Road & Track CVT SE review: It's Best When It Keeps Things Simple

[MetroMPG]

R&T has posted a new review, but it's old observations if you've read any number of these.

Boils down to:

There's nothing wrong with cheap, basic transportation as long as it's actually cheap and basic.

... Which he argues his loaded ES CVT model was not, stickering at $17k which puts it in competition with "better" cars in his opinion.

Order the base DE trim, add the CVT if you can't drive stick, and leave it at that.

Full article: http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars...things-simple/

[Cobrajet]

He has a fair point. At $17,000, the range-topping ES/CVT/Nav Mirage becomes somewhat less compelling. There are certainly more interesting cars out there for that kind of cashish. But none will have the options, warranty, or get the MPG of the Mirage.

With the $1500 in rebates now being offered, that Mirage is only about $15,500. But that means the DE manual car is only $11,500!

At least auto writers are starting to be a little more pragmatic about this car. It's a start!

[M-88]

There's not much difference (IMO) between the ES and DE model ... I think their review would have been a bit more favorable if they had a base model.

[festiboi]

It was an okay review but I have to argue with this line: "If you feel like the Mirage ES might be calling your name, do yourself a favor and take your $17,000 down to the nearest Honda dealer and buy a Fit instead. You'll have to give up the navigation system, but you'll be getting a much better car."


After owning a '15 Fit for over a year now and driving it 3,000 miles, I don't get why the reviewers swoon over this car so much. It's a mystery.

I bought it solely because of the large back seat (my parents were insistent that they'd be comfortable). Aside from that, and the 45mpg highway mileage that I've gotten, there is little that the Fit does better than the Mirage. The Fit doesn't feel any quicker, the gearing on the 6-speed is the worst, most oddly spaced manual I've ever driven, the front seats are cramped, the noise in the car is relentless no matter what speed the car is going, there's plenty of cheap bits, and it hasn't been very reliable

The Mirage does essentially almost everything that a Fit does, sometimes better, but for thousands less

[Cobrajet]

There's not much difference (IMO) between the ES and DE model ... I think their review would have been a bit more favorable if they had a base model.

I think that was the author's whole point. Still, the ES package alone is only $1200...or 10%...more expensive. Once you stack on the CVT and Navigation Package, as was done in the article, that $1200 becomes $3200.

Where I am, in the Seattle area, I'd have spec'd fog lights anyway. If you get them separately, they are $350. I use them A LOT around here in all the fog and rain. I wasn't too sure about the FAST key system, but as a delivery driver I have to say I have grown to love it. It has been 100% reliable and is very convenient for somebody who gets in and out of their car 100+ times a day. The alloys are nice, as is the upgraded Bluetooth system, cruise control, and steering wheel audio controls. I also quite like the leather steering wheel and gearshift.

My girlfriend's Mirage is the DE, and I find the ES really does have more of an upscale feel to it. Her's feels a bit, well...crude by comparison. For $1200, I don't think the ES package is a bad deal.

[deleted user]

The author should have test driven a base model 1963 Valiant, to get his perspective of "basic bare bones transportation" properly focused.

It would probably take me more than an hour to list all the features my Mirage has that did not exist on the 1963 Valiant I drove in high school, that I bought for $400 when it was 4 years old.

regards
mech

[Cobrajet]

The author should have test driven a base model 1963 Valiant, to get his perspective of "basic bare bones transportation" properly focused.

It would probably take me more than an hour to list all the features my Mirage has that did not exist on the 1963 Valiant I drove in high school, that I bought for $400 when it was 4 years old.

regards
mech

The '63 was at least a decent looking little car. The earlier ones...'60-'62...were pretty darned ugly by comparison. Slant Six? One of the best motors Chrysler ever made.

[deleted user]

I liked the 63s because they had a pcv valve (positive crankcase ventilation, first year I think). When it got plugged up people thought that slant six was burning oil at 1 quart every 400 miles and smoking. Clean the valve and hose with gasoline (physically plugged up) and oil consumption went to 1 quart in 2k or more miles.
Now the car was worth a lot more than $400 and it did not cost more than a few pennies worth of gas to fix the oil consumption.

regards
mech

[Cobrajet]

I liked the 63s because they had a pcv valve (positive crankcase ventilation, first year I think). When it got plugged up people thought that slant six was burning oil at 1 quart every 400 miles and smoking. Clean the valve and hose with gasoline (physically plugged up) and oil consumption went to 1 quart in 2k or more miles.
Now the car was worth a lot more than $400 and it did not cost more than a few pennies worth of gas to fix the oil consumption.

regards
mech

My dad had the same problem with a '58 Ford he bought in the mid-'60s sometime (he was a teenager). When he got it, the idle was turned way up. He thought it was odd, but the car ran well so he figured he'd just turn it back down after he brought it home. When he did that, the thing started smoking like George Burns. In a panic, he took it to a local mechanic who knew exactly what the problem was.

Those old Y-block V8s had poor oil return from the heads. There was one little oil return passage at the back of the head that was prone to plugging up. When this happened, oil would pool in the heads and leak down through the valve guides. The mechanic pulled the valve covers and reamed the oil return holes out with a coat hanger. Put it back together and POOF...no oil burning. I don't think the guy charged my dad a penny.

Speaking of oil burning, I hope the engine in my Mirage doesn't do what every other Mitsubishi made does when it gets about 120k on it. Smoke like hell!