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2024 Volkswagen Taos Review2021 Mitsubishi Mirage: No Frills
The 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage is small in size but big in fuel economy. We look at powertrain, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
What’s New for the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage?
A true minicar, the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage enters this model year with a fresh face that aligns it more closely with the automakers’ SUV design language. It also picks up a standard 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple and Android smartphone integration plus standard Automated Emergency Braking.
In base form, the Mirage is a hatchback or you can select the G4 variant if sedans are your thing, a body style distinction we discuss here. Famed for its fuel-efficient ways, the latest Mirage drops the GT trimline for 2021 in favor of a new Carbonite Edition.
2021 Mitsubishi Mirage – media.mitsubishicars.com | Shop 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Fuel efficiency champ
Offers a manual transmission
So very cheap
So very slow
Limited driver aid systems
Noisy powertrain
Basic transportation defined
2021 Mitsubishi Specs
- 78 horsepower from base engine
- 74 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 4 available trims
- 12.4 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Standard Apple and Android connectivity
- Seven airbags
- Matches Kia on coverage of 100,000 miles
2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Powertrain
Across all four trim levels, the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage can be had in hatchback or sedan form, the latter of which is known as the G4 and tacks on $1,000 to the bottom line. Regardless of body style, all Mirages poke around on a feeble 1.2L three-cylinder motor that makes just 78 horsepower and 74 torques.
Getting around town you’ll be fine, but merging and passing on the freeway will require calculated timing. To that end, you may prefer the 5-speed stick that comes standard on base ES trim and will allow you to prime the pumps, so to speak.
Every other model comes standard with a CVT, a gearless transmission you can learn more about in our Car Transmission Types article. Mitsubishi touts the Mirages’ tight 15.8-foot turning radius – nearly two feet less than a Nissan Versa, which makes sense given this car is best suited as an urban runabout.
Along with being light on power, the three-cylinder engine is inherently unbalanced and you can bet on a low level of sound-deadening insulation at this price point, leading to a loud highway ride. A silver lining to the size of this car is that it weighs in at a feathery 2,100 pounds, which combined with the MacPherson front struts and rear torsion beam should offer a modicum of tossability – once you get the engine running hot.
2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Fuel Economy & MPG
Ah, fuel economy, the Mitsubishi Mirages’ raison d’être. In hatchback form with the CVT, you can relish in achieving 36 mpg around town and 43 on the highway. Those figures put it atop the efficiency rankings for traditional gas-powered vehicles and earn the Mirage a spot on our list of Most Fuel-Efficient Cars 2021 and our Critics’ Choice List for Cheap Efficiency. For reference, a new Kia Rio is rated for 33/41 mpg in city/highway driving.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
If you plan to haul people, look at the Mirage G4 sedan as it boasts three more inches of rear legroom than the hatchback. However, if stuff is your cargo of choice, the hatch is better by far. With the split-folding rear seat upright, it can hold 17 cubic feet to the 14 found in the sedan. Fold that seat flat and space balloons to 47 cubes, 20 more than you’ll find in a Chevy Spark hatchback.
Aside from the top-spec SE model, which comes with a tartan-like cloth pattern surrounded by faux leather, the Mirage cabin is black from head-to-toe with fabric upholstery on the seats. Technically it is a 5-seater but you’d need rather small adults to squeeze five in there, this is a subcompact after all. Nice touches include lineup-standard automatic climate control and the option for heated seats higher up the trim ladder.
Entertainment & Technology
Every 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage sports a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Not bad for 15 grand. The car maxes out at four speakers but for a few hundred dollars you can enjoy blowing them out with the optional Rockford Fosgate amplifier-subwoofer setup.
Bluetooth connectivity comes standard with voice-activation via steering wheel controls and a front-mounted USB helps keep you plugged in. Only available on the top model is a proximity-based FAST-Key fob allowing you to unlock the doors and drive away without touching a key.
Safety Features
While competitors like Kia and Toyota offer a fairly deep roster of advanced driver-assistance aids on their smallest car offerings, Mitsubishi is notably lacking in this department. To be fair, forward collision warning with automated emergency braking and pedestrian detection is standard but the only other systems – lane departure warning and automatic high beams – are reserved for the priciest SE model. On the passive front, the Mirage has seven airbags, including full-length curtains and dual front-side, as well as hill-start assist and active stability control to keep you between the lines.
2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Trims & Pricing
ES – $15,290
Keyless entry, body-color exterior bits, and a rear spoiler with LED taillamps are all nice touches on this entry-level Mirage ES. But those 14-inch steel wheels with plastic hubcaps add a decidedly chintzy air to the car. Cabin amenities like automatic climate control, power windows, and a tilt-adjustable wheel all come standard here as does Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are managed via the 7-inch touchscreen.
LE – $17,215
The biggest upgrade found on LE trim is swapping out the steelies for like-sized alloy wheels. As with the ES, this model comes with a 12-volt power receptacle, Bluetooth connectivity, and a multi-function steering wheel, but adds a touch of flair with the leather and aluminum-trimmed shift knob.
Carbonite Edition – $17,990
Snazzing up the joint, the new Carbonite Edition adds a trim-exclusive body kit featuring red highlights all around with carbon fiber patterned decals. This theme continues inside, a space that includes a backup camera, front USB port, and FCW with AEB.
SE – $18,440
Top-line SE trim sports 15-inch rims, turn signals integrated into the exterior mirrors, LED headlights and a set of fog lamps. Mitsubishi’s FAST-Key tech allows for hands-free access and convenience upgrades include rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated front seats, and push-button start. The SE also comes with LDW and AHB.
Warranties
Mitsubishi lines up with Hyundai and Kia by offering a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty on the Mirages’ powertrain. Vehicle coverage runs five years or 60,000 miles and roadside assistance is on hand for five years with no mileage limit. Unlike what you’ll find from Toyota and Chevy however, there is no complimentary maintenance offered.
What we think
2021 Mitsubishi Mirage – media.mitsubishicars.com | Shop 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage on Carsforsale.com
It’s easy to point out the deficiencies here when it seems like so many cars these days come laden with the latest whiz-bang tech and active driver nannies. However, that’s not the point of the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage. This is a car intended to gently sip on fuel and get you from point A to point B without much fuss.
The Japanese automaker has been at this game for some time, so you can bet on that latter objective being met. And for 43 miles per gallon on the highway, I would happily putter around in this little hatchback. Though there are a handful of desirable amenities further up the trim tree, for 15,000 bucks, the ES with that row-your-own transmission is for me.
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