! I was in Europe recently, and was blown away at the choices of smaller cars there, and how well many of them drove (I rented a few). Ditto smaller displacement motorcycles.
I totally agree! It is so frustrating how few options there are in the US, and that most of the compact cars are not compact at all. It's all about driving up prices. I haven't been to Europe, but I've heard that other countries have so many more options.
Its a sin because, the majority of consumers have allowed it and the greedy corporations have run with it. I love small cars. If I could, would love a manual transmission; but that's also on the way out. Thanks for the great video. Your commitment is admirable.
@AliPez I agree. Thank you. I'm just trying to do my part by speaking up.
I have a 2020 manual model that I bought brand new for $12000. 4 years 40K+ miles later and it's been wonderful. I removed the backrests for the rear seats, leaving just the bottoms. It makes the car into a wonderful little van. I just replaced all 4 tires for $260 mounted and balanced. Love this car.
That is awesome! I love hearing all these great reports from Mirage owners. I have also removed the backrests for the rear seats. My follow-up video to this one is where I showed how I did it. It opens up so much room, which worked out great for my road trip in July. $260 for 4 tires is such a great price!
@@OklahomaCoasterFan I plan to add a small hitch and haul with mine as well. I'm not sure if you're aware, but the fluid in the CVT should be changed every 30K miles, and that includes a cartridge filter and cleaning the pickup screen. And it probably wouldn't hurt to do it every 15-20K even. Do that and I've seen these little auto transmissions go 200K miles and beyond. I hope the car gives you a long trouble-free service, and cheers!
We have replaced our Chevy Aveo’s and Kia Rio’s with Mirages. We use them as run abouts and errand runners for company business, we don’t let our employees use their POV’s for any company business. We did have a driver quit because we got rid of the Aveo’s. What I like about the Mirage is that we can park them practically anywhere. Our female employees love these little cars.
@tomfuller4205 Seems like a very smart choice! I looked into a Kia Rio but decided against it even before discovering the Mirage. I'm surprised someone would quit over a car, as the Aveo doesn't seem that much bigger. I hope those Mirages serve you well for a very long time!
@ He was a GM fan and refused to drive “foreign cars”.
Congrats! I have owned 2 Mirages and 1 Mirage G4 in the color of yours (2015 Mirage ES, 2017 Mirage G4 SE, 2021 Mirage SE) and they are good cars and the engine is so simple and basic older tech which makes it great in my opinion. Even the Jatco CVT 7 model in these cars is a pretty good CVT thats more reliable than most as long as you do maintenance. You got a good little car!
Thank you! Simple, basic older tech is right up my alley. I have been loving the car so far, over 3000 miles in. I have heard that these CVTs do better with the Mirage, maybe because of the smaller engine & lower horsepower. I am loving the feel of the CVT, and that was one thing I wasn't sure if I would like. It's nice to hear that yours were great for you as well.
I just bought a 2024 Mitsubushi Mirage. Slightly used(11000 miles) but I love it. You answered all my questions!
I'm glad I could help. I hope your Mirage works out great for you!
This is a very good review. I wanted a small hatchback myself and bought a '24 Mirage in April. I really love the car both for in town and for longer trips as well.
That's awesome! I have been loving mine as well. I think there are many more people like us out there, but they don't even realize this car exists.
Cvts have gotten a lot better. As long as you change your fluid every 20k-30k, they’ll last till at least 200k
That's great to hear, and that's what I was hoping would be the case. I'm supposed to change the fluid on my non-cvt Fit every 30k too, so that's not new.
I see quite a lot of the older versions of these with 500k
It only last to 100k milles
@@helpfulreviews9319 Torque kills CVTs. The Mirage has none and weighs a few hundred pounds less than a Miata. There're tons of these with original CVTs with 300k+ miles
I own a 2023 Mirage. I love it for all the same reasons. I can go anywhere I want and hardly pay for gas, and it's very reliable and easy to service.
The gas mileage is so amazing, better than most hybrids! I love hearing all the reports about it's great reliability from those who have put plenty of miles on theirs.
I just reserved one space star ( Mirage), 1.2 CVT. I’m in Romania, I did the test drive today. I think this color is great.
Thank you for your video.
You're welcome! I hope you enjoy your Space Star as much as I have enjoyed mine.
Thank you, I believe so.
Buna. Eu sunt in Germania. Tocmai urmează sa preiau acest model, exact aceasta culoare.
I like that you said favorite instead of best. It reminds me of my sister. Thank you.
You're welcome. I try my best to use "favorite" instead of "best", or qualify that it's best for me personally.
Thankyou for a Honest Review 🚘 on real car for real people 👏
You're welcome, and that is so true. They just don't make cars like this anymore. They used to all be like this, and everybody who likes small cars loved them.
Thanks for the tour and thoughts. Really resonates with me. Would love an update on how it’s doing and what you think
I'm over 11k miles now, and I love it even more. Over 47mpg actual lifetime (I do the math). It has plenty of power, way more than I usually use. No problem merging onto highways, it can maintain 70mph fine (I rarely go over that in any car), it can gain speed quickly for passing. Comfortable seats for long drives, great capacity in back with the seat-backs removed. Engine sounds and feels smooth, handles bumps better than my Fit. Those tires seem to handle the rain really well.
The CVT was weird at first, but I now really like how smooth it is. I tend to not use cruise control if it's a little hilly, because cruise control doesn't keep the rpms as steady as I'm able to, but that does make it a more engaging experience. Overall, there's very little to complain about, only a couple tiny nitpicks. I can't imagine being even close to as happy with any other new car out there.
I just bought a 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage and love it! Great video!
Thank you. I hope yours serves you well for a long time!
I have 2 Mitsubishi Attrage 2020 (Mirage g4 in US) and they are fantastic. What I wanted was reliable, easy to drive, economical and with lots of space and Mirage g4 ticked all the boxes. It will not gonna win any races, or give you any status points, since it is what it is. Reliable, cheap, comfortable and well-equipped basic form of transport
Exactly, and that's all I'm looking for from a car. I never cared about status points. It's great to hear another positive testimony. If I preferred a sedan, I certainly would have bought the G4/Attrage.
Glad the car is working out for you. This and the Nissan Versa are pretty much the only option for a cheap sedan these days
So true, and they're the last of the actual small cars, at least in the U.S. The Mirage GT is the sedan version for anyone who would prefer that over a hatchback.
Wow! I didn't know you could adjust the brightness! Thanks!
I've got a 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage ES, yellow. I got it September 27th, 2023, and have put 19,600 miles on it. It's an awesome car! I was cautious, so I changed the transmission fluid and filters at 15,000 miles. My torque wrench broke, and never clicked, so I stripped a bolt out holding the pan filter in! So now the car rattles at 1,550-1,650 RPM. I noticed it goes away when turning right weirdly.
Over the life of the car I've averaged 52.1 MPG. It's been awesome! One recent trip I did was 412 miles, and I averaged 67.6 MPG. It was more rural roads, was able to hypermile the whole thing.
Trip B's MPG is the life time of the car, it doesn't reset unless you manually do it. My trip B says I averaged 57 MPG. But in terms of math I averaged 52.1.
The forward collision mitigation is a great feature. It has slammed on the brakes once for me, someone came into my lane right next to me, and the car slowed down before I could react. It also slowed down when a deer ran across the road. Didn't know it could do that with a deer, but it did. It has never failed and stopped for no reason. I did have it give an error once when driving in dense fog, it turned off the mitigation.
The push button parking brakes in most new cars, although seem weird, they are actually very useable. Sometimes they auto turn on, since people tend to not use the parking brake, so it helps save the parking pole. The manual brakes work too, but if you don't use them for years, then use them, they can end up being frozen, or engaging, and getting stuck on. Not guaranteed to happen. Just 1 downside.
The backup camera, to me, seems safer than looking behind. I usually look in the mirrors, make sure nothing is next to me, or behind, then look at the camera. It gets rid of blind spots when backing up, and when parked in the store between 2 cars, you can't see down the isle either way, so without the camera, you just randomly back into traffic hoping no one is there, but with the camera you can see without needing to back out.
Also with that USB port, you can plug your phone into there, and get Android, or Apple Carplay. So you get GPS, or you can use Spotify, or TH-cam Music, and listen to any songs you want, and save them into playlists too. Quite nice! I prefer that to using a USB stick.
One thing to note, you can adjust the speakers sound inside the settings. So go to settings, then sound, and you can adjust the balance, bass, treble, and all that. It's pretty neat.
The car does have daytime running lights. When you turn the headlights on the 1st click, the running lights are on. You may also notice it lights up the dash when you do that. Then the next click is the headlights.
Where did you get the nice trunk mat? I ask as I only have a flimsy peace of carpet in the back. That mat looks much nicer!
One thing to note, these transmissions are a bit weak. What I mean is, they can get hot easily in city, or mountain driving. And if you do a lot of that, make sure to change your transmission fluid and filters every roughly 20,000 miles. But if you don't do a lot of city and mountain driving, every 30,000 miles will be fine. Do NOT go 60,000 miles as the book suggests.
And for engine oil changes, I do mine every 3,750 miles. But you can likely go 4,000, or 5,000 miles on a change if it's easy miles. I want my car to last, so I change it more.
I was hoping you would notice my video. I have watched several of yours as well, and I commented under my other account, mattrooker. It's impressive the mpgs you have been able to get with yours. I like the way my Honda Fit does the estimate. It resets when I reset the trip odometer, which it looks like I can do with the Mirage under the B. It was confusing to figure out, but what you said helps put it all together.
For me personally, I almost always use the parking brake, so I am happy to have the manual one with the Mirage. I do see times when the forward collision thing can be helpful. It did turn off after a bunch of bug guts got in the way of the camera.
I didn't talk about it in the video, but I found how to adjust the sound settings. I'm not tech-savvy at all. I don't know what people are talking about most of the time when they talk about that stuff. I just smile and nod, then I pull out my CDs. I rarely use my phone's data, and I don't have any music subscriptions. I purchase CDs or mp3s, then I organize them in folders. Putting it all on a thumb drive, and keeping it updated, works well for how tech-dumb I am, and it's a great option for others who are like me, and I actually do know plenty.
What I meant by daytime running lights was the automatic running lights, which cannot be turned off. I was surprised the Mirage didn't have it, but yes, we can turn it on ourselves.
The trunk mat was a part of the cargo essentials package, which you can see at 24:54. It added $250 to the asking price, but all the Mirages on the lot had it. I won't use the net or the bags/storage things, but the trunk mat is nice.
I just got back from a weekend trip to Dallas, and I managed around 50mpgs on the trip. It did great on the highways, and I got to take it slower on the back roads. But throughout Dallas, I wondered what the drivers in those high-powered cars and SUVs thought when my weak little Mirage was zipping by them in the left lane at 70mph, while they're over in the right lanes, going 45-50. 1600 miles in now, and I'm really enjoying it. It is a fun car to drive. And I like some of the little additions I've added to it, which I'll probably post a video on. Keep posting your videos as well.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan Thank you! You are pretty savey, you managed to make a voice over on the video! (:
Setting up Android Auto is very easy, just plug your phone in, and it was ask you to set up Android Auto, just press "Yes" or "Accept" a lot, and it will work. Then you got GPS. (:
1,600 Miles! Time for your first break in oil change. How do you like Dallas? I drove through there in a rental 2023 Toyota Camry, found it pretty neat how busy it was.
@@extralock1045 Dallas is an easy weekend getaway, with Six Flags over Texas. I can also catch a Rangers game. They were playing the Angels this weekend, so my friend in Santa Ana was watching closely. I don't like all the traffic and the traffic jams of Dallas-Ft Worth, but there are so many great things to do there.
I am able to figure out tech things, if I'm motivated enough. Although, some youtubers would be shocked at the simple way I put together my videos, even with the voiceovers. I'm sure I do it the long way, but it's also very simple, low-tech, and old-school, just the way I like my cars.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan Ooo! Santa Ana is very close to me, 8 miles.
We both make videos very simple, and that's a nice thing. Sometimes simple is great! (:
My Mirage is great. It actually gives a comfortable ride and has plenty of leg room in the back. My phone automatically connects to infotainment center and I can take calls and listen to music I have chosen on Spotify. The trunk is good size too 😊
I bought the same car in May 2024 but the top model. I have driven 8500 kms (5000 kms urban, remainder long distance) so far and happy with it. It is really economic in all aspects (fuel, tax, insurance etc.), and you fit in everywhere. I installed a dashcam, armrest and back parking sensor. Since the cargo space is small I bought a new generation 350-liter bag style over-the-top luggage for using in long distance travels with whole family.
Nice! I have made a few modifications with mine as well, to fit better with what I do. I am very happy with it.
I own 2012 (1.0, manual) and 2022 (1.2, manual). I love them, really.
Awesome! Mine isn't a manual, but I still love it.
It's so sad the Mirage is being discontinued in the U.S. From Car and Driver (Aug 6, 2024):
The news of the Mirage's demise was confirmed today to Car and Driver by Jeremy Barnes, Mitsubishi's North American spokesman. "Mirage is being discontinued in the U.S. market, and there will not be a 2025 model," he said. "Production will cease late this year, and we expect to have sufficient dealer stock to last into the summer of 2025."
Great detailed review geared especially for people who still want small cars with traditional features. Thanks!
Thank you! I was hearing the rumors that the Mirage was being discontinued before buying mine, so I felt that I should do a review while they were still available. It is very sad to see it go. The supply of the hatchback Mirage is already gone where I live, and has been for several months. Only the sedan remains around here, if anybody wants a new one, and it's running over $2000 more than I paid for my hatchback, and no base trims (ES). I'm glad I bought one while I could.
Good, honest review. The last true subcompact economy car sold in the US. Less is more. Simple means long lasting and low long term cost. I bought two Geo Metros. A '96 and a '97. Very similar cars to the Mirage. About 1800 pounds. Long lasting 1L 3 cylinder motors that ran to 185K and 186K miles before the unibodies rotted. On the '97 I could get 51mpg highway. I'm picking up my new mirage this week.
Less is more! It is sad that there aren't more subcompact options in this country. I hope you love your Mirage as much as I love mine. It is very interesting to hear testimony about the Geo Metro. I am intrigued by it, having not known much about it before, but then I heard about the comparisons to the Mirage.
They are great cars. I have a 2015 89 thousand miles and reliable.
That's great to hear another positive long-term testimonial. It sounds like they are very reliable.
Great review, looking forward to your next car review in 20 years 😉
Thanks! If I take care of what I got, I may never need to buy another car.
Ah the sheer beauty of simplicity. Can't imagine the current Mirage will be produced for much longer, cool to see though!
Unfortunately, I think it is going away. They probably want to also switch over to the more complicated vehicles. That's why I bought one while I could.
The car is being officially discontinued in the US in 2025, so Mitsubishi can focus more on electric and hybrid cars
Versa and Mirage one last year ...
@@samarafujioma6588Same with Nissan discontinuing the Altima and Versa.
I have a 2010 Honda fit. Love it. It's so dependable. It was either that or mirage, but I wanted a manual transmission, and the fit came up first. I've seen quite few personal reviews on a mirage and not one didn't like it, and every pro reviewer who had never owned one hated it. From what I've heard, if you keep the fluid changed on the ATV they last pretty good. I still trust a manual the most.
The Honda Fit is still my favorite, but the Mirage does have some unique advantages, and it's a close call. It's too bad they took away the manual option, for those that wanted it. What you said is true: everyone who actually owns a Mirage loves it. Those enthusiast types are probably pushing an agenda. One commented on this video, telling us that we need to just get an SUV so that dealerships can make more money. I deleted that comment.
I enjoyed your review immensely! I couldn't agree more that we're being forced into vehicles we don't want or need. Your car is truly a unicorn! I'm not in the market for a new car, but your video makes me want to snatch one of these up anyway! Thanks for taking the time.
Thank you! I think there are more of us out there than we realize, but most people have settled for what the industry is telling us we have to buy. But I've always loved unicorns. Rumor is that the Mirage is going away after 2025. If so, we don't know what will replace it. It might be another huge "compact" car with more technology than a space shuttle. If they will be going away, it's worth considering getting one.
Grab one while you can they are being discontinued in the USA in 2025 .. The last of the great ones how sad
I have a 2023 Mirage G4, White Diamond color. I love it. I'm not a speed demon either, so the power is good enough for me. Just changed the oil myself. Very easy on this car. Only had to put my head under the bumper and I could already reach the drain plug. Same with oil filter. A hole in the splash shield to get filter.
Same with me, the power is enough. My first oil change is coming up soon. I get the 3 free ones, but it's nice that these are so easy to work on. Not many new cars like that anymore.
I don't know why people rag on this car and scare people away from it. Let people make up their own mind. @OklahomaCoasterFan
my srx caddy has no spare or tools - this is ridiculous
That is ridiculous that any car maker wouldn't include that.
Awesome video. Love it. Thanks for the review. Doug DeMuro hated this car when it launched. I think he still does. Not sure why. Seems like a great budget proposition to me.
Thank you! I don't think much of Doug DeMuro's approach. He just doesn't understand that different people have different opinions, and that's okay. Not everyone is like me, but for people who think like me and have similar preferences & needs, the Mitsubishi Mirage is an awesome car. Over 3,000 miles in now, and I love it even more.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan I agree. Love his content but that wasn’t the best video I’ve seen of his. For that same reason. Awesome. I’ve been wanting one since they came out. Soon I’ll get my hands on one.
@@williereyeschannel2075 Rumor is that the Mirage will be going away in the next year or 2. We don't yet know what it will be replaced with if it does leave. They could decide to jump on board with the monster cars with tons of complicated technology.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan true. I doubt they will give the US an equivalent replacement in a world of SUV’s. Such a shame. That’s the Geo Metro of back in the day. Which I owned and loved for many many years. I had an XFi.
@@williereyeschannel2075 I just looked up the XFi. That sounded very interesting!
Interesting to see for sure! Have to agree that I prefer smaller cars myself, so this will be helpful for sure the next time I start considering a new car!
It's still early on in my time with it, but so far, I love it. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes small cars, especially if you don't like all the new weird stuff that has been done to most cars lately.
If you want one hurry they are not being sold in the US after 25
@@hanzgruber8676 I heard about that. That's why I got one, even though my Saturn wasn't dead yet.
I bought this car for my daughter in Miami Florida. I live in Key West Florida.
I purchased the Hatchback.
Nice! I hope she enjoys it.
8:54 Did you ever think about buying 2021-2022 used manual transmission Mirage with lower mileage before you made the purchase? That is what I am currently debating now that I am wanting to buy a mirage.I also heard this is the last year for the Mirage before being discontinued here but not sure if that's 100 percent yet
It wasn't a consideration for me. Even though I'm mostly old-school, I actually dislike manuals. But if I were going to go with a used car, which you have to if you want a manual, I would have gone with a Honda Fit with low miles. Since I don't like manuals, that left me stuck with 10+ yr old Fits to avoid CVT. But a manual would open up newer options, and Fits were made to last forever. The Mirage is still a great option though. I've heard that this or next year will probably be the last for the Mirage, but I don't know if they 100% confirmed it yet. Maybe we can change their minds if sales pick up.
yulp I heard that also
I own a 2020 manual from new. They actually use a Toyota part for the transmission, and it works well. You do have to shift on its time though, and the first to second engagement can be long. Clutch is dirt cheap if you ever need to replace it too.
I don't own one but I think it's a great little car. Simple and relatively reliable. Even the CVT isn't a problem because the car is so light and the engine doesn't put any strain on it.
That's how I have felt about the CVT with a small car. It's a much better fit.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan It's crazy to me that 2024 is the last year for the Mirage. The Nissan Versa is going away as well so after that we will have no small car choices at all in the USA. The closest thing will be a Fiat 500e but no one wants a micro electric car that costs $35k. Fiat will probably go away permanently in a year or two as well.
@@nodak81 It is sad that we're losing all of our truly small cars. We'll then either have to buy used or settle for a gigantic 2900+ lb car. I plan to upkeep what I have for as long as possible.
Your video was truly a pleasure to watch! It felt like me talking because our views on cars are so similar! I'm also old school and financially prudent and as such, prefer small affordable fuel efficient cars. I also prefer a physical handbrake and a proper key and yes, I'm also a huge Mirage fan though I don't own one currently. Speaking of a physical key, the 2024 Toyota Corolla LE sedan does come with a proper key but the higher trims don't. One additional pro of buying a new Mirage that you didn't mention was the 2 years of complimentary maintenance included with every new Mirage purchase. That plus the 10 year 100 thousand mile warranty is pretty enticing! New Civics and Corollas also come with 2 years of free maintenance but the Versa doesn't. New Elantras come with 3 years of free maintenance but I don't recommend them for long term reliability
Congrats on scoring a great deal on your Mirage! If you had bought your Mirage just a year or two earlier, you would have likely had to pay thousands over MSRP. Even extralock, who purchased his new 2024 Mirage ES around 5 months before you, paid roughly a $1000 more than you. So buying later really helps!
I know you're not tech savvy and I get it because I'm not either. However do seriously consider extralock's suggestion about plugging in your phone and using apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Having Navigation/GPS right on the car screen sure is nice! Heck, just 15-20 years ago, that was only available in luxury cars! However if you're rather not, I totally understand
I would love to meet you the next time you're in Dallas. Check out your sweet Mirage and buy you a drink or coffee, whatever you prefer. If you're comfortable with that, lemme know!
It's so great to hear from another like-minded individual. And those are great notes to supplement my video about the key and the maintenance/warranty details, which I only glossed over. I wasn't sure what others provided. I wasn't considering the Elantra, due to well-known issues, as well as no more hatchbacks. I did not know that new cars were going for that much over msrp so recently. Mine was still over msrp in total, after adding on the $1000+ destination, documentation, and the extra supplies. I talked them down some, but I feel I could've gotten them down to 18k total or even less if I played hardball. They could tell that this is what I wanted, and paying for it outright takes away some bargaining power. They now prefer us to take out loans, but I wasn't doing it.
With my phone, I don't have unlimited data, so I don't usually turn it on unless I need it. Most people have unlimited, so I know I'm in a small minority there. I use my old-school GPS device when needed, which isn't often.
It would be great to meet you sometime. If you have a Six Flags pass, you could join me for some laps on Freeze and Giant. My summers are usually booked, but I'm sure I'll make it back there in the fall.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan I don't have a Six Flags pass but I'll happily pay for a day pass. It's so much more fun to go with someone than go alone. Fall sounds good, just lemme know whenever you plan on visiting
Ahh the limited data is why you don't use CarPlay/android auto. Makes sense now. Well whatever works for you.
You're spot on that the dealerships prefer financing. I also plan on paying cash when I buy a vehicle so I was disappointed to find that out. Also, the destination fee is mandatory so don't feel bad that you paid $1000 for that. It's a pricing trick that the car manufacturer (not dealership) plays to make their cars look cheaper. Oh the 2024 Mirage is only 17k but you need to pay this mandatory destination charge. It's very sneaky of the car makers and they all do it
Neat review! The Chevy Spark base model was probably one of the last new cars that had a manual crank window. From my understanding, the base model mirage is supposed to have the wiring and everything else for the fog lights, just not the lights themselves. I have a 23' Mirage SE model.
Nice! I hope your Mirage has been serving you well. I think you're right about the fog lights. Everything seems set up if I ever wanted to add them in. I can deal with the power windows, even though I would prefer the manual.
@OklahomaCoasterFan I'm lovin' every second of havin it. I'm just happy to have one of the last true small cars in America before they become an extinct breed. Lol. The Mirage Forums has some posts that go into detail about the foglights, I believe, if you need any extra info on adding them.
@@samarafujioma6588 I'm not sure if I'll do the foglights, but I need to get more involved in those forums. One of the posts on there was where I found good instructions about removing the back seat-backs. It is sad that us small-car enthusiasts are losing out to the monster-car mob, but I'm glad I got a new Mirage in time.
You can buy a base model Jeep Wrangler with manual crank windows.
@2:36 You could get a used Toyoda Yaris instead with a "bulletproof" engine for basic motoring just like you prefer.
I had considered that as well. It is a great option for anyone with similar preferences as mine. If I went used, I probably would've gone for a Honda Fit over Toyota Yaris, but it would depend on what was available.
I got owned a 2017 model mirage hatchback, this little car is invincible a very good small car until now not even a single problem brought this car to me, a fast and durable car that I had.
Another great testimony to the reliability and durability of this car! I love seeing these.
Mirage is the best car l ve ever owned
I didn't think anything could top my 2010 Honda Fit, but the Mirage just might.
Also for me who used to drive a Micra K12 with a CD Drive sometimes if you drive at uneven road / streets whatever and get every single time those bumps the cd player can stutter sometimes... So yeah having those USB Stick can be more comfortable at hearing music, unless you have the Traffic Alert System Turned on.
That car does have similar stats to the Mirage. I don't use any traffic alerts or anything like that. I remember using a portable cd player with my first car that had a cassette player. That would skip a lot. My Honda Fit does well with not skipping when I hit bumps, and that is a very rough ride.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan The Traffic Alerts was just in case you're driving at the Highway / Speedway and get some information how long the traffic jam gets etc. But that was it. Now I don't own a Micra anymore but a Corsa F which was built in November 2020 but it's a complete different car. Yes you still have all the basics but it doesn't have the CD Player anymore but I don't really care about the music in my car. Although it's nice to have the Android Car so I can connect with my Android Phone for the GPS thing if I want to drive to other cities where I never have been or just to make sure that I drive the right way. Other than that it's a perfect car to me right now.
Mine mirage has the lane departure. It dont pull the car back on the road. It will make a beeping sound to get your attention
That feature is available on a higher trim level. Depending on what car it is, some will just beep at you, others will try to pull you back into the lane, which is very dangerous. It's good that the Mirage only beeps. I'm still happy to not have that, as I personally find it very distracting.
I rented one a couple of weekends ago. The one I rented was brand new, only 200 miles on it and i liked it. I wish it had crank instead of power windows and a manual transmission. Also, what is the point on this car of having a speedometer that reads up to 140 mph? An 85 mph speedometer would be more appropriate.
I've had mine up to 80, briefly for passing, and I was maybe only halfway pushing the gas pedal down. I think it has plenty more speed potential than 100. However, most Mirage owners are content with going 70 or lower, so we would rarely if ever have that needle over 100, but it can get there, eventually. I'm glad you liked the one you rented.
I have a 2022 Ford EcoSport. 2.0 awd. It's a tiny little suv. It's quite nifty.
I'm not too familiar with that car. I see that it is quite a bit larger than the Mirage, but small for an SUV.
There is a double floor option for a Mirage, so You can get a flat floor without removing the seats. I also provides storage under the floor for extinguisher and other stuff You always carry, so it does not clutter the boot ;)
Cool. If only I knew that before buying. I'm sure that would have to be a special order, which will be more difficult now that the Mirage is discontinued in the US.
LOve the color! Makes that little car look rich! European sporty! lol
Yes, I don't usually care about the color, but I loved the look of this color.
Exactly like my ‘23 Mirage. Same color too. 😊
Nice! I hope it's been working out well for you.
@@OklahomaCoasterFanyes it has thanks 😊
Great in-depth review of this car. I prefer the Mirage G4. I think it's one of the most classy looking small sedans out there. So much of what you said I agree with. Toyota and Honda, the two kings of small car production don't make small cars anymore. Nissan doesn't even make a small car. The Versa is not really small. The only thing that makes me mad about the G4 is the choice of engine. I would have much preferred a 1.5L 4 cyl for smoothness and mpg's. The old Mitsu 1.5 L 4 used to power the Mirage, Dodge Colt, etc. It was a reliable and solid engine. I'm also not a fan of driving fast and dodging huge trucks and cars which dominate the roads today. Enjoy your Mirage.
Thank you! I understand what you mean about the 1.5L 4 cylinder. The hatchback does fit better with how I travel, but it's great that they also had the sedan option. I would be okay with something the size of the Versa, because it's still much smaller than a Corolla-Civic-Impreza, but it still has more technology than I personally prefer.
@@OklahomaCoasterFanI personally like the g4 body style better than the hatchback version. But they're both pretty good basic cars if you go with es base version
About the only discontinued car you didn't mention is the Spark. Now that cute little hatch is super tiny and it makes the mirage look quite loaded with tech by comparison. Otoh because Spark and Mirage were direct competitors for so long , many spark owners point out that the major difference (apart from the engines) is the fact that when comparing the interiors, it looks like Mitsubishi just tacked on a few more electric doodads and called it a day. Any thoughts on this?🤔
@resetsetmefree478 The hatchback does fit my lifestyle better, but they're both great options for whatever is a better fit.
I've never looked into the Chevy Spark, as it was already discontinued. They do look like direct competitors, but the stats are different. The Spark is shorter in length and width, but it's heavier with a larger 1.4L 4-cylinder engine and more horsepower. I never looked up real world reliability on the Spark. I know Chevys don't do well in that category, but the Spark could have been an exception. I do notice them out on the road.
@@OklahomaCoasterFanspark owners say: if 1 cylinder goes bad I still got 3 of them rotfl 😆 anyways the spark was designed and made by GM korea so its not "regular" Chevy. Fun fact: it was rebadged and sold in Vietnam as the Vinfast Fadil and Vinfast is introducing the vf3 in the USA . it's an ev but about the same size as the mirage
I driving an Saturn ion 2 though the paint faded and chipping idc I just drive around city and work yeah interior falling a part it has 176k have no problems one annoying part with while putting gas I have to give it gas to start and yeah ac compressor is broken
@HiTechBoy96 Mine with just a few chips and scratches, minimal fading, and doesn't usually need gas to start. But ac compressor broken, interior falling apart, power windows broken. The engine head cracked twice. My dad knew how to change it. 3rd one was the charm, has lasted almost 15 years, and the car still runs well today.
I suggest that CVT's are oil change dependant. Make sure you do your service to the transmission fluid ON TIME / MILES recommended by OEM if not sooner.
That is too bad that it needs to be changed so often, and that it's extremely expensive. But I'll stay on top of it.
What do you think of Sandusky Cedar point have you been to Cincinnati Kings Island?
I have enjoyed both parks very much. 5 Cedar Point visits: 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021, & 2023. 6 Kings Island visits: 2018, 2 in 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2023. Cedar Point has the best coaster collection anywhere, but that does draw huge lines every single day. But Kings Island has had short lines on weekdays, and the coaster collection is still great, plus they have better entertainment, so Kings Island is by far in a way my favorite of the 2.
mitsu knows what people need practically, unlike other brands overpowering their car just to be on top of competition
Exactly! All I want is a car that's practical. It's nice that Mitsubishi provided that. I hope their new car lineup will stay true to that.
Fantastic video! Thanks for posting. 👍
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Did you ever remove the back seat? For just daily driving I think removing the backseat, spare tire and jack would really help the little engine out and maybe get a bit better gas mileage.
Yes, I removed the seat-backs, but I left the seat. With a few little adjustments, I have it quite flat back there, and I like that it is still a softer surface by leaving the seat. I will always carry a spare tire in any car I drive, even if I stay in town, but it would give a tiny improvement in gas mileage if you removed it. So there is more that can be done that I didn't do, but I'm willing to sacrifice a little in mileage for the car to fit my style and needs better. Here's my video where I walked through the process of turning the Mirage into a mini-camper: th-cam.com/video/uE8PKTtvXb8/w-d-xo.html
I just got back from a longer trip today, and the car did quite well. It's more powerful than the Honda Fit, and even at 65-70mph with AC going, I calculated about 45mpg. It did even better for the leg where I was on a minor highway with no traffic, going 55-60mph, with the car estimating me at 56mpg. Although, the car has been estimating about 2-3 over what I'm actually getting.
Great video! I have four of these cars for my driving school - various years with the newest being 2024. I like them because they are the only "old school" car still available. I like the manual hand brake, the real spare tire, the tactile climate control buttons, the steel wheels, the fact that the only things on the screen are the back-up camera and sound system, and the LACK of special, unnecessary features (lane assist, adaptive cruise, auto wipers and headlights, etc.), and a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Maintenance is also very simple. New cars are getting ridiculously complicated.
My thoughts exactly! It sounds like we feel the same way about cars. I haven't needed to do maintenance yet, but it's great to see how straight-forward everything is. It's great to hear that you trust the Mirage for your driving school.
Currently, I own a 23 SE and love the MPGs on it. The only thing I find odd is where the jack is stored on it. I am somewhat tall, and I always hit my head otherwise because of where the jack is. The car is well built; sadly, it’s no longer being sold in the USA. I agree the government ruins everything and they like we spend a lot on cars
I also thought that was a strange place to put the jack. Government ties with the car companies in this country have been ruining so many things for the consumer. The Mirage is still available, but rumor has it that 2025 will be its last year. I did this video to encourage others to get it while you can.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan The government tends to ruin a lot of things. This is why we never move forward
great vid-thanks-you covered all the bases
Thank you! I hope you enjoyed it.
Reminds me of the old Geo Metro 🤔
Many people have noticed that. There are a lot of similarities.
i'm curious why you said steel wheels are better than alloys, since you mentioned it but didn't give a reason.
It's a long standing debate. Alloy are lighter, giving a very tiny boost in gas mileage. Steel wheels are stronger, able to withstand more, which also protects tires better. My alloy wheels on my Honda Fit have withstood all the potholes and flying rocks that are standard on U.S. roads, but steel wheels are even better. Tires on my Saturn with steel wheels seemed to never wear out, but my Honda Fit with alloy wheels have needed new tires earlier. Alloy wheels do look better, but I have never cared about how "cool" my car looks.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan thanks for your answer. i wasn't thinking about looks either, for me, apart from the lightness, i like alloys because they don't rust. i hadn't heard of them influencing tire wear, but it's interesting to consider. from a fellow small mitsubishi nugget owner, congrats on your purchase!
@@minidisque Thank you! It could be a coincidence with my tire wear. I don't have to worry too much about rust where I live, but I know that is an issue further north. Enjoy your Mitsubishi
I don't see how this could affect tire wear.
@@jonell1425 he just making up stuff now
You wanted a hatchback, so yeah, I don't think there are any other options these days.
If a sedan was an option, I'd have gone for a Nissan Versa S (base trim) with 5-speed manual transmission.
Me? I have a '19 Fit EX MT6. Magic Seats are amazing. Also, as much as some people hate new age tech, I love adaptive cruise control.
I also own a '24 Civic Sport MT6, bought entirely for preservation purpose (the last of its kind: no turbo, no direct injection, and manual transmission).
Note Civic LX and Sport are still under 3000 lbs. Mine should be under 2870 lbs or so, because I replaced the giant 18x8 wheels with 16x7 RPF1's, saving some 65 lbs.
Civic and Corolla have hatchback options, but for all the other reasons, the Mirage was the clear choice for me. But we are all different in our preferences, and with what of the new stuff we may like and dislike. For those that do prefer manual, it's too bad that Mirage had already discontinued it. I do love my Honda Fit also, but that monstrous 2600-lb vehicle is as large as I want to go.
the nissan versa note has crank windows,, its Nissan called veers note s
Yes, but that was yet another casualty in the U.S. It was discontinued in 2019, as they don't want to sell affordable small cars in this country. But that would be a fantastic option for anyone living somewhere that still sells them new. Otherwise, if a used one is the only option, I would recommend a used Honda Fit instead.
Another advantage to getting a non-transponder key... is that if you leave it somewhere handy like the glove box or under a mat... you could (also spouse or child) be able to roll the windows up, if you leave them down without having to run back into the house and try to find a key...
I hadn't thought of that. For me, being able to lock the car with the key inside it without having to jump through a ton of hoops is a big deal. It's a safety issue in some cases, while in other cases, I'm able to protect the transponder key from potential damage. That spare key that only unlocks the doors comes in quite handy.
I would love to throw little bit of bigger tires for winter but the car ain’t got the power for snow . There is a lifted smart car where I’m at looks cool asf
One youtuber up in New England got a Mirage partially because of how the small tires can cut through the snow nicely. It hasn't snowed for me since I bought the car, so I haven't had the chance to try it out to see if that's true. In terms of power, since my Honda Fit has the power for snow, the Mirage should do fine, since the Fit is much weaker. But as always, huge vehicles are better for thick snow, especially if they have taller clearances at the bottom. Fortunately, thick snow doesn't happen too often where I live.
I would get a Mirage but there are no Mitsubishi dealerships within 100 miles of my area, which in turn nullifies all the warranties because I’d have to ship the car out every time there was a problem. Now, if there never was a problem, that would be okay.
That's too bad. I don't expect to have any problems, but the 3 free oil changes that come with the car are nice. Unfortunately, the Mirage hatchback is already almost gone. None are left at my local dealership, only sedans. With both discontinued in North America, the supply of new ones will soon be gone forever.
I feel this car does the job. It’s all you need and less is more. Good warranty. Cheap to own. The only issue I’d have is merging into traffic and keeping up with the viciousness of Tesla drivers on your ass tailgating
Very true. Fortunately, not too many Tesla drivers in Oklahoma, not that I've noticed. Less is more describes the Mirage perfectly!
@@OklahomaCoasterFan lots of Teslas and Dodge Chargers here in south Florida who think own the road
@@viyau10 I live in Jacksonville. Here it seems to be any vehicle with dark-tinted windows, especially if it's a black-painted vehicle. Reckless entitled drivers who think they own the road.
Before you get ready to merge, flip over to D's. That will give you enough power to merge.
@mizzobjectiveone3819 Thanks. It hasn't come up for me yet, but I'll keep that DS shift in mind for those tight merges when I need more power.
I've always called my preference in cars 'European'. Small and hatchback is what I want. Currently driving a Toyota Matrix, bigger than the fit, but still tiny compared to the monsters on the road today. It has over 200k miles on it, and is 17 years old. Oh, and I MUCH prefer stick, it's still got it's original clutch
Nice! Same preferences here. The Matrix seems like a great car, and no surprise that a Toyota from that era is still running at over 200k. Hang onto that as long as you can.
the engine bay has so much room. It's sad that these basic subcompacts are almost non-existent. I want to get one of the newer 2021+ designs, may get one used in the future.
It will be so easy to do work under the hood, unlike most newer cars. It is sad that the industry is taking these small simple car options away from us, and it's all about $$$. At least you can still buy used for awhile. Even older Mirages are still out there, going strong.
I really enjoyed this review very informative thank you
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
I have the same trim, and it is possible to add the fog lights in yourself if you want them, as I did. There was a video I found, and it was quite easy to do actually.
Thank you! I'm personally not interested in adding in fog lights, but it's a good note for anyone who is.
My sister bought one in 2019...here in Germany Back than the barebone model was a 1.0 stick, no a/c, no central locking, no Radio, nothing... for 6990€.
That is a great price, but I'm surprised they sold one as barebones as that. In the U.S., there was no option to leave those off, but I would want the radio, and A/C is necessary with how hot it gets here.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan Maybe your points are exactly the Important reasons for Mitsubishi to not sell the real barebone SpaceStar/Mirage in the US.
Only included extra were electric windows in the front, but only one switch on the left for the left window and the same for the right side.
But my sister managed a gas consumption in the Autobahn around 2.9l/100km. Round town 3.9l/100km.
@@frisco-2.0 Auto makers want to get as much money from the US customer as they can, which is why they include far too many extras with no option to remove them, then they tell us that we will want all those. It's been a big frustration for the citizens of this country, being forced to pay more to have things added that we don't want, and that extends beyond cars. Many parts of the country don't need A/C, but in the South, we do. That 2.9l & 3.9l/100km is incredible! For people in the US, that equates to 81 & 60mpgs. I have averaged around 4.95l/100km (47.5mpg) lifetime so far.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan Okay!? I didn't know that. But i think there is a trend in Europe too that customers are getting treated the same way more and more.
That great fuel consumption of my sister's SpaceStar 1.0 depends on her gentle style of driving and that it is a Stick shift.The 1.0 71bhp engine is known for its superb fuel consumption. But today there is only the 1.2 with 71bhp which had 80bhp before.
i wonder if they put a tracker on these cheaper model vehicle ?
If so, then they're on every vehicle. This would basically be the last car to get something like that. This is the type of car that authorities have been wanting off the market for years, maybe because they're harder to track; not enough new-age technology that takes control away from the driver. EVs and monsterous modern vehicles with all the technology installed are more likely to be able to be tracked.
They literally use the 3A92 in Aviation, if that doesn’t tell how reliable of a motor is, I dont know what does.
I did not know that. That is very interesting!
@ search up Viking 90hp Engine.
i love this car have fun
I love it too!
This is a great review!!!
Thank you, and thanks for watching!
Mitsubishi is underrated
Very underrated
Personally I lost interest in the mirage when they decided to remove the manual transmission option. I drive a 2003 Corolla that has just over 170k miles on it with a traditional 4 speed automatic. I definitely know what you mean when you refer to old school car features like a physical key and being easy to work on. If I could go back and do it again I would have bought a earlier model mirage or chevy spark with the manual transmission brand new. On the used market they are still going for above their original MSRPs. The 10 year/100k warranty is great but I would plan to keep any new car I bought well past that point so it doesn't give me much confidence. If I were to buy something in the subcompact class I would go for the Nissan Versa, yes it wouldn't be ideal for you as it is a sedan rather than a hatch, but I think it would make a worthy replacement for my Corolla, plus by choosing the manual you can bypass all the CVT crap that is so common nowadays. The MSRP is also the same as your Mirage.
I do think it was a mistake for them to discontinue the standard on the Mirage. The people that this appeals to are old-school people, and they tend to prefer standards. I should have mentioned in the video that standard is no longer available for that reason. I personally prefer automatic, but I wish it weren't a CVT. The Nissan Versa isn't a bad option for you, if they still sell standards. Nissans get criticized, but probably again by car enthusiasts. I have a couple friends that are happy with their Nissans.
I plan on keeping my cars as long as possible too. I actually still have the Saturn, over 21 years. I don't need it, but it still runs. I may put some more work into it.
They are nice i got a 23 last August and have 23k on it if you change the cvt fluid and filter every 30k you can get a long life out of it also it is not the car manufacturers who added all the tech the federal government has mandated most of it and all mirages are pre wired for fog lights thats why it has the switch you can buy some cheap aftermarket ones get a relay and just plug them in the plugs are taped up in the fender
I have heard about changing the fluid. It has been recommended for my Fit every 30k as well. I know the government is trying to force all that tech on us, which is why I wanted to be proactive and get the Mirage while I could. I almost never use the fog lights in my Fit, so I'll probably leave it alone on my Mirage, but it's nice that it can be added if desired. I hope your Mirage lasts you 200-300k+
Words of wisdom
Thank you!
Would trade fancy radio and climate control for more storage and better folding back seats
I agree. If the back seats folded down like the Honda Fit, that would have been so much better. People who love the Mirage want simple & practical.
¿Habrá versión 2025 ?
I do not know yet. If it is, it may not be available in some countries that are currently selling them.
No lo sé todavía. Si es así, es posible que no esté disponible en algunos países que los venden actualmente.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan gracias por responderme ojal si salga un modelo en el 2025 es un auto muy confiable
Never had an issue with subaru eyesight and I drive in the state of California where drivers cut you off when you're going 20 over on the right lane. I keep all the safety features on and it has never bothered me, with the exception of a few people who driven my car who tend to not use turn signals and fail to stay in their lane. Then they'll mention to me that the car is annoying.
Those features don't bother everyone. I'm just not a fan. I guess I would get used to it if I were forced into buying a car with it.
Well I learned some things here as my newest vehicle is about 6 years old now. I didn't know they are removing dip sticks or putting the battery anywhere other than under the hood where it belongs. I don't like all the technology in vehicles these days, just more stuff that'll break. Don't even get me started on the gauges being replaced with a digital screen. I didn't know you could still get a car with an actual key. Enjoy your new ride!
Thank you. You are so right that all this technology just means more stuff that'll break, then you have to take it to them to fix it, which means more $$$$ for them and less for you. A friend of mine had to remove the front passenger seat entirely to reach the car battery. It is crazy what they've been doing to cars now, and I only touched on some of the more widespread things that have been done. There's so much more.
I think this might be the last car maker to offer an option with an actual key. I don't want to be taking a fob onto roller coasters and into waterparks. That's what my door-only key is for. Some cars don't even have a key hole. It's all electronic, so no opening the car door, even from the inside, if you don't have power (dead battery). This Mirage truly was my only new car option.
@OklahomaCoasterFan so nearly every non luxury manufacturer has at least one vehicle in their fleet do have a true key system available. Ford specifically has approximately 10 vehicles where you are able to get traditional key starting in their lineup
@@whyyousnooping That's good to know!
I agree on the wanting to control cars like 15 years ago hence why i have 2 98 4runners and 1 95 4runner
Awesome! Keep those up and running. They don't make them like they used to.
a good old people car. the Nissan versa is cheaper. i like the Hyundai accent 2022 better but it got discontinued
I have an old soul. Where I live, Nissan Versa does cost more, but all the new-age technology even in their base model is where the Versa lost me. I would be willing to pay more to not have that stuff in my car. Just my personal preference.
Congratulations on the new wheels! 🛞 How many miles have you put on the Fit, with all those coaster trips? And how many miles are you hoping to get on this new ride?
My Fit is at 160,000 miles, mostly highway miles, so it should have plenty of life left. It still runs like new. Being able to use the old Saturn (which was over 265K, 200K by me) around town and for short trips helped extend the life of the Fit. That's the purpose I now want the Mirage to serve, but it can also handle some longer trips if I want, which will also help. I'm hoping for 200K from the Mirage, which sounds very possible. In regards to the Fit though, I plan for it to outlive me. 400K-500K+
The official car of: "Your Uber Eats has arrived"
I didn't think about that, but it does seem like a perfect fit for someone driving all over town like that.
I never use parking brakes on automatics, so I am neutral on that
size matters thank you Mirage
These cars are the best cars ever! Im 120,000+ miles in and this car has been great and so reliable and it drives really well for 74hp! So efficient and made well! Tough!!!
Mine has been doing great for the first 10k as well. I am loving it!
I wish they sold Honda Fit again.
You & me both! I love my Mirage, but I would have bought another new Fit if I could.
Way better than a new toyota.
Way better warranty most definitely. Slightly better on mpg than a Chevy Spark . Axed just recently 😢 sad ....mirage has slightly better mpg but with body design and ergos spark was just a better car for the money
This car is cute and does the job but ith all the behemoths on the road now, I woudnt feel safe in such a small car, particularly on highways.
In a way, that's what makes you even safer in a car like this. It's very difficult for those behemoths to hit a small car, and it's so easy for me to avoid the crazy drivers, between the small size and how it can maneuver. The only time I've ever been hit in 30 years, had I been in a Mirage, I would have been able to avoid it. I personally don't feel safe at all in a large vehicle.
This set of wheels gets you about 40 on the highway...mph, that is. We're talking one of the slowest production cars made in the last decade. Try merging onto the highway with this vehicle.
I have merged onto the highway, quite easily every time. It can do it just fine, and can do over 40mph. I regularly drive mine 65. I prefer to not go faster, but the car can do it, and I have had it over 80 briefly with no issues.
@OklahomaCoasterFan true That came across as a bit overly critical. That car's just not for me. Apologies.
@@zl1David Understood. I edited my comment to be more cordial. My apologies too. It's true this car is not for everyone.
Well, put nice reveiw.
Thank you!
I drive a 2014 Fiat Panda. If i would get a Mirage, i will put silicone wiper blades.
this, will be gen Z's geo metro.
Unappreciated, cheap, unloved, yet the one thing that will keep america moving, no matter the cost.
I do see the similarities. I'm sure the Geo Metro owners totally loved their cars, just like the current Mirage owners do, but the so-called experts don't like them.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan But then again, the Geo was also ridiculed as a cheap box of nothingness, with no real chance in the american market, soon a cult-following developed around them
im from the philippines i have mirage hatchback red wine color 😊
Just like mine! I have heard that these smaller cars are more popular in the Philippines. I might fit in well there.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan yes its popular in the philippines 😊
120k miles i still average 45-55mpg
That is awesome! I'm looking to do the same
The 5speed would have been a better choice.
Unfortunately, manual is no longer an option for a new Mirage. I think that was a mistake on their part.
What year did they stop making the manual transmission?
@@greeneking77 It looks like 2022 was the last year for the manual Mirages, so you would have to get it used.
@@greeneking77Canada received a batch of 23s only in white or silver ES trims with everything manual... No power windows (rear) no power locks and no cruise. I also seen a post about Norway did not get cvts at all in 2023, only 5 speeds but I can't verify except that one online claim.... Also you could get Dodge Attitudes (Mirage rebadged) G4 sedans in Mexico 2024s with the 5 speed... But I think that is all I could find after 2022 year model.
@@Have.An.AmicoDay I didn't know about all that. It's interesting to hear about what other parts of the world have access to, even if we can't get them here in the U.S. I wish we had better selection when it came to new cars in this country.
Holy crap, it is utterly hilarious that the cheapest new car you can find has features much more expensive cars don't have, like a bloody spare tire.
I know, it's so crazy! I guess they figure that luxury car owners don't mind needing to be rescued and towed over simple things like a flat tire.
@@OklahomaCoasterFan To be fair, other then myself, there's only one person in my friend group who'd be capable of changing a tire. My mind always goes to the movie A Christmas Story where Ralph helps his dad change a flat tire, I don't think most dads are capable of that anymore, nevermind showing their kids.
@@repatch43 So true. But even AAA can't do it if the car doesn't have a spare.
Why not keep the Honda fit? The difference in gas mileage is negligible in the long run
I am keeping the Honda Fit. That thing is going to the grave with me. I love it! The Mirage will allow me to not have to put as many miles on the Fit, extending the life of both cars, and not being without a car when one is needing work.
ummm he is 😮