2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

Name: 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Review
Brand: Mitsubishi
Price: 9950 USD
Rating: 4.4 (27 reviews)

2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Carbonite Edition 4dr Hatchback Exterior Shown

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2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

byDan Frio^{Reviews Editor
Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to Edmunds, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.}

Pros

Impressive fuel economy when equipped with the CVT automatic
Long warranty coverage
One of the least expensive cars on sale

Cons

Acceleration is very slow
The engine is noisy and unrefined
Excessive road noise at highway speeds
Low-buck interior, even for this class of car

What's new

Updated front and rear styling
Some previously optional features are now standard, including forward collision mitigation and 7-inch infotainment screen
Part of the fifth Mirage generation introduced for 2014

Overview

The 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage is aptly named since its appeal tends to vanish as you draw near for a closer look. If you go by just the specs, the Mirage looks great. It starts off with the EPA fuel economy estimate of 39 mpg combined, which makes the Mirage one of the most fuel-efficient non-hybrids around. It's also one of the least expensive new cars around. Oh, and its tidy size should make it easily maneuverable. A small, affordable car that gets great mileage — what's not to love?

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$120/mo

$179/mo

Avg. Compact Car

Calculate my fuel costs

Well, for starters, that impressive fuel economy comes at the expense of power. The Mirage comes with a tiny 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine, and its 76 horsepower struggles to move the Mirage with any authority. While not a big issue around town, that power deficit makes merging on the highway genuinely stressful. The Mirage's poor build quality and substantial road and engine noise also make for a fairly unrefined experience.

You could look past these flaws if the cost of entry were unbeatably low, but it's not. The Mirage is indeed very affordable, but rivals such as the Chevrolet Spark and Kia Rio are in similar pricing territory. The Rio, in particular, is also significantly more comfortable and refined. The Mirage sounds like a good idea, but the reasons to buy one evaporate the closer you get.

Which Mirage does Edmunds recommend?

The Mirage's primary appeal lies in its low price, so stick with the base ES trim. You'll miss some of the upper-level creature comforts, but the ES has the essentials: automatic air conditioning, cruise control, smartphone connections and USB. Paying more for the higher trim levels doesn't make sense when you can buy a better competitor's car for nearly the same price.

2021 Mitsubishi Mirage models

The 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage is a front-wheel-drive subcompact hatchback available in four trim levels: ES, LE, SE and Carbonite Edition. Every Mirage comes with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 76 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque.

ES
The ES comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission, but you can opt for a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), which comes with every other trim level. Standard features include:

14-inch steel wheels
Automatic climate control
Cruise control
Tilt-adjustable steering wheel
Keyless entry

Technology and safety features include:

Rearview camera
7-inch audio display
Bluetooth
Four-speaker sound system with USB input
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connection
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

LE
The LE adds:

14-inch alloy wheels

Carbonite Edition
The Carbonite Edition is essentially a Mirage LE but with a handful of exterior cosmetic enhancements.

SE
The SE adds to the ES features with:

15-inch alloy wheels
LED headlights
Foglights
Automatic high beams
Cloth and simulated leather combination seats
Heated front seats
Driver's seat armrest
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Push-button ignition and proximity keyless entry
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Excellent

#7 out of 27 among Subcompact Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Mitsubishi Mirage from 2008-2022.}

$443/yr

vs. $416/yr
for Average Subcompact Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.79x/yr

vs. 1.22x/yr
for Average Subcompact Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

8.2%

vs. 10.1%
for Average Subcompact Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage.

5 (63%)

4 (26%)

3 (3%)

2 (3%)

1 (5%)

4.4

27 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Refined for 2k19

Tony, 12/11/2019

2019 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M)

Although the 2020 gets a face lift. The 2019 edition is the best since 2014. Larger brakes, sound deaden insulation, steering improved, among other areas. We own a 2017 5speed Nissan Versa, Mirages closest competitor in its price range. Despite have less horsepower, the Mirage is more refined then the Versa. The Versa also gets a face lift for 2020. The reviews on the Mirage have …

Great Little Car

lee, 06/11/2019

2019 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M)

Love the Mirage, It's no race car but with the 5 speed it will get up to freeway speeds pretty quick. I drive twice weekly from Central Wa. to Seattle over Snoqualmie Pass all year round and I avg 40+ Mpg. It Drives excellent year round in the hot summer to the Crazy Snow with no problems. I do put snow tires on in the winter. Would recommend this little beast over any hybrid out there. …

The 'experts' are Wrong

WJ, 11/19/2019

2019 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M)

After 82,000 miles on a 2018 five speed purchased new for $9985 in autumn of 2017, I can assure any prospective buyer that the interior noise is not "shocking" as one reviewer claimed, nor does the car wander around the road at highway speeds, nor are all the other negatives by which the so called 'experts' denigrate this car correct. I'm not sure what they expect but I traded a Prius C … for this car and by many measures they feel equivalent-except that the MIrage costs $10,000 less. It is fast enough for all legal speeds, comfortable for 2 people, handles everyday driving perfectly well and gets 43-51 mpg depending on outside temperature and type of driving. I average 47 mpg year round in hilly Pennsylvania.The 3 cylinder engine has been around in one form or another for decades and is smooth throughout the RPM range, while the manual gear ratios are perfectly matched for the power band. It handles normal driving safely and is very maneuverable due to its small size. The manual transmission is 'notchy' at first but smooths out after about 3,000 miles. Mine has been totally reliable mechanically except for a rattling heat shield that was easily corrected. I replaced the front brakes and rotors at 37,000 miles after they rusted beyond state inspection standards.That seemed a little premature but could be because of winter salt on the roads around here. The brakes were replaced again at about 70,000 miles. I changed the original Dunlop tires at 25,000 miles ( which wore out too quickly I thought) with an economy brand costing only $34 dollars per tire.These too wore out in 25,000 miles so I put on Kumho tires at $50 each. They perform the best of the three brands and last a little longer, but plan on replacing tires every 30,000 miles at least. I have changed the synthetic oil every 7,000 miles, changed the transmission fluid at 50,000 miles and the air filters at 30,000 and 60,000 miles, which is basic maintenance. This summer the engine started using a quart of oil about every 3,000 miles, which is not excessive although because I rarely go over half throttle seems a little premature as well. Possibly the rings or valve seats are wearing or the PCV valve simply is worn out. The engine runs normally and has the original power so I'm just driving it for now. The radio and the air conditioning are adequate, if not powerful. In conclusion, I consider the car with the manual transmission fun to drive-not in a Mazda Miata way- but in a small car easy to zip around way. A Mirage is not the fastest, smoothest, most powerful car on the road but it is not supposed to be. Rather it is a reliable daily driver car with a great warranty at a fantastic price. I have heard that they are discontinuing the Mirage, but finding a used, low mileage, well maintained one for $10,000 or less would be one of the best deals out there. One owner in Minnesota obtained over 400,000 miles, so they are durable if taken care of. Test drive this car for yourself- If it is not to your tastes, fine, but do Not be discouraged by the expert reviews. Many people who actually own this car love it. Personally, I bought this car as what my mechanic calls a "disposable car"-meaning I plan to drive it until it dies so I am not worried about resale value. I do Not work for Mitsubishi nor know anyone who does.

Absoultely nothing wrong with this car

Greg, 07/09/2019

2019 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M)

One can get a lower delivered price versus MSRP than probably any 4-door hatchback car sold in the U.S. with few exceptions. Better mpg than Spark, Versa, Fiesta and Fit. Lower "real" price than Spark, Versa, Fiesta and Fit. More cargo space than all competitors except Fit. More usability than the 3-door Fiat 500. With the standard wheels, it has a tighter turning radius than the …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage, so we've included reviews for other years of the Mirage since its last redesign.

See all 27 reviews of the Mitsubishi Mirage

Write a vehicle review

2021 Mirage Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$14,295
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	36 MPG
Cost to Drive	$120/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	17.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Mirage models:

Forward collision mitigation: Warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios.
Hill Start Assist: Prevents rolling back when starting off on a hill. The car behind you, and your rear bumper, will love it.
Active Stability Control: Helps maintain car control during emergency maneuvers.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat4 / 5
Back Seat4 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover16.4%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Marginal
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Which Mirage does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Mitsubishi Mirage models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Refined for 2k19

Great Little Car

The 'experts' are Wrong

Absoultely nothing wrong with this car

2021 Mirage Highlights

Safety

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2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

2021 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Which Mirage does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Mitsubishi Mirage models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Most helpful consumer reviews

Refined for 2k19

Great Little Car

The 'experts' are Wrong

Absoultely nothing wrong with this car

2021 Mirage Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Mitsubishi

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}