The Mitsubishi Mirage will battle it out with the cheapest cars on the market from January following the confirmation of a sub-$13K starting price for the all-new Thai-built city car.
The entry-level Mitsubishi Mirage ES manual will start from $12,990, positioning it just north of the Chery J1 ($10,990), Suzuki Alto ($11,790) and Holden Barina Spark ($12,490), while undercutting the Nissan Micra ($13,490), Volkswagen Up! and Proton S16 FLX (both $13,990). The mid-spec Mirage Sport costs from $14,190 and the high-grade LS $15,490, while the continuously variable transmission (CVT) option adds $2250 across the range.
At 3710mm long, 1665mm wide and 1500mm tall, the Mitsubishi Mirage is 210mm longer, 65mm wider and 30mm taller than the Suzuki Alto, and Mitsubishi claims the base model’s 4.4-metre turning radius is the best in its class.
All models are powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 57kW at 6000rpm and 100Nm at 4000rpm. Mirage ES and Sport variants consume 4.6 litres of fuel per 100km teamed with either the five-speed manual or CVT, while the ES uses 4.8 and 4.9L/100km with the respective gearboxes.
The Mirage ES is equipped with 14-inch steel wheels (and a space-saver spare), leather-wrapped steering wheel, manual air conditioning, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, cloth seats, and a two-speaker audio system with AUX and USB inputs and Bluetooth phone connectivity with audio streaming.
For an extra $1200, the Mirage Sport adds 14-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and two extra speakers for the stereo.
Another $1300 affords you the Mirage LS, which scores larger 15-inch alloys, front foglights, leather-bound gearshift, chrome interior door handles, climate control, keyless entry with push-button start, auto headlights and rain-sensing wipers.
The Mirage range is available in four colours – Mulberry (pictured), Red Planet, Cool Silver and White – while the LS can also be ordered exclusively in Cyber Blue and Midnight Black.
All variants come standard with six airbags (dual front, side and curtains) and electronic stability control, and although it is yet to be independently crash tested, Mitsubishi says it has been engineered to achieve the maximum five-star result.
Like all Mitsubishi models, the new Mirage is covered by a five-year/130,000km warranty and the manufacturer’s four-year/60,000km capped-price servicing program.
