Hi Everyone,
I just bought a 2019 Space Star in pearl white last Thursday (9 July) and ran across this forum while researching the Mirage. It's a great resource and nice to see other owners out there and some positive reviews!
I have been saving up to buy a new car and wasn't planning on doing it now, but a month ago my old car (a 2008 Hyundai Getz) overheated and blew a head gasket. The temperature gauge was faulty, meaning I didn't realize it was overheating until it was too late. It wasn't a fun experience as I was on the motorway in another country and stuck on the side of the road with my spouse and toddler for hours. The repair was more expensive than the car was worth, so we needed something new.
Originally I was planning to get a better used car and narrowed it down to a Toyota Yaris or Honda Jazz/Fit from 2015-2017 or a VW Golf from a few years earlier, but after my experience with the Hyundai I wanted something that was new, reliable, and that had a good warranty so I wouldn't have to worry about it.
I also needed the car to come with a few things, specifically an automatic because my spouse can't drive a manual (automatics are rare where I live), air conditioning, and cruise control because I really hated taking long trips on the motorway with the old Getz and no cruise control.
With my budget that left me with few options for a new vehicle. I hadn't even thought about the Mirage until I realized they were basically the cheapest new car I could get here. So I started my research and after almost a month of searching I found one with exactly everything I wanted.
Here in Europe Mitsubishi has released the 2020 Mirage with the facelift, so there are some good discounts to be found on new 2019 Mirages. I found a 2019 Mirage in pearl white with 24km on the odometer and with lots of options: automatic (CVT), power windows and door locks, automatic climate control with AC, cruise control, heated front seats, daytime running lights (a legal requirement here), tinted rear windows, touch screen navigation with CarPlay, 15-inch 175/55 tires with alloy rims, remote keyless entry, push to start, start/stop function, leather wrapped steering wheel/shifter, and the full warranty.
From some of the reviews that first come up online the Mirage seems to be looked at negatively, but I don't really know why. I think it all depends on where you are coming from. For me, my last car had none of the options my Mirage has (no A/C, no cruise control, a broken radio, etc.) so the Mirage is a huge upgrade. My old car was actually louder on the motorway than my Mirage and it definitely isn't a speed demon but it's fast enough for me. I love the turning radius and light steering which makes navigating and parking on narrow streets very easy.
Anyway, this got a lot longer than I intended! Thanks to all for this forum and I look forward to checking in every now and then and hopefully contributing. The Mirage is a great little car and I'm very happy with it so far.