Report: Mirage to be replaced in North America by a crossover

[MetroMPG]

This will come as no surprise to anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to changes in the car market in the last 10 years...

Mitsubishi Finally Has A Plan To Save Itself In America

Mitsubishi North America's chief, Mark Chaffin, told dealers recently that 2024 will be a "platform for the next phase of Mitsubishi's transformation." Chaffin claims that the foundation of this transformation will be in releasing new products that resonate with the American market, where three crossovers and the dirt-cheap Mitsubishi Mirage are the only cars the automaker sells.

[...]

The core areas identified by the [anonymous] dealer as missing in the Mitsubishi portfolio are a crossover replacement for the aging Mirage...

Full article:
https://carbuzz.com/news/mitsubishi-...elf-in-america

[Mark]

This will come as no surprise to anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to changes in the car market in the last 10 years...



Full article:
https://carbuzz.com/news/mitsubishi-...elf-in-america

This is purely my opinion, but Mitsubishi lacks true leadership & wisdom. The Eclipse Cross is a prime example of this. It's really their newest model, & it sold less than 10,000 in 2023 (9,922 sold). That's somewhat pitiful.

If Mitsubishi were wise, they would go in the opposite direction. I believe a return of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder would have done much better. I know some who still talk about those cars & miss them.

A new small crossover will do nothing to save Mitsubishi in North America. Does America need another crossover choice? A more affordable (than a Toyota 4Runner) Montero, Montero Sport, and Triton pickup truck would put Mitsubishi back on the American map. Even a return of the Expo LRV would seem like something different & new in today's market.

I would like to see them keep an affordable economy car in their line up for us poor peasant types. With the lack of new manual options, I will stay content with what I already have for another 10-15 years I hope. Maybe someone in the auto industry will wake up by that time?

If Mitsubishi offers what everyone else offers, they will not attract new customers. If Toyota or Honda offers the same thing, I know what I'm buying. Toyota/Honda's dealership network is 10 times better. It's not even close in my area.

Trucks, SUVs, or EVs - something is missing from this picture I think!

[Marklovski]

The smartest move would be to build trucks in the US. They're too expensive here and an affordable Mitsubishi truck would sell like crazy.

Second is to make a Mirage EVO. A slightly wider/bigger mirage that's like the Focus ST but with a 3cyl turbo. Maybe AWD would be asking too much. That would probably push it to low $30k. Doesn't have to be the best car, just scrap some engineering they had for the Lancer Ralliart. There's not many cars young guys can buy with decent performance.

Edit: they may have to use a DCT transmission and skip the manual depending on how many people can actually drive manual these days.

[7milesout]

Mitsubishi doesn't have time to fool with a Mirage. And I'm being serious. They gotta knock one out of the park (a new model), or to the fence at least, or they're out.

And the truck idea 'ain't bad.' It can't be a Mirage truck. Sure, I'd love it ... and buy it. But there's only about 14 people in the U.S. that would love it. We up in here are a drop in the bucket.

Typical Mericans want 5,000 hp, and 0-60 in 0.01 seconds. And for the vehicle's shadow to be measured in acres. Most Mericans buy cars for their image, not for the usefulness or value. That usually winds up with a vehicle I want nothing to do with (usually).

I think it might be a good bet to go with a pickup truck about the size of a Maverick. I still might be interested. But it needs to have 5,000 hp, zero emissions so I can always hug a tree, and do 0-60 in no time flat. Silly I know, but that's the typical Merican.

[Basic]

Mitsubishi doesn't have time to fool with a Mirage. And I'm being serious. They gotta knock one out of the park (a new model), or to the fence at least, or they're out.

And the truck idea 'ain't bad.' It can't be a Mirage truck. Sure, I'd love it ... and buy it. But there's only about 14 people in the U.S. that would love it. We up in here are a drop in the bucket.

Typical Mericans want 5,000 hp, and 0-60 in 0.01 seconds. And for the vehicle's shadow to be measured in acres. Most Mericans buy cars for their image, not for the usefulness or value. That usually winds up with a vehicle I want nothing to do with (usually).

I think it might be a good bet to go with a pickup truck about the size of a Maverick. I still might be interested. But it needs to have 5,000 hp, zero emissions so I can always hug a tree, and do 0-60 in no time flat. Silly I know, but that's the typical Merican.

I just don't believe that...

I have a friend that worked in a Toyota Dealership and he had people come in regularly and say you know... if that prius was just a little pickup instead of an ugly car I'd buy one in a heartbeat. And as you said, the Maverick has been an overwhelming success...

If Mitsu simply took the Mirage hatch and added a weird bed on the back they would have sold double to 3x as many as they have sold since introduction. Period.

[Mark]

Mitsubishi doesn't have time to fool with a Mirage. And I'm being serious. They gotta knock one out of the park (a new model), or to the fence at least, or they're out.

And the truck idea 'ain't bad.' It can't be a Mirage truck. Sure, I'd love it ... and buy it. But there's only about 14 people in the U.S. that would love it. We up in here are a drop in the bucket.

Typical Mericans want 5,000 hp, and 0-60 in 0.01 seconds. And for the vehicle's shadow to be measured in acres. Most Mericans buy cars for their image, not for the usefulness or value. That usually winds up with a vehicle I want nothing to do with (usually).

I think it might be a good bet to go with a pickup truck about the size of a Maverick. I still might be interested. But it needs to have 5,000 hp, zero emissions so I can always hug a tree, and do 0-60 in no time flat. Silly I know, but that's the typical Merican.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was their last new model, & the Mirage still out sells it. I would like to see them keep a car & get rid of their lowest selling SUV. You have 3 SUVs, & 1 doesn't sell well. Does offering 4 make that better?

A basic truck like the original Ranger & S-10 would be popular. I am not talking about today's Ranger & Colorado, which are much fancier. Something more affordable than the current Nissan Frontier.

2023 Maverick sales = 94,058
2023 Ranger sales = 32,334

The 2023 Ford Maverick out sold all 2023 Mitsubishi models combined (87,340).

[sunbeam]

Electric mirage!

[7milesout]

I just don't believe that...

I have a friend that worked in a Toyota Dealership and he had people come in regularly and say you know... if that prius was just a little pickup instead of an ugly car I'd buy one in a heartbeat. And as you said, the Maverick has been an overwhelming success...

If Mitsu simply took the Mirage hatch and added a weird bed on the back they would have sold double to 3x as many as they have sold since introduction. Period.

I think we're close to the same opinion. Maybe I'm not being clear. When I say, it can't be a Mirage truck, I mean ... they can't keep the same drivetrain, and family look as a Mirage. The Mirage gets crapped on SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT HAS 78 HP! You have to realize, that the "reviewers" (as uninformed, unpractical, and unknowledgeable as they are about cars) seem to all have the image that the Mirage is an unreliable crapcan. They DON'T KNOW THAT. That is just what they perceive / assume it to be because, "it only has 78 hp, from a puny 3-cylinder."

That's all it takes. They don't know if it is a good car or not. How do I know? Because I own one and it is a SPECTACULAR car. Plus, I designed at Toyota, then I designed at Hyundai-Kia. I got to see both sides of the perspective. What is a truly great car, and what is a true turd.

So, my point is. It can't be a Mirage truck. Meaning, IT CANNOT HAVE A 3-CYLINDER and be successful. It can have a 3-cylinder and be fantastic. But it WILL NOT SELL. If it has a 3-cylinder, and is basically a Mirage truck, IT WILL GET CRAPPED ON AGAIN, and just not sell. That's not what Mitsubishi needs right now. They need to knock it out of the ballpark, or at least hit the fence with it. And not fool around with a Mirage truck. Or a new Mirage type of any car. I don't see why they wouldn't go ahead and continue the Mirage ... it's not like it's costing them tooling / investment now. Unless they need the manufacturing space that the Mirage is taking.

And I agree with Mark. It can be a value truck. Meaning, it doesn't have to have every bell and whistle that Mercedes can think of. It doesn't have to be a SuperDuty. But needs to be in the size vicinity of a Maverick, with an engine or two that Mericans won't immediately dismiss as "junk." 78 hp is perceived as "junk" and that's all it takes to NOT sell. If they were to make a value based truck Maverick sized, with an engine Mericans would buy, and slide the cost in under a Maverick or Ranger (I don't know their costs), but slide in there with a bit lower price tag, I think they'd go far with that.

[7milesout]

Electric mirage!

You just ain't right boy.

[Marklovski]

Ironically I would buy a mirage truck but Cafe standards won't allow that. A truck slightly bigger and more safe than a kei truck would sell quickly here.