Mitsubishi Mirage monthly sales, US & Canada, 2013-2023 (projected 7000/yr for U.S.)

[Dirk Diggler]

I don't think anyone is expecting the Mirage/G4 to be that affordable again.

G4 seems to be around $18,000-19,000 MSRP in my area (250 mile radius).

Corolla seem to be around $22,000 MSRP (same radius). I see no indication that prices are above MSRP for either.

18,500/22,000 = 84%

Given how people drive in the Atlanta area & the greater need for A/C, I would be happier with more hp. Toyota's 1.8L engine with 139 hp would be my pick, and I don't even like sedans.

Adding features to a cheap economy car doesn't change the fact that it is still a cheap economy car, but I understand your wife likes the G4. If that makes her happy, it is definitely cheaper. Especially if Corollas are priced as high as you mentioned in your area.

When I look at vehicle prices these days, I am thankful that I am only window shopping (not buying one).


Getting close to what I paid for my new Mirage 5 years later would feel nice. Paying 100% more for approximately the same new car today would be quite depressing. That would not feel like a win for me.

Sometimes $4k to $5k makes a difference in what one can afford on a budget. This is an in-transit, meaning 30 to 60 days before you can even look at it, base LE for $23k before our tax, tag, title, and $2000 in dealer fees/unwanted add-ons.

So we'd still be looking at $4000, at least, more than what we can afford and sure, even a top trim Mirage isn't as nice as a base Corolla but it's good enough for us. Fit and finish, IMO, for the Mirage BE is pretty good in my book. It felt good when I sat in it.

As far as still paying an OTD price of $21k, I'm not thrilled about it but with inflation, it is what it is. So I took the best deal I could within my wife's parameters, in a terrible market.

[defensivetackle88]

@dirk Make sense. I thought it smart to live with in or below means.

Be careful out there and drive defensively. I dislike to see/read anyone here get into a unexpected collision that their Mirage end up being totaled and then go thru the insane car market.

[Mark]

$21,000 OTD in today's market is not bad for a G4.

[7milesout]

Dirk - I don't 2nd guess your decision. I think it was the correct decision.

However, having designed for Toyota, the Corolla is a tank compared to a Mirage. Does that make the Mirage inadequate in any way? I don't believe so.

In the most rarest crash circumstances, one may be better off in the Corolla. But that is so rare and totally unable to be quantified in any way. Well, crashes can be quantified in crash testing, and it leads to safer vehicles, that's true. But generally very bad real life wrecks are unquantifiable in comparing one vehicle to another. Overall, one is safer in a Corolla versus a Mirage. But in probably 98% of crash circumstances (at any level crash), one is just as well off in a Mirage as a Corolla. Hard to put into sentence form, the rambling thoughts of my brain.

Heck, I ride motorcycles. A Mirage is infinitely safer than riding a motorcycle. In that respect, a Mirage is never a wrong decision.

[MetroMPG]

they offer a lot of features like self drive(lane trace assist with radar cruise)

My sister recently got a new RAV4 with that stuff. I was prepared to hate it, but it was surprisingly competent at "driving" the car down the road. I've driven a few other cars with that tech, and they're not even comparable (even 4 year older Toyotas aren't close). I'm a convert. I keep meaning to post a thread about it.

[Dirk Diggler]

Dirk - I don't 2nd guess your decision. I think it was the correct decision.

However, having designed for Toyota, the Corolla is a tank compared to a Mirage. Does that make the Mirage inadequate in any way? I don't believe so.

In the most rarest crash circumstances, one may be better off in the Corolla. But that is so rare and totally unable to be quantified in any way. Well, crashes can be quantified in crash testing, and it leads to safer vehicles, that's true. But generally very bad real life wrecks are unquantifiable in comparing one vehicle to another. Overall, one is safer in a Corolla versus a Mirage. But in probably 98% of crash circumstances (at any level crash), one is just as well off in a Mirage as a Corolla. Hard to put into sentence form, the rambling thoughts of my brain.

Heck, I ride motorcycles. A Mirage is infinitely safer than riding a motorcycle. In that respect, a Mirage is never a wrong decision.

Toyota will always be king.

I think they'll see the light in bringing back a true entry level econobox. There's simply too much demand for them now. CarMax can't hold onto the gas sippers from what I saw.

[Mark]

Toyota will always be king.

I think they'll see the light in bringing back a true entry level econobox. There's simply too much demand for them now. CarMax can't hold onto the gas sippers from what I saw.

I wish whatever economy box Toyota offers in Europe was also offered here. I would notice a car like the Toyota Aygo X (1.0L engine, 72 hp, 5-speed manual rated @ 56.4-58.9 mpg).

https://www.toyota.co.uk/new-cars/aygo-x

I don't care what Ford or GM does, but the Yaris & Fit leaving North America sucks!

[Dirk Diggler]

I wish whatever economy box Toyota offers in Europe was also offered here. I would notice a car like the Toyota Aygo X (1.0L engine, 72 hp, 5-speed manual rated @ 56.4-58.9 mpg).

https://www.toyota.co.uk/new-cars/aygo-x

I don't care what Ford or GM does, but the Yaris & Fit leaving North America sucks!

I agree. I'd of loved a Nissan Micra too! Or a Mazda2.

[7milesout]

My sister recently got a new RAV4 with that stuff. I was prepared to hate it, but it was surprisingly competent at "driving" the car down the road. I've driven a few other cars with that tech, and they're not even comparable (even 4 year older Toyotas aren't close). I'm a convert. I keep meaning to post a thread about it.

That's good to hear, since on my 2010 Lexus LS 460L, it has Radar Cruise Control. And yes it works just as it should. But in my opinion it absolutely sucks. It does everything too late, and too erratic ... of course that's how most people drive. However, the way I drive is for smooth controlled accelerations in every direction, and I'm reacting to traffic issues in front of me long before other drivers. Mostly by "reacting" I'm coasting my speed down. The generation RCC I'm dealing with in that car acts like it is mimicking a teenage girl driving while focusing on her tick-tock. Thank goodness it has traditional cruise too which just holds speed and let's me smooth things out.

It's nice to hear these systems have improved. Yet I still don't want them. They need to put driving aids in cars that discourages staring at smartphones instead of encouraging it. How about a mechanical arm that comes out and smacks away smartphones in people hands?

[7milesout]

I think they'll see the light in bringing back a true entry level econobox. There's simply too much demand for them now.

I sure hope so. And maybe they'll bring it back with a true manual transmission option.