What kind of vehicle is the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage? What does it compare to?
The Mirage is America’s second-cheapest car. It’s a hatchback or sedan, and it’s best shopped against the Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai Accent, and Kia Rio.
Is the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage a good car?
Review continues below
You get what you pay for with the 2021 Mirage, including decent standard safety gear and a long warranty but little power or refinement. We rate the Mirage at a 3.7 out of 10. A similarly-priced used car with the remainder of its warranty would rate much higher. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage?
The Mirage lineup gains active safety tech for the first time this year, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Additionally, a few minor styling updates breathe a hint of life into what is otherwise an aging design.
The Mirage has been around since the 2014 model year, though even then it felt like an older design. The bite-sized hatchback is actually the smaller of the two, measuring just 151 inches between its bumpers. The G4 sedan is nearly 20 inches longer. Inside, the two share a dash that houses a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen with advanced smartphone compatibility—not bad for the price, if we’re honest.
But underhood, the Mirage ekes out just 78 horsepower from its 1.2-liter 3-cylinder. Fuel economy is good, but not astounding. Most used compact cars will nearly match the Mirage’s fuel economy while providing better acceleration, handling, and ride.
The standard 5-speed manual gearbox is fine, while the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) fitted to most will deliver better fuel economy. Look for as much as 39 mpg combined for the hatchback—that’s nearly hybrid-level economy in a simpler and less expensive car.
At least this year’s new safety gear brings the Mirage up to par—and it bests the even cheaper Chevrolet Spark, which doesn’t offer automatic emergency braking.
How much does the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage cost?
The cheapest Mirage is the ES hatchback at about $15,300. Add $1,000 for the sedan or $1,300 for an automatic transmission.
Sure, you can spend nearly $20,000 on a Mirage with every option, but don’t.
Where is the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage made?
In Thailand.