Used 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage

A 2023 Mirage is also cheap to run, achieving some of the best fuel economy figures this side of a hybrid. Both forward collision warning and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration are standard across the lineup, joined by an automatic transmission this year. The powertrain is also covered by a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty.

For some people, this could all be convincing enough to head for the nearest Mitsubishi dealer. But hold on a second.

Spending about $16K on a new car doesn’t buy much in the bigger scheme of things. That frugal engine becomes a liability on the freeway. The Mirage’s performance in crash tests has only resulted in four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave it a similarly less-than-perfect score.

It all depends on what the car is going to be used for. Getting around a quiet college town or short commutes are less demanding than road trips. But if the finances allow, another $2,000 or so can open up a greater number of arguably more attractive choices.

A height-adjustable driver’s seat helps with finding the ideal position. Things go downhill from there. Actually, downhill is a good direction since any version of the Mirage struggles going uphill because its tiny 3-cylinder engine makes a meager 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque.

This could be adequate for driving around a city, as long as that city isn’t San Francisco. Anyone in the market for a 2023 Mirage will doubtless have other attributes they consider more important — like fuel economy and a new-car warranty — and won’t care so much about how the steering is on the numb side or how the body leans when driving around corners.

However, even the least enthusiastic drivers must like to reach freeway speeds in a brisk, decisive manner. The decidedly un-brisk Mirage takes almost 13 seconds to go from standstill to 60 mph. At that point, it will feel like it’s making more noise than energy.

This is where buyers of a new Mirage subcompact car live with the consequences of their decision. They should be happy enough with the front seats, which are quite comfortable, and the optional seat heating works just fine.

Elbows aren’t so lucky. The parts of the doors where occupants will rest those elbows aren’t padded. And only the top SE trim has a center armrest for the driver’s side.

Hard plastics that don’t quite fit together serve as another reminder that the cheap way is rarely the best way.

Rear legroom measures 34.2 inches in the hatchback and 37.3 inches in the G4 sedan, which isn’t bad at all for the subcompact car class. The hatchback has a fraction more headroom than its sedan sibling.

The G4’s trunk space is 12.6 cubic feet — big enough for about three sets of golf clubs, but most rivals have more. Behind the hatchback’s rear seats is a luggage area of 17.1 cubic feet, expanding to 47 cubic feet when those seats are folded. This compares well with the 5-door version of the Kia Rio.

Subcompact hatchback or, with the G4, a subcompact sedan body style — the 2023 Mirage range offers a choice. Either way, the Mirage’s small dimensions make it easy to park, and drivers can nab a space rejected by the driver of a pickup truck.

It’s a fairly safe bet that most people would consider the exterior design of both cars to be acceptable and contemporary. The 14-inch wheels on the ES models are small, though. Higher trims swap those steel wheels for 15-inch alloy wheels.

The biggest visual splash is caused by the Black Edition with, predictably enough, black cosmetic elements. These are set off by some red accents in the grille.

At $545, the most expensive paint option is the Diamond White with a black roof. This is available on all four trims of the hatchback and the sedan’s Black Edition.

1. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
The Mirage doesn’t even offer the option of navigation, but this standard smartphone integration allows drivers to use apps like Waze or Apple Maps.

2. 7-inch infotainment display
Admittedly, it’s not that big, but the base ES trim gets the same screen size as the rest of the 2023 Mirage lineup.

3. Rear seat pass-through
Adding a little more cargo-carrying versatility, this is a standard feature in the G4 sedan.

4. Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Not only does the Black Edition give the 2023 Mirage a bit of aesthetic action, it also comes with a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Because driving with a plain plastic steering wheel can be unpleasant.

5. LED headlights
It’s not until the 2023 Mirage reaches its top SE trim level that full LED headlights come on board. They provide better illumination than the halogen counterparts in the lower trims.

6. Driver’s seat armrest
It’s a small mercy exclusive to the SE model, but at least it means that one elbow is going to be comfortable.

Every 2023 Mirage, be it hatchback or sedan, employs a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine. Yes, just three cylinders.

As well as qualifying as one of the least expensive new cars in the United States, the Mitsubishi Mirage is also the least powerful. Output is 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. This goes to the front wheels through the newly standard automatic transmission.

The one upside of this modest muscle is that it makes a gallon of regular gasoline go far.

1.2-liter inline-3
78 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
74 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 36/43 mpg (hatchback), 35/41 mpg (G4 sedan)