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Darin's test drive review notes: 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 sedan CVT
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(This is the actual car I'm driving - my own pic. I shot a bunch today that I'll post in this thread. I don't think it's a particularly photogenic vehicle. But that's pretty subjective, eh! More on that later.)
OK, so I've been driving the 2017 Mirage G4 since Monday evening, a press fleet loaner from Mitsubishi Canada. (Actually, I'm sitting in in right now!) I've got it for another 2 weeks, but it's about time I started posting.
Overview:
In case you didn't know, the Mirage G4 sedan is a stretched wheelbase version of the Mirage hatchback, with slightly different front end styling. It shares the hatchback's mechanicals, including the slightly more powerful (78 hp) for 2017 1.2 L, 3-cylinder engine, larger brakes, and revised suspension.
Fuel economy:
The G4 is the most fuel efficient non-hybrid sedan available in the U.S. & Canada.
EPA (MPG US)
CVT automatic: 35 CITY / 42 HWY / 37 COMBINED
5-speed manual: 33 CITY / 40 HWY / 35 COMBINED
NRCAN (L/100 km)
CVT automatic: 6.9 CITY / 5.7 HWY / 6.4 COMBINED
5-speed manual: 7.2 CITY / 5.9 HWY / 6.6 COMBINED
And now for my usual disclaimer: I don't pretend to be a car reviewer.
Take everything I say with a grain of salt. For example, keep in mind my personal automotive context: my usual daily driver is an 18 year-old Pontiac Firefly (a.k.a. Chevrolet Metro) 1.0L, 5-speed. Unlike almost every single so-called "professional" reviewer, getting into a Mirage is a massive upgrade in many ways -- not an experience that would cause my nose to turn up. You won't hear me saying "you'd be better off with a bus pass."
Second! I have some answers to questions you asked in my earlier thread (Getting a 2017 Mirage G4 sedan (Mitsubishi loaner). Questions? ). I got to spend about half an hour chatting with Mitsu's Canadian manager of public relations when I picked up the car in Ottawa.
But before I get to all that, here's my first observation about the car:
I DO BELIEVE THEY FIXED THE SOMEWHAT WEIRD STEERING.
Remember some reviewers and owners complained about the unusually weak self-centering in the earlier hatchbacks? You could turn the wheel up to about 1/8th of a turn to either side of center (that's a lot) and the steering wheel would just sort of stay there? [Thread: Do you find the "self-centering" of your Mirage's steering to be odd? ]
Well, there's none of that now -- nothing unusual about this car's steering to "get used to." The zone of "sticky" steering around dead center is now about half what it was before, in line with several other cars I've paid attention to. Meaning, if you steer past about 1/16th of a turn from straight ahead, it will always return to about that position when you release steering pressure.
And I have an idea about how they fixed it: I don't think they changed the steering geometry. I think they just programmed the electric assist to help with centering. (Conspiracy theory!) Either way, it's arguably a more "normal" feel than it used to be. (I'm hoping to get back in an older hatchback to compare this.)
Up next: answers to questions.
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See also: Darin's review notes: base 2014 Mirage 5-speed manual (Mitsubishi Canada loaner)
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seat bolsters ... handling
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A brief thought on improved handling...
I'm pretty sure the handling is better in this car, because I keep finding myself wishing for seat side bolstering. I never had that concern with the 2014 hatchback. With that car, my concern during spirited cornering was about not scraping the side mirrors on the pavement! :D
I've put the G4 through some curves at speeds a typical G4 owner would never do, and had to find creative ways to brace myself.
No, it's not a sporty car. Extra bolstering isn't really needed. But the fact that an "enthusiast" driver might identify the lack of it as a "problem" is a good sign compared to the older suspension tune.
What I really want to do is compare the driving characteristics of this G4 back-to-back with a 2014 or 2015 hatch.