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Subcompact car; Built in
  • 4-door hatchback
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $6,100 – $11,800*


2014 Mitsubishi Mirage


2014 Mitsubishi Mirage


2014 Mitsubishi Mirage

Pros:
  • Fuel economy
  • Lots of features for the price
Cons:
  • Engine noise
  • Wind noise

Entry-level prices made the Mitsubishi Mirage an interesting new-car proposition from a value standpoint, especially because it came with a good bumper-to-bumper warranty. Acceleration, cabin appointments, and overall dynamic refinement trail most subcompact rivals, but low prices might help used-car shoppers overlook the weak points. We’d be sure to see if there is any remaining new-car warranty to take advantage of as well.

Overview

With the 2014 Mirage, Mitsubishi resurrected a name from its past and applied it to a brand-new vehicle. Well, the car was new to the U.S. market anyway. The last time Mitsubishi sold a car with the Mirage name in the U.S. was in 2002. This Mirage has been on the market for several years in some worldwide markets, mostly emerging ones such as Thailand. Incidentally, Mitsubishi exported U.S.-spec 2014 Mirages from that country.

As for the car itself, this 4-door hatchback carved its own niche in the subcompact class. It was larger than the Chevrolet Spark and Scion iQ but smaller than the Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit. In the States, Mirage was the only mass-market 4-door vehicle powered by a normally aspirated (no turbo or supercharger) 3-cylinder engine.

Mirage was marketed in two trim levels, base DE and top-line ES. The former came pretty well equipped for an entry-level model. It included automatic climate control, full power accessories (windows, locks, mirrors), remote keyless entry, and a USB port.

The ES added fog lamps, alloy wheels, keyless entry with pushbutton engine start, cruise control, and Bluetooth.

Options included rear-obstacle detection, navigation system, and assorted dress-up accessories.

Only one engine was available, a 74-horsepower 1.2-liter 3-cylinder. Available on both the DE and ES were a 5-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that behaved like an automatic. Mirage was front-wheel drive.

The EPA fuel-economy estimates for the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage were 34 mpg city and 42 mpg highway with the 5-speed manual transmission. Estimates with the continuously variable transmission (CVT) were 37/44.

The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage includes a standard complement of expected and federally mandated safety features.

Yearly Updates

2014 Mirage

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

The Mitsubishi Mirage’s only engine was a 74-horsepower 1.2-liter 3-cylinder. A 5-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that behaved like an automatic was available. Mirage was front-wheel drive.

dohc I3
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.2/73
Engine HP 74
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 74
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
CVT automatic 		34/42
37/44

Road Test

Mirage has adequate acceleration for commuting, but no more. Flooring the throttle from a stop brings a slight shudder on take off, after which the car accelerates with decent pep. With the available CVT reacts quickly to throttle inputs, but the available power isn’t great. That’s especially true at highway speeds. No opportunity to test a Mirage with the 5-speed manual.

In Consumer Guide testing, a Mirage with the CVT returned 33.3 mpg in mostly city driving. Regular-grade gas is recommended.

Mirage rides decently for a small car, with most smaller bumps being absorbed with ease. Rougher surfaces can reveal a choppy ride though.

Mirage leans a bit in fast turns, and the steering doesn’t provide much feedback, but the ride and handling balance seems about right for a commuter car. The diminutive size, low steering effort, and a tight turning circle make for great maneuverability.

The 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine protests loudly under even normal acceleration, and the CVT makes matters worse by holding it at constant mid-range revs during accleration, and the engine really isn’t happy there. At highway speeds, wind rush is quite pronounced.

Audio and climate controls are mounted high and within easy reach. The radio includes pushbuttons for easy station selection, but there isn’t a tuning knob. Climate controls use tedious, repetitive-step pushbuttons, but they are otherwise easy to use.

Interior appearance is fine for the price. There’s plenty of hard-plastic surfaces, but the red highlights on the black cloth seats add a bit of color, and the ES model’s leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever are a nice touch.

Up front, there is generous headroom, but taller drivers might wish they had more leg room. Entry and exit are easy. The story is about the same for rear-seat passengers. Visibility to the front and sides is great, but the thick rear pillars create large blind spots, but the optional navigation system includes a rearview camera that should make backing up easier.

There’s space for a few bags of groceries behind the rear seat. The seat backs are split 60/40, but you need to remove the headrests before folding them down. When folded, they seat backs rest about 3 inches above the cargo floor, and don’t fold completely flat. Small-item storage is about average for a subcompact. There’s a decent glovebox, map pockets in the doors, three cupholders, and a small bin. There isn’t a console box though.

Ratings

Model Tested: Mitsubishi Mirage ES with CVT

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 2
20%
Fuel Economy - 9
90%
Ride Quality - 4
40%
Steering/Handling - 5
50%
Quietness - 3
30%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Front - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Rear - 3
30%
Cargo Room - 6
60%

Other

Value - 4
40%

Total: 47

Specifications

4-door hatchback
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
96.5 148.8 65.6 59.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
47.0 9.2 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.1 37.3 41.7 34.0
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2014 Not tested 4-door hatchback

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Front Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Starter
Description: Improper meshing of starter gear and ring gear can result in noise when the engine is being started. (2014)

Recall History

2014 Mirage
Description: Certain Mitsubishi Mirage vehicles may have a wiring connector in the junction left to the driver’s feet that can corrode because water and salt from the driver’s shoes can soak through the carpet. If the connector corrodes, it could delay the deployment of the frontal air bags in a collision.
2014 Mirage
Description: Certain 2014-model Mitsubishi Mirage vehicles made between July 27, 2013 and November 20, 2013 may have an impact sensor in the air bag system that has increased resistance and can cause problems with air bag deployment in a collision.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on April 20, 2016.
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