Screen cap from: Video: Malaysia economy run Jan, 2013: 27 km/L avg; 30.6 kmL top (3.3 LHK, 72 mpg US)
With the Mirage at or near the top of its class for fuel economy, Mitsu has organized multiple fuel economy/ecodriving competitions and demonstrations to highlight the car's efficiency.
These were typically held as part of the car's press launch events in various countries (e.g. Indonesia, Malaysia and New Zealand). The contests pitted members of the motoring press against one another to see who could get the best fuel economy driving on the same route.
The car has also been featured in a couple of long-distance economy runs where individuals or small teams took the car on extended highway drives (eg. Thailand, Switzerland).
Of the half dozen events we've discovered so far, the average fuel economy of the best team/driver's results is just a hair under 70 MPG US = 3.4 L/100 km = 29.7 km/L ...
Top
resultMPG (US)
L/100 km
km/L
MPG (UK)
Details 73.5 3.2 31.3 88.3 Eco Drive Day in Austria: 3.20 l / 100 km (73.5 mpg US, 31 km/L) 69.6 3.38 29.6 83.6 Swiss long-distance record for Space Star 1.2: 3,38 l/100 km! 71.3 3.3 30.3 85.6 New Zealand Mirage economy run: 3.3L/100 km (30.3 km/L, 71.3 mpg US) CVT 75.0 3.1 31.9 90.1 Mirage economy run Thailand: 31.9 km/L (3.1L/100km, 75 mpg US) 5-spd 72 3.3 30.6 86.4 Video: Malaysia economy run Jan, 2013: 27 km/L avg; 30.6 kmL top (3.3 LHK, 72 mpg US) 56.9 4.1 24.2 68.4 Mirage 1.2 economy run contest: Bali, Indonesia (video) 69.7
3.4 29.7 83.7 average
These events used various drivetrains combinations: the 1.2L engine with both CVT and manual transmissions, and the 1.0L engine & manual tranny in the case of the Austrian event.
Conditions & skill level of the drivers varied. All these events were in hot or mild temperatures. Some events represented "real world" conditions with "typical" drivers and speeds, with the rules even requiring the air conditioning be set on the coldest setting. Others were held under more "ideal" fuel economy conditions or with expert ecodrivers/hypermilers at the controls, and the climate control presumably turned off.
Click the link for details of each event.
Update: here's another one, this time for the G4 sedan:
Thread: Philippines: Mirage G4 sedan economy run (winner: 33.6 km/L / 79 mpg US / 3 L/100km)