2018 Mitsubishi Mirage Review

One of the key benefits of the Mirage is in its comparatively inexpensive price tag, so stick to the base ES trim level. It comes with a touchscreen interface, a rearview camera and Bluetooth connectivity this year, which enhances its appeal. The more you spend on the Mirage, the more it's goin...

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.