US: 2014 Mirage -- Best and Worst Cars I've Driven This Year (Jalopnik.com)
(There's a Mirage in there and -- surprise! -- it's not under the "Worst" column.)
OK, let's not pretend that Jalopnik is exactly representative of the mainstream automotive press. What makes their writing engaging is that it generally doesn't follow the usual, predictable narratives. Consumer Reports, they most definitely ain't.
It's the only new car I've ever driven that you can thrash [...] full throttle, everywhere you go, never breaking the speed limit. The car doesn't mind running up to redline, and with so little power on tap, you can rev the thing out on just about any street without traffic.
...I also found out that three-cylinder engines sound pretty cool. A lot of lazy car writers say that they sound like "half a 911 engine," which just isn't true. But it is kinda growly in a way that you don't expect a 1.2 liter to be.
...Cars you can thrash make the best city cars.
Now we find out that not only did he like it, but it was one of his favourite rides of the year:
If you want proof that even the cheapest, chintziest cars can make you happy, look no further than the Mistubishi Mirage. I expected the thing to be painfully dull, instead it was outstanding. It felt light, eager, and with its grumbling little inline-three, it just made me want to drive it like a lunatic. And I did, and it was fantastic.
A final bit of context: while just about every car enthusiast has heard the line "it's better to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow," there probably aren't many young people who really understand what it means. Orlove does. He drives a 70's Baja Bug that sometimes runs on three cylinders (when it's not running on two).