Once, a long time ago a popular family car in Malaysia, the Mirage from Mitsubishi is not a new nameplate to Malaysians. Now after a long absence, the Mirage is back and it comes with one objective, to offer Malaysians an alternative to hybrid cars. With a combined fuel economy of 21km/liter from its 1.2L engine (real world test at an average of 19km/liter), this new Mirage returns almost hybrid like fuel efficiency.
This Mitsubishi Mirage is a ‘world car’ and it will be sold in more than 160 countries. The five-door, five-seat Mirage is just 3710mm long, 1655mm wide, 1490mm high and weighs in at a just 845kg which is smidgen lighter than a 1st generation Mazda MX5 roadster. Standard safety equipment includes brake assist, hill start assist and stability control.
The front end has been designed so that the driver can see both edges of the bonnet for easier parking, and a compact 4.4m turning circle should make the Mirage feel maneuverable around town and will be easy to handle for all drivers.
The 78bhp DOHC MIVEC 3-cylinder engine produces 100Nm of torque which is more than adequate and works smoothly with the automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) gearbox. The cabin gets a flat dashboard that has a gloss-black centre stack highlighted by silver accents on the gear shift surround, gear knob, air vents and chrome door handles on the GS variant.
It comes with 60/40 split-fold rear seats, a 2-DIN stereo with iPOD, USB and AUX input, anti-pinch power window and a leather bound steering wheel. There is also keyless entry with one-touch ignition start which is a 1st for this segment.
This compact car doesn’t ignore safety either with 2 airbags; driver and front passenger, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and two ISOFIX rear seat child restraints all fitted as standard.
Available in Yellow, Red, Grey, White and Silver the new Mitsubishi Mirage comes with a 3-year warranty (or 60,000 kilometers) and a 1 year maintenance package.
