Long term ES (base trim, manual trans) test - Driving.ca

[MetroMPG]

Here's the written wrap-up:

https://driving.ca/reviews/road-test...ishi-mirage-es

He liked it...

I didn’t expect to like the Mitsubishi Mirage. In fact, I expected to dislike it quite thoroughly. I thought it would be too tiny and too tinny for me to like driving it day after day. ... the little Mitsubishi ended up working its way into my heart.

FUN (???) city car...

the Mirage is a joy to flick around inner-city traffic. Despite turning just 78 horsepower, it feels nimble and agile. It’s no Cayman of course, but the the visibility and small dimensions give great confidence when changing lanes or parking. In town, driving the Mirage is just plain fun.

High speed (120 km/h = 70 mph) fuel economy isn't great...

Cars with more power don’t have to work as hard to do the same, so for highway jaunts, some larger and more powerful cars with lower rated fuel economies may actually surpass the Mirage.

He saw 6.1 L/100 km in the winter at 120 km/h = 39 mpg US.

Wrap-up:

I came to love the little Mirage in my driveway. In a world where every car seems to be pretending to be something else, the Mirage is refreshingly honest. It does what it says on the box. It’s simple, straightforward transportation without trying to sell you on the idea that it’s something else like the Nissan Kicks does. Basic motoring is truly rare these days, and I honestly find a lot of appeal in a car that lets you drive it so free from distractions.

[AtomicPunk]

Good, objective review. It is what it is and it does what it does, to a fault. So much so that most of our threads get hijacked off topic, because these cars just don't break that often.

[dspace9]

Good review, took the time to appreciate their Mirage. Reliable commuter car that's good zipping in and out of traffic, suffers on the freeway.

I want to know more about the stock rubber floor mats that are ill-fitted. I guess that's what you get with an ES since carpeted mats are extra now.

[88coltturbo]

You know, they could get rid of those useless mats, and sell the car for $100 less, making it sub $14k. Everyone ends up buying Weathertechs anyway.

[7milesout]

I didn't read the article. Just Metro's summaries. It sounds very reasonable. However, I don't know about zippy in traffic. It sort of lacks the ability to zip, and it sort of wollers around on it's suspension when pushed. I do think it sort of sneaks around. I.E...

The other day, there were herds of steam rollers lined up at a traffic light (going to my left), and I was at a T-intersection with them. I was pulling out from a little access road. I needed to cross them all, get in the far lane, which is a right turn lane within the intersection they were all piled up behind. There was just enough room between the front and rear rollers of all those barges, I just drove through them ... like stationary frogger. I'm betting there were some soccer moms going, "ohh, eww, he's not gonna make it..." But I did easily, and paused and looked real good before pulling out into the far right turn lane (because it was still open and moving), there was a gap so I proceeded. Everything went real smooth. I would not have done that in my Lexus. And my truck would not have fit. Therefore, I think the car kind of sneaks / snakes around. And parking is not even a thing. It parks so easy, even a cavewoman can do it (ok, not really).

"Suffers on the freeway?" The only way I can think that it suffers is that it gives up some mpg if you run it 75+ mph. But what car doesn't? I don't consider that suffering. I will admit that if you drove it out in to some big wind, it's going to get blown about somewhat. But there's not much of that issue down in the dirty south. Outside of having some concern of being rear-ended by a ... how to say this, 2004 Malibu rollin' on 22's doing 95 mph inside and on the perimeter of the Thunderdome, I think it is a freeway jedi. My LS 460L is a freeway Sith Lord.

[dspace9]

If I could time travel to 2014 knowing what I know now, I would have chosen rubber car mats. Especially people with the 5 speed and drive in the winter with heavy boots. Got a hole under the clutch after 6 years of driving. Not the mat's fault. Salt got the carpet good as well.

So far I am liking the weathertechs, except the annoying sound they make in the winter when you have to shift gears and move your boots around.

[Kay123]

https://youtu.be/bw4yUA0R7uo

I believe this is the end of the review. An honest car