The Mirage is well-packaged – despite being a tiny car, the rear legroom and trunk space aren’t so bad. The skinny tires don’t do much for freeway road holding, but they also have the benefit of being dirt cheap to replace when they wear out or puncture. The car is very slow, but also has the best fuel economy of any vehicle that isn’t a hybrid. The warranty is attractive, 10 years and 100,000 miles for powertrain, but also a five year, 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty – unheard of by most other manufacturers, save for maybe Hyundai and Kia. Mitsubishi dealers are known for handing out easy credit, too.
In my head, I did the math. With a bit of money down, the payment plan on that Mirage sedan could be microscopic – less than some people’s phone bills. The car would only need routine maintenance, gas, and oil changes. Any big problems would likely be solved by the warranty if they ever occurred.
For someone on a budget, who doesn’t want the uncertainty that comes with a used car of similar cost, the Mirage makes sense. I just wish it was a better car to drive, because then I’d have more fun defending it. And I might even have one in my driveway.