What can we expect in the next [7th] generation Mirage? Micra platform Speculation

[MetroMPG]

Fact! The current Mirage is entering its 5th model year in 2017.

Fact! A lot of the A-segment competition seems to go with 7 year model runs. Mazda 2, Micra, Kia Picanto, etc.

That means with approximately 2-3 years to go on this Mirage, surely Mitsu was already thinking about the next gen model before Nissan swept in and sabotaged the company... I mean bought a controlling interest in the company!

Gnarles2 said:

Maybe it will be based off the next Nissan Micra even.

I think that's a good bet.

1) Makes sense for Nissan & Mitsu to share one platform to keep costs down, and the 5th gen Micra was just released (it's just going on sale now in Europe/Japan). It's on a joint Nissan/Renault platform CMF-B:





2) Nissan USA has already said it has no plans to bring the Micra to the US -- it would just steal sales from the Versa sedan & Note hatchback. But a Micra-based Mirage makes sense at Mitsu dealers, and I bet that's how the Micra will end up in the States, in disguise.

But which engine would it use? Mitsu's or Nissan's?

Nissan will be selling the 5G Micra with 3 engines initially in Europe: a 0.9 L turbo triple (90 hp), a 1.0 L naturally aspirated triple (73 hp), and a 1.5 L diesel.

The current Canadian Micra comes with the 1.6 L 109 hp 4-cylinder from the Versa/Note. Which is one reason (in addition to decent handling) that journalists love the car here. (The Canadian Micra even has its own spec racing series.)

Thoughts? Speculation? Let's get the rumour mill going.

[Spadesheart]

I am from Canada and for me personally, the Mitsubishi Mirage kind of checks off a lot more boxes, and this is coming from someone who up until this point has driven primarily Nissan and Infinity vehicles.

My preference honestly is that they aim again for low fuel consumption, large interior, low price and acceptable (not excellent) everything else. The Canadian Micra is actually a lovely car, but because of its fairly powerful engine, the fuel consumption is almost that of a Nissan Sentra. And the interior feels smaller.

If they were to develop the Mirage on their same Micra platform, it would lose a lot of what makes it good for consumers like me, which really would harm them more than do good. The Mirage is a hit in Asia, and is catering to my segment everywhere else. Change it and you get rid of what makes it great for Asia and people like me. This will just ensure that they will sell less in Mitsubishi's current niche which is against their best interests.

I think they will dig further into the current niche and essentially attack the class from two different angles, increasing their overall marketshare against other established vehicles in the market. They will outsmart the spark, unfit the fit, and make a slowloris of the yaris.

[cookiemonster]

If I placed a bet, it would be that it's going to grow in size until it becomes a SUV, and Mitsu will release a new small hatchback after that

[MetroMPG]

cookiemonster - thanks for the actual LOL.

That seems to be the way things go.

[MetroMPG]

My preference honestly is that they aim again for low fuel consumption

We have one puzzle piece that suggests they will have continue with that goal: if they want to continue making the car in the Thai factory with government incentives that lured them there under their ECO-car program, the car must meet minimum fuel consumption targets, and a maximum engine size limit. (The current Canadian Micra is outside those limits, but the 1.2L triple Nissan uses in the Micra/March outside of the Americas would probably qualify.)

I think they will dig further into the current niche and essentially attack the class from two different angles, increasing their overall marketshare against other established vehicles in the market.

What are you thinking when you say 2 different angles?

They will outsmart the spark, unfit the fit, and make a slowloris of the yaris.

^ Well played.

[Spadesheart]

We have one puzzle piece that suggests they will have continue with that goal: if they want to continue making the car in the Thai factory with government incentives that lured them there under their ECO-car program, the car must meet minimum fuel consumption targets, and a maximum engine size limit. (The current Canadian Micra is outside those limits, but the 1.2L triple Nissan uses in the Micra/March outside of the Americas would probably qualify.)



What are you thinking when you say 2 different angles?



^ Well played.

Both vehicles are the lowest price in the segment after incentives and what have you. In Canada, the lowest priced in general. However they both take very different approaches.

The Mirage is pure economy. The good engineering has lead to a vehicle which while not a drivers car, is the perfect A-B car. It is large enough to be comfortable for pretty much anyone regardless of shape or size and do it reliably, and inexpensively.

The Micra is inexpensive yes, but it is un-apologetically inefficient from a fuel perspective, as that inefficiency leads to what many have said is one of the most "fun" driving experiences on the road. This is a drivers car, and many publications parrot that. This is part of the reason it does so well. In professional review, it almost always rates well. The mirage doesn't do well with professional reviews, but almost always does well with user reviews as those who buy it know why they're buying it.

If they built the Mirage on the Micra platform, and gave up any of what makes it a Mirage, they will lose consumers like me. It's in their best interests to have two distinct cars within the same segment with different branding, for their bottom line. And I'm quite certain they will continue to do exactly that.

As far as the engine goes, refinement and sound dampening. I don't think they're going to change much more than that. It's a good engine, slow as it may be.

[inuvik]

Agree 100%. The Mitsubishi 3A92 1.2 3 cylinder is a far better engine that the Nissan 1.6 for reliability. There is a reason that Nissan is still having Mitsubishi build their Kei class cars even after the "mileage" scandal. Nissan under CEO Ghosen's leadership has devoted very little resources in super efficient internal combustion engines whereas Mitsubishi focused on efficiency. Which engine is more likely to deliver 250K plus of trouble free driving? We have real world examples here on the forum that 200K+ in a Mirage is not a fluke but is able to deliver this kind of longevity as a norm.

[Spadesheart]

Agree 100%. The Mitsubishi 3A92 1.2 3 cylinder is a far better engine that the Nissan 1.6 for reliability. There is a reason that Nissan is still having Mitsubishi build their Kei class cars even after the "mileage" scandal. Nissan under CEO Ghosen's leadership has devoted very little resources in super efficient internal combustion engines whereas Mitsubishi focused on efficiency. Which engine is more likely to deliver 250K plus of trouble free driving? We have real world examples here on the forum that 200K+ in a Mirage is not a fluke but is able to deliver this kind of longevity as a norm.

Maybe they'll use a kei car haha. It has been disgraced in Asia, no one here even knows what they are. Plus the falsification was only 5% which would make them still fantastic fuel sippers. Didn't look hard enough to see if the cargo space is the same hahaha. By the look I imagine it's bigger, but i could be wrong.

[live4redline]

Mitsubishi makes cars for Nissan, not the other way around.

[Cobrajet]

The new Mirage will get bigger, heavier, more complex, and more expensive. The end!