Overview & Reviews

When it comes to the small car segment, Japanese automakers have long held a dominant role. But some makes and models have been more popular than others. The Mitsubishi Mirage reliably served as an affordable and economical set of wheels for 16 years, usually scoring well in quality surveys and critics' reviews. Yet this compact sedan and coupe never could escape the shadows of more popular models like the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra or Toyota Corolla.

In actuality, the Mirage's road manners, at least on versions equipped with the proper engine and tires, were reasonably refined and up to the demands of basic transportation. Gas mileage was decent, cabins were acceptably isolated from noise and ride harshness, and the Mirage's interior was designed as well as any. Finally, Mitsubishi was ahead of the game in offering what small-car shoppers presumably look for most: a low price.

For awhile there, the Mitsubishi Mirage even showed hints of sports car aspirations by dishing out a couple high-output engines, one of them turbocharged. But the Mirage never attained much sales success. Most shoppers at the time preferred the comfortable reputation provided by more mainstream products. As a used compact sedan or coupe, the Mirage is at least worth a look as a budget buy, especially given its below-average resale value. However, you'll want to be aware of the car's limitations and faults, and comparing it to a few other small car choices would probably be wise.

Most Recent Mitsubishi Mirage

The Mitsubishi Mirage lived its fourth and final life from 1997-2002. Its lineup was divided between sedan and coupe body styles and entry-level DE (later ES) and upscale LS trim lines. Engines included a 1.5-liter engine with 92 horsepower and a 1.8-liter with 113, both of which could be paired with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

At first, all Mirages were sparsely equipped, but LS models could at least be ordered with power windows and locks, cruise control, 14-inch wheels and a sunroof. Style-conscious LS coupes added standard alloy wheels, foglights, a spoiler and a tachometer.

Over the next few years, Mitsubishi tinkered with the different trims' feature lists; the most notable change was the discontinuation of antilock brakes, which were only offered as an option on LS models through 1999. For the Mirage's final year, only the coupe survived, as Mitsubishi discontinued the sedan in favor of the car's eventual replacement, theLancer.

Picking the right Mitsubishi Mirage is critical to its desirability. Because the 1.8-liter engine and 14-inch wheels are necessary for decent acceleration, handling and braking, stick to sedans of 2000-'01 or an LS of any year, which have more amenities anyway. Also note that the sedan's slightly greater length, wheelbase and height (a tradition carried over from past Mirages) made it a passable four-seater, whereas the coupe's backseat suffered from cramped space and awkward entry and exit, partly due to a passenger seat that didn't slide forward easily.

With any Mirage of this vintage, one pressing matter to keep in mind is safety, as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded it an unusually low rating of "Poor" in its frontal offset crash test.

Past Mitsubishi Mirage Models

The most recent Mitsubishi Mirage owed much of its design to the generation of 1993-'96. The third-gen Mirage was also available in sedan and coupe form, and it used the same engines and transmissions. It was also similar in size and had the same suspension (struts in front, multilink in rear) and the same competent demeanor on the road. The most significant difference is that the automatic transmission attached to the 1.5-liter engine had only three speeds, which made for noisy and inefficient freeway driving.

Trim lines included the S, ES and LS. The 1.8-liter engine initially came only in the LS sedan, then spread to ES sedans and LS coupes in 1994. Other changes that year included an upgrade from 13-inch wheels to 14 (on some models) and a driver side front airbag. Dual front airbags replaced the motorized seatbelts in 1995, the same year Mitsubishi oddly ceased selling sedan versions of the Mirage to the public, instead restricting them to fleets.

While this generation of Mirage had a sound design, the details limit its appeal. The 13-inch wheels and lack of airbags during the early years are a concern, while the later years are limited to a smallish two-door coupe that went without now-common amenities like power windows and locks or cruise control.

The second-generation Mitsubishi Mirage of 1989-'92 was another story. Body styles consisted of a sedan and a two-door hatchback, with most models coming with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder with 81 hp (92 from 1991 onwards). Transmissions included four- and five-speed manuals and three- and four-speed automatics; its rear suspension was a rigid axle and not all models had power steering. Add it all up and this Mirage was a little less refined than its successors.

But it was perhaps more interesting. One particularly memorable Mirage was the Sport hatchback of 1989 only, whose turbocharged 135-hp 1.6-liter engine, five-speed manual transmission, sport suspension and four-wheel disc brakes added some spice. Nearly as entertaining was the GS sedan of 1991-'92, whose twincam 1.6-liter engine made 123 hp.

While it's generally a better idea to stick with newer generations given the Mirage's affordability, these rare special editions have gone down in history as being the fastest Mirages that Mitsubishi ever built.

User Reviews:

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  What a great car! - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Dan - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car brand new almost 10 years ago. Right now the car is at 151k miles and still runs like new. Im constantly getting over 35 MPG. I use regular oil (change every 5k mile) and regular gas. The only issue I had at 105k miles was the spark plug cables which had to be replaced. Actually, I should still call it regular maintenance. All I can say buying a new car always pays off on the long run. Of course Mitsubishi deserves a lot of credit and now I understand better why the Mitosis services are struggling - these cars are not breaking down!

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  Searched for the best.... - 2002 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Decouvir - August 8 - 10:00 am

  And I got it. I researched for 3 months for a new car. Everything from a Civic, to the Cavalier, down to the Mirage I ended up getting. Everytime, the Mirage was the best value for the money

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  Best buy in its class - 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By mbranton - June 3 - 10:40 am

  I purchased this car a couple of months ago and use it every day for commuting. It is not noisy, it is not sluggish, and the interior appointments are well laid out and the ride is comfortable. I have gotten 40+ mpg no matter if I drive conservatively or the way I am used to, by "feeling" when to shift and accelerate. I love all the standard features such as keyless entry, Bluetooth, USB input, cruise control, automatic climate control, traction control, antilock breaks, electronic stability control, tire pressure management system, and despite what the "critics" say you cannot buy a car with all this for less money from any other brand, period. I know, I did my research for quite some time

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  Cell phone totals my MPG - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By MY LIL BUGGY !!! - April 28 - 10:56 am

  Bought it after 1 test drive ! I gotta give it to them, after 9.5 yrs & 41mpgs I did nothing but regular maint. and this car never let me down ! Thru 16"s of snow she just would not quit! Today 4/7/09 it was totaled by a cell phone in use! The power was slack especially w/ac on but other then that & some interior improvements would have been nice Ill never replace it for the money paid 13,000 & some change I never once had this car in a shop but for regular timing belt change @ 100,000.

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  2000 Mitsubshi Mirage - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Sadspirit - April 26 - 8:06 am

  This is my second Mirage, my first one was involved in a front end crash. It kept me safe, after looking at it in the junkyard Im lucky to be alive. The car runs GREAT, my second one the only work Ive done to it from when I bought it was a timing belt and water pump along with an oil change. GREAT car and safe. The car shifts well, very smooth. Awesome on gas, mine gets 25 city miles. I do A LOT of driving, its a cute car great for new drivers.

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  Better than getting a Civic or Corolla - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By chkey - April 7 - 10:00 am

  Have driven many cars, but this one takes the cake. Thought of saving money for a Corolla or possibly a Civic, however, when I saw this car I knew that this was the one. Just as good as Corolla(or Civic) and cheaper. Also, very reliable and depenable. When I look again for a car, the Mirage is on the top of my list.

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  I Hate This Car - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Kali - April 1 - 10:36 pm

  I purchased my Mirage seven months ago. I think this car is slow. The interior layout is nice, but is very small. I can only have one passenger with me or it is very uncomfortable. Do not buy this car.

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  Mirage Heaven - 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By Scott Hill - February 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car after driving a Ford Truck with a 302 engine in it for years. I wanted something easy on the wallet, with air conditioning, just to get me where I needed to go every day. So I traded the truck in on this new 98 Mirage. I got the base model 2 door 5-speed manual. All I had to do was get the windows tinted and put in a cd player. In the five years and 4 months I have owned this car the only time it has been in the shop - besides scheduled oil changes - was for a new starter covered under warranty during year 2. Of course, I miss the power, riding with 95 horsepower or so, but the reliability makes up for that.

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  The best car ever!!!! - 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By jorie - February 22 - 2:00 am

  Very reliable car, never left me on the side of the road. I bought this car with 18,000 miles on it and now it has 230,000! Get up and go is still awesome! The handling is great. Im sure I could still take a long raod trip and it would be fine. Gas mileage is great. It pretty much has all the original parts on it. Although I did replace the air compressor. In the eleven years Ive owned it must have saved me a bunch of money. Thanks Mitsibishi!

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  Sad to let go - 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage
  By kitgbar - January 30 - 6:56 pm

  I bought this car brand new in 2000 because my 87 Nissan Sentra was dying on me. I have havent had any problems since owning it, even after getting into a fender bender in 2001. I did my best to maintain it with regular oil change and such. This is the most reliable car Ive owned and Im actually sad to let it go. I traded it in for a new 2007 Volvo S40 tonight and somehow Im ridden with guilt for replacing it since I really didnt need a new car.