1997 Mitsubishi Mirage Review
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage Review
View more photos
Used Mirage for sale
Appraise This CarMitsubishi Mirage model years
Mitsubishi Mirage types
- Coupe
- Sedan
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- More attractive, roomy, and sporty than ever before.
Cons
- Traction control is not available, and the insurance cost is fairly high.
What’s new
The Mirage is totally redesigned for 1997, sharing little with the model it replaces. Mitsubishi claims that interior size has been increased and that NVH have been reduced.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage LS 2dr Coupe 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 $3.36 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$147/mo for Mirage LS
Mirage LS
vs
$174/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
Do our eyes deceive us, or is there something different about this latest Mirage? It somehow looks bigger, longer, wider than ever before. There seems to be more of everything: more passenger volume, higher levels of luxury, and yes, a higher price.
In case the first paragraph didn't clue you in, we should tell you that the Mitsubishi Mirage has been almost totally redesigned for the 1997 model year. Available as a coupe or sedan this year, in DE and LS trim levels, the Mirage is now better equipped to do battle with sales favorites like the Honda Civic and the Ford Escort.
The most noticeable changes are to the interior, where Mitsubishi replaces all-vinyl seats with cloth and vinyl upholstery. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but anyone who has spent a summer stuck to the interior of their car will know that we are serious when we say that this is one of the most important improvements made to the Mirage.
As previously mentioned, the Mirage is available in two trims; the entry-level DE which has a 95-horsepower 1.5-liter engine mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic. The DE sedan has a front stabilizer bar that helps the car move nimbly between potholes and slow-moving traffic, and both the DE coupe and sedan have a four-wheel independent suspension. LS models, which are meant to appear to a more fashion conscious crowd, have a larger engine which displaces 1.8 liters and makes 113-horsepower. Other upgrades include alloy wheels, a chrome-tipped exhaust, tilt steering, a stereo with integrated CD controls, and a covered center armrest.
We have always liked the Mirage, thinking it one of the better entry-level cars on the market today. The redesigned version doesn't look like it will diminish our thoughts about the car at all. The Mirage of our choice is the LS coupe equipped with ABS and the LS Value Pkg.; with these options the Mirage has almost every conceivable convenience, costs well under $15,000, and doesn't look like every other car parked at the mall.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage.
5 star(45%)
4 star(50%)
3 star(5%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
20 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.38 out of 5 stars
Call it the GLC - Good Little Car
svdbybld, 08/03/2004
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage DE 4dr Sedan
Almost 100K now and still drive like
the day I bought it. Great car. I think
some people expect so much out of a
little car like this. I get 33 mpg, it
is a basic realiable car. People
complain about no power. HELLO IT IS A
1.5 LITRE IT IS NOT A HOT ROD.
4.38 out of 5 stars
Dam good economy car
cbwillsr, 07/18/2004
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage DE 2dr Coupe
I have had this car for 7 years and
placed almost 200000 miles on it with no
engine complications. I have only
replaced a fuel filter, battery and
brakes during this time. The car has
started every time i have cranked it up.
4 out of 5 stars
"Happy with my Blacky"
mimil3, 03/08/2003
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage LS 4dr Sedan
I have this car since brand new and all
i can say about it is that I LOVE IT,I
LOVE IT,I LOVE IT!!! very reliable,only
have changed tires,brakes and
battery .Just got to the100,000 miles
party and the baby is still going
strong as day one.I also have a 2000 vw
gti,glx,vr6 that i bought brand new and
paid $22,000 for it and let me tell
ya,its been nothing but a very … costly
NIGHTMARE!!! and its only 3 years old!!
Iam going to trade that thing for an
suv very shortly,but,guess who's
staying with me for ever? my little
mirage (blacky) of course!!!
4.38 out of 5 stars
Overlooked Little Gem
bilt4_speed, 04/28/2002
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage DE 2dr Coupe
1.5 engine in DE needs valve
adjustments every 15k miles. Tight,
rattle-free after 51K miles. Very
reliable, engine much peppier than it
was in 94 Mirage. Too bad salesman &
service personnel do not remind people
about the 1.5 needing valve adjustment.
1997 Mirage Highlights
Coupe
LS
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 28 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $147/month |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalPoor
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
People who viewed this also viewed
5.0 average Rating out of 2 reviews. |
Starting at $16,680 |
5.0 average Rating out of 1 reviews. |
Starting at $17,795 |
4.3 average Rating out of 15 reviews. |
Starting at $16,750 |
Related Used 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage info
Vehicle reviews of used models
- Used Lamborghini Gallardo 2010
- Used Rolls-Royce Ghost 2010
- Used Ford Fusion Hybrid 2011
- Used FIAT 500e 2014 For Sale
- Used Lexus GS 450H 2014
Shop similar models
- Used Nissan Kicks
- Used Toyota Corolla-hatchback
- Used Toyota Yaris-hatchback
- Used Chevrolet Sonic
- Used Ford Fiesta
Shop used vehicles in your area
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage G4 2017
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage G4 2018
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage 2017
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage 2020
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage 2021
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage 2022 For Sale
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage 2019
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage 2014
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage 2018 For Sale
- Used Mitsubishi Mirage 2015
Popular new car reviews and ratings
- 2023 Ford Explorer
- Volvo C40 Recharge Price
- 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 News
- 2025 Nissan Frontier News
- 2023 X6 M
- 2025 Toyota Crown News
- Toyota Car Crown
- 2025 Acura MDX News
- 2023 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
- 2024 GMC Sierra 3500HD
Research other models of Mitsubishi
- Mitsubishi Mirage
- 2023 Outlander PHEV
- Mitsubishi Outlander 2023
- Mirage G4 Car
- Outlander Phev
- Mitsu Eclipse
- 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage G4
- 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage
- Outlander Sport Car
- Car Outlander Mitsubishi
Other models
- New GMC Yukon for Sale in Lake In The Hills, IL
- Used Chevrolet Venture in Rahway, NJ
- New Chevrolet Silverado-3500Hd for Sale in Floral Park, NY
- Used Mercedes-Benz Sl-Class in Wisconsin Rapids, WI
- Used Ferrari 812-Superfast in Wentzville, MO
- Used Ford F-150-Heritage in Exeter, NH
- Used Ford Expedition in Holland, IN
- Used BMW I7 in Augusta, GA
- New Dodge Hornet for Sale in Hartsville, SC
- New Mercedes-Benz Eqb for Sale in Sun Prairie, WI