2018 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

Name: 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage Review
Brand: Mitsubishi
Price: 6900 USD

2018 Mitsubishi Mirage GT 4dr Hatchback Exterior Shown

+175

Used Mirage for sale

$6,900 - $14,998

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Mitsubishi Mirage model years

Mitsubishi Mirage for Sale

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Edmunds' Expert Review

byCalvin Kim^{Vehicle Test Engineer
Calvin Kim is an automotive journalist at Edmunds.}

Pros

Impressive fuel economy with CVT
One of the least expensive cars on sale
High level of warranty coverage

Cons

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

What’s new

The 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage gets a few more standard features this year. In particular, the ES trim level now comes with the 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth and a rearview camera.

Vehicle overview

We'll get straight to the point: The main reason to consider buying a 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage is its inexpensive price. When new, it's one of the cheapest cars you can buy. If you're on a tight budget, the Mirage represents a viable new-car option that also gets you the warranty and financing benefits that come with it. Just know that you're also getting one of the least appealing cars to drive right now. It's slow, uncomfortable and unrefined.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2018 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 $3.36 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$115/mo

$174/mo

Avg. Compact Car

Calculate my fuel costs

If your budget allows, we suggest going with more practical and desirable subcompact hatchbacks, such as the Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit. The Mirage may be inexpensive, but rivals still offer more car for the money.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

5.9 / 10

Though its name might suggest otherwise, the 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage is pretty much what it appears to be. It's an inexpensive hatchback that will get you from point A to point B, and that's about it. Refinement, power and desirability are all lacking.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our First Drive of the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (1.2L inline-3 | CVT automatic | FWD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current Mitsubishi Mirage has received some revisions, including refreshed exterior bodywork, new interior materials, optional smartphone integration, revised suspension tuning and engine power. Our findings remain broadly applicable to the 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage, however.

Scorecard

Overall	5.9 / 10
Driving	4.0
Comfort	4.0
Interior	7.0
Utility	7.0
Technology	8.0

Driving

4.0

Combining a tiny three-cylinder engine with a CVT is a recipe for slow-moving transport. The underdamped suspension causes the car to skitter across midcorner bumps. The brakes at least work well.

Acceleration

3.0

The Mirage weighs just a bit more than 2,000 pounds, but its engine is not up to the task. A zero-to-60-mph "sprint" drags out in a laggardly 11.7 seconds. Merging and passing require extra caution.

Braking

8.0

Around town, the brake pedal feel is jumpy and hard to modulate. Our panic-stop test resulted in 121 feet from 60 mph. That's respectable, although stability was lacking.

Steering

5.0

The steering is slow and lacks feel, and we can't remember the last time we felt so many kickbacks through the steering wheel.

Handling

8.0

The Mirage offers little handling grip from its skinny tires, and the chassis is easily upset by any kind of midcorner road imperfections. It's also highly susceptible to crosswinds.

Drivability

4.5

Even the slightest push on the gas pedal causes the CVT to drastically increase engine rpm, making the Mirage lurch at low speeds. The engine is loud during acceleration and generally unpleasant to listen to.

Comfort

4.0

The Mirage's front seats are surprisingly comfortable, although the door armrests are made of rock-hard plastic. Over rough roads, the Mirage's ride quality is unduly harsh.

Seat comfort

5.0

The seats are cushioned enough for long stints, though they look flimsy and the cloth material feels cheap. There's no center armrest, and door armrests are plastic.

Ride comfort

6.5

On smooth roads, the Mirage's suspension feels adequate, but even the smallest bumps can be felt and heard. Serious vibration comes into the cabin.

Noise & vibration

2.5

The three-cylinder engine sounds rough even at idle. Wind noise is fairly well controlled, but the Mirage is boomy and seems to have a complete lack of sound deadening.

Interior

7.0

The interior controls work well for the most part, and if you're familiar with Mitsubishi products you'll recognize some of the shared parts. There's more space inside than you'd think, and it's easy to get in and out up front.

Ease of use

6.5

This is about the most basic interior you'll see these days. The driving position is high, and you can't adjust the distance of the steering wheel. The push-button ignition is oddly located to the left of the steering wheel.

Getting in/getting out

7.5

Pretty much perfect step-in height up front plus the large doors make things easy. The rear doors are small, though. The rear seatback is quite upright, and you need to duck your head to avoid the roof.

Visibility

7.5

Roof pillars are narrow up front for good sightlines, but the rear pillars are thicker, somewhat reducing blind-spot visibility.

Quality

4.5

Other than the interior controls, the whole car feels cheap, as if it's made out of tin. If you tap the roof liner, you hear metal. There's no soft-touch anywhere, and there were some interior rattles over harsh pavement.

Utility

7.0

Though small and lacking small storage space, the Mirage uses its interior space efficiently and is even competitive with cars one class bigger.

Small-item storage

5.0

The center console cupholders don't hold bottles in place, and there isn't much in the way of bins. The door pockets are well-sized, and there's a handy key fob pocket.

Cargo space

7.5

The trunk is large for class, but it has a small opening. The 60/40-split fold-down rear seats ensure you have access to what little space is available.

2018 Mitsubishi Mirage models

The 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage is a four-door, five-passenger compact hatchback offered in three trim levels: ES, SE and GT. Moving up through the trims provides additional convenience and style-related features. Every Mirage comes with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. The ES and SE trim levels give you the choice between a five-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while the GT is exclusively available with the CVT.

Standard features for the base Mirage ES trim include 14-inch steel wheels, a rear spoiler, automatic headlights, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a tilt-only steering wheel, 60/40-split folding rear seats, a rearview camera, a 7-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity, and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player and a USB port.

The Mirage SE adds alloy wheels, foglights, keyless ignition and entry, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat, automatic climate control, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. On the SE, Mitsubishi also replaces the ES' touchscreen with a slightly smaller 6.5-inch screen that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.

If you go with the range-topping GT, you'll get 15-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights and heated front seats.

Notable options for the Mirage include front and rear parking sensors, remote engine start and a six-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system.

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 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage.

5 (68%)

4 (18%)

3 (2%)

2 (8%)

1 (4%)

4.4

38 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Thanks, Mitsubishi, for a Wisely-Designed Car

Keith Willmarth, 09/18/2016

2017 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl CVT)

So glad I didn’t read the dismissive reviews before I bought my 2017 Mirage ES. My response to “cons” in the Edmunds’ review: “acceleration sluggish”: Needn’t be. Slip into sporty gear and you’re abreast of the guzzlers. “rough, chattering engine note”: No. Are we talking about the same car? “lots of road noise at highway speeds”: I never noticed. “low quality interior …

Love my silver bullet

KECIA TODD , 04/05/2018

2018 Mitsubishi Mirage SE 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl CVT)

2nd **UPDATE))** I have owned my car for almost 3yrs now and I still love it. Great on gas and ample room inside. Hard plastic inside is starting to show some wear (but not much). ** UPDATE ** I have had my car for 10 months. I now get up to 58mpg on calm days and driving on the highway at 65mph. Everything else is the same. Bad camera and lack of nooks to place items. Other then that …

I love my 2017 Mirage!

Janaka, 05/16/2016

2017 Mitsubishi Mirage ES 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl 5M)

Great little economical car that can't be beat for the price. I've been averaging 48mpg and have even reached 52mpg at times. It's not a luxury car but has everything I need. I mostly drive it in a mountainous area and find that braking and acceleration are plenty adequate. Don't listen to the professional reviews unless you are looking for a sports car. For an everyday driver, this car …

Great little runabout.

Alex Schaf, 05/30/2016

2017 Mitsubishi Mirage SE 4dr Hatchback (1.2L 3cyl CVT)

Updates below. (May 30th, 2016) Don't just believe enthusiast reviews, do yourself a favor and text drive it for yourself. I live in Portland, which is full of hills and thick traffic. My Mirage has no problem keeping up and passing traffic. The interior has great fit and finish, and the Android Auto is awesome. It is much larger inside than the outside gives off. I am regularly …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage, so we've included reviews for other years of the Mirage since its last redesign.

See all 38 reviews of the Mitsubishi Mirage

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2018 Mirage Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$13,395
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	36 MPG
Cost to Drive	$115/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	17.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Mirage models:

Rearview Camera: Displays a view of what's behind the Mirage when you engage reverse gear.
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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