2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 Review

After a yearlong hiatus, the Mitsubishi Mirage has returned to the marketplace, and this time it's not alone. The new 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 is basically a sedan variant of the Mirage subcompact hatchback, and it debuts with the newly refreshed Mirage's set of interior and exterior enhancements.

On the outside, the Mirage G4's sharply angled hood and short, stubby trunk give it a look that invokes comparisons to other subcompact sedans like the Nissan Versa, Ford Fiesta and the now-defunct Toyota Yaris. While the Mirage's cabin is appropriately basic at this price point, materials quality is actually a little worse than the competition. Even so, you can order the Mirage with luxury accoutrements that help detract from the low-rent interior. These include heated front seats, keyless ignition and entry and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Mitsubishi is one of the few automakers to incorporate both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality in its touchscreen display, too, which might give the G4 some extra appeal if you're the type of person who's inseparable from your smartphone.

Even though the G4 similarly benefits from the Mirage hatchback's substantial revisions for 2017, it's a difficult car to fall in love with. The 2017 Chevrolet Sonic is a commendable rival, as it is more tech-heavy than the Mirage and looks a little more distinctive, too. You should also consider the sporty Ford Fiesta, which is much more fun to drive than the Mirage and offers a turbocharged three-cylinder engine that earns competitive fuel economy. Like the Fiesta, the Kia Rio offers full leather upholstery in top trim levels, a feature that lends an air of class to this typically austere segment. The Mirage meets what we'd consider the minimal standards for a modern car, but other small sedans are simply more refined and enjoyable to drive, and we recommend checking them out first.

Standard safety features for the 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 include four-wheel antilock brakes (front discs, rear drums), front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag, and traction and stability control. A rearview camera is optional on the ES and standard on the SE, while rear parking sensors are optional on both trim levels.

We haven't tested a Mirage G4 yet, but in Edmunds brake testing, a 2015 Mirage hatchback came to a stop from 60 mph in 121 feet. This is an average distance for a car in this class.

In crash testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Mirage hatchback received the highest possible rating of "Good" in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset, side-impact and roof strength tests. The Mirage's seat/head restraint design was also rated "Good" for whiplash protection in rear impacts. In that agency's small-overlap frontal-offset test, however, the Mirage received the lowest score of "Poor." In the most recent government testing available as of this writing, the Mirage earned four-of-five possible stars for overall crash protection, with four stars for frontal-impact safety and five stars for side-impact safety.