3,000 km Road Trip Review.

[Pimp_Daddy_Patty]

I wanted to do a YouTube video, but I lacked time to prep for this.

I took my Mirage on a 2,955km road trip from Southern Ontario to Thunder Bay in Northern Ontario last week. That's about 1,477 km each way. I thought I would record my experience.

My car is a 2017 5 speed with 85,000km. I drove 105-110km/h pretty much the entire way. I made no particular attempt at driving economically. Fuel consumption was a very predictable 4.7L/100km. I think my only complaint was the lack of power for driving up hill in the 2nd half of the drive in the mountains. This was especially apparent when the person ahead of me is driving slow, then speeds up to 120km/h once we hit a passing lane, sometime while going up hill. This happened multiple times and got pretty annoying. There were a few 5500rpm 3rd gear pulls. Sometimes just to keep up with traffic.

I half expected comfort to be an issue on my 16 hour drive, but this was not the case. I made this trip on 2 other occasions in SUVs. First time was a GMC Acadia, and the 2nd time was a Ford Escape. Both vehicles certainly have a more comfortable interior, amd V6 power was great for hill climbs, but not at the gas station. I'm over 6 feet tall and far from skinny, yet I found that I was less fatigued driving the Mirage. My sciatic nerve issues didn't even show themselves in this small car with no arm rests.

All in all, it was a very positive experience and the cost of $82 in fuel each way was a huge bonus. Especially since Northern pumps were over $1.50 per liter.

The photos don't do it justice but the views were incredible. Also I'm glad I brought a full size spare as I had a blow out on the way home.

[Mark]

I took my Mirage on a 2,955km road trip from Southern Ontario to Thunder Bay in Northern Ontario last week. That's about 1,477 km each way. I thought I would record my experience.

My car is a 2017 5 speed with 85,000km. I drove 105-110km/h pretty much the entire way. I made no particular attempt at driving economically. Fuel consumption was a very predictable 4.7L/100km. I think my only complaint was the lack of power for driving up hill in the 2nd half of the drive in the mountains. This was especially apparent when the person ahead of me is driving slow, then speeds up to 120km/h once we hit a passing lane, sometime while going up hill. This happened multiple times and got pretty annoying. There were a few 5500rpm 3rd gear pulls. Sometimes just to keep up with traffic.

4.7 L/100km = 50 mpg I believe. That's quite good! Despite the higher RPMs of the 5-speed manual, it still does quite well under 70 mph (112.7 km/h).

I have about the same mileage on my 2017 Mirage, & I am also quite pleased with its performance & driving comfort.

I am in the habit of carrying a full size spare on longer trips, too!

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

[MetroMPG]

Beautiful pic! Going along the north shore of Lake Superior is a very pretty drive.

Tell us about the blowout! Puncture? It almost looks like a sidewall failure.

[Pimp_Daddy_Patty]

Beautiful pic! Going along the north shore of Lake Superior is a very pretty drive.

Tell us about the blowout! Puncture? It almost looks like a sidewall failure.

These are the tires that came with the car. My first winter, I slid into a curb mangling the steelie, but the tire was ok. I got proper snow tires shortly after. I had these original tires mounted on another set of steelies prior to going on this trip. Pretty sure the tire that blew out was the same one I hit the cur with. It was looking slightly weird before I left, but I decided to YOLO that **** and just bring a spare snow tire. The tire blew out 45 minutes into my return trip. Looks like the bead itself actually split. Just a pop, and some noise, no drama, I didn't even feel the flat tire until I felt the car slow down due to additional rolling resistance.

[Alpha_One]

4.7L/100km is also about the same mileage I get if I somehow manage to get the Mirage running at a steady 100km/h for two hours. I have a 2013 5-speed.

[remusrm]

I wanted to do a YouTube video, but I lacked time to prep for this.

I took my Mirage on a 2,955km road trip from Southern Ontario to Thunder Bay in Northern Ontario last week. That's about 1,477 km each way. I thought I would record my experience.

My car is a 2017 5 speed with 85,000km. I drove 105-110km/h pretty much the entire way. I made no particular attempt at driving economically. Fuel consumption was a very predictable 4.7L/100km. I think my only complaint was the lack of power for driving up hill in the 2nd half of the drive in the mountains. This was especially apparent when the person ahead of me is driving slow, then speeds up to 120km/h once we hit a passing lane, sometime while going up hill. This happened multiple times and got pretty annoying. There were a few 5500rpm 3rd gear pulls. Sometimes just to keep up with traffic.

I half expected comfort to be an issue on my 16 hour drive, but this was not the case. I made this trip on 2 other occasions in SUVs. First time was a GMC Acadia, and the 2nd time was a Ford Escape. Both vehicles certainly have a more comfortable interior, amd V6 power was great for hill climbs, but not at the gas station. I'm over 6 feet tall and far from skinny, yet I found that I was less fatigued driving the Mirage. My sciatic nerve issues didn't even show themselves in this small car with no arm rests.

All in all, it was a very positive experience and the cost of $82 in fuel each way was a huge bonus. Especially since Northern pumps were over $1.50 per liter.

The photos don't do it justice but the views were incredible. Also I'm glad I brought a full size spare as I had a blow out on the way home.

Wow the forest its so beautiful! I hate the California desert!

[7milesout]

Nice trip, nice report. One of these days I'm gonna have to get up there to see the beautiful great white north. I'll have to go in the warmest part of the summer, when the snow is only knee deep...

[Pimp_Daddy_Patty]

Nice trip, nice report. One of these days I'm gonna have to get up there to see the beautiful great white north. I'll have to go in the warmest part of the summer, when the snow is only knee deep...

This particular stretch is full of amazing views. The 16 hours seems to fly by. I hope to do the same trip one day, but south of the Great Lakes, through the U.S.

[7milesout]

but south of the Great Lakes, through the U.S.

Lots of "interesting" sights in Gary, Indiana!

[Pimp_Daddy_Patty]

Lots of "interesting" sights in Gary, Indiana!

It's a good thing I am something of an urban explorer.