Is the Mirage the best winter car?
Executive summary: No, it isn't, but it is adequate.
Background: Winnipeg, Manitoba - one of the world's coldest cities and snow that lasts all winter. I've driven the Mirage through last winter (pretty mild, actually) and now much of this one (lots of snow, lots of cold), so am ready to make a judgement. Currently I am running 155/80r13 studded winter tires - can't recall the name, maybe goodyear nordic. I bought them because they were cheap - got them used. Next set will likely be the same size non-studded Hakkepelittas.
Getting stuck: In deep snow (we got 25cm of fairly dense/heavy snow recently) it just pulls along fine without complaint. I didn't get stuck at all driving all over the city with a mix of residential, major routes, parking lots and going through drifts. Very good at that. When alone in the car, it is great. With 4 regular-sized adults and some luggage (airport run), the car settles down a fair bit, and the bottom drags along in the snow. Still not close to getting stuck, just an irritating noise. One issue I have identified is that the combination of a reasonably "fast" first gear and very little low-rpm torque makes getting started in deep heavy snow a bit more difficult. Ideally, I would like to slowly put on the power so as not to spin the wheels. However, using this tactic, the car lugs and feels like it wants to stall. Up at 3000rpm where the engine is happy the wheels want to spin (though maybe the traction control is helping). In any case, that is only a problem when starting off in deep snow. Once underway there are no issues. I did find I had to be mindful of the limited power, though, and when going through snow I keep it in a much lower gear/higher RPM than usual.
HVAC: At -30C after skiing (lots of perspiration/respiration), the Mirage has a tough time keeping the windows frost-free. The windshield clears pretty fast, but the back passenger windows take a very long time, if at all. I suspect this isn't about the design as much as the limited heat off the engine and limited air-space in the cabin. This is a pretty extreme situation, though.
All in all, the Mirage is better than most cars for driving around in the snow and ice. It handles predictably, doesn't get stuck easily, starts/runs well (though I baby mine and always plug in the block heater and put a battery tender on the battery quite often), and is able to keep me warm and comfy inside. I'm sure a Subaru Outback or Volvo XC90 would be better, but not for the price!
If you have questions, I can try to answer them. I'm no expert, but have some experience with winter driving.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE 1.2 manual: 45.0 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 54.1 mpg (Imp)