For a Great Starter Car, Look at the 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage

Originally the Mirage was not planned to ever be released in the US because it was so small and the thought of such a small vehicle actually being successful here was laughable. It seems Mitsubishi is having the last laugh as the Mirage has been very popular and done extremely well in the sub-compact segment. With its low price and great fuel economy the Mirage makes owning a car very easy for recent graduates who are generally strapped for cash or for any other generation who may just need a nice little car for a daily commute to work.

The Mirage comes with a nice complement of equipment to enjoy even at its very low price and of course, because it is a Mitsubishi, it includes the 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Because the Mirage was al new for 2014, the 2015 model only receives some small changes including a short antenna to improve aesthetics, turn signals in the side mirrors, chrome added to the interior and nicer upholstery on the ES models. All of these add only small changes, but very important ones that make the Mirage even more enjoyable than before.

As a very inexpensive vehicle, the drive in the Mirage is actually very predictable. Miami Mitsubishi reports that the suspension and steering are adequate and keep the vehicle in play when in traffic on the highway or in the city. The car is small enough to dart in and out of tight spaces with confidence and ease which is one of the real benefits of having a car that is so small. The cabin is not on the quieter side, but occupants can enjoy their music without too much interruption from the road noises outside. The Mirage is built to have great fuel economy and have a very low price and it does just that, but also does so in a manner that is expected.

The lone power plant for this tiny car is a 1.2-liter inline three-cylinder engine that can reach as much as 74 horsepower and 74 lb.-ft. of torque. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual with a continuously variable automatic transmission as an option that boosts the fuel efficiency of an already very efficiency vehicle. The fuel numbers come in at 34 city/42 hwy mpg for the manual transmission and 37 city/44 hwy mpg for the CVT. With such small power numbers, this car is surprisingly quick when accelerating through traffic.

The inside of the cabin offers a simple and easy to understand control panel that does not offer much in the way of extras. The materials used are predictably cheap in nature, but so is the car. A nice surprise however comes in the form of the very nice space offered to those riding in the front seat who can feel comfortable and enjoy the little car’s quirks and quickness. The backseat offers enough space for two adults to ride without complaint, a real surprise considering the car’s small stature.

On the outside the car is an easy to enjoy five-door hatchback that is snub-nosed, short, and purpose built. Mitsubishi did a masterful job of adding a bit of interest to the exterior with wrap-back headlights, an actual belt line on the doors, and an almost nonexistent front upper grill. The Mirage is one of those great little cars that can be made to match the personality of its owner with a variety of colors to choose from including Kiwi Green and Plasma Purple to make sure it can be easily spotted in a crowd. The small in size 14-inch wheels and high-strength steel allow the vehicle to weigh in at only 2,000 pounds, an easy weight to move for the little engine that obviously can.

The mantra for smaller cars is if they were in a collision the occupants would have very little chance of survival due to the size of the vehicle. That is not so with the Mirage that comes equipped with seven airbags including a driver’s knee airbag as well as stability and traction control. The additional standard features include electric power steering, a tilt steering wheel, power windows mirrors and locks, an audio system with USB and auxiliary ports, and automatic climate control.

Obviously the standard features list is nice, but sparse, once again meeting but not exceeding expectations. The optional equipment may make the car much easier to live with, especially if a long commute is in its future. The optional features list includes steering wheel mounted audio and cruise controls, a leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, 14-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, keyless access, push button starting, a navigation system, a backup camera, parking sensors and an exterior appearance package. All of these added to the Mirage, especially in one of the funkier colors, could really turn this car into one that is a lot of fun to drive.

As stated many times, this is an inexpensive car to drive for both price and fuel efficiency and the base model DE starting price begins under $14,000. Moving up the ranks and getting the car out of the technological dark ages moves in to the ES model and will come in at a little over $17,000. Either way this is one of the least expensive vehicles on the market today and makes a great starter vehicle for a new graduate, or for someone in need of a small commuter car as a second vehicle.