The Mitsubishi Mirage is classified as an Eco car in Thailand, as it could meet at least the 5-litre/100km. The Mirage has a published figure of 21km/litre, where its 35-litre tank could generously run for 735km. If it were such perfect, it could almost complete the 840km Perlis to Johore journey, though still need a single stopover to the petrol kiosk. In Malaysia, whether it is Eco, Green, Black, White or Deadly...the Mirage is treated like the rest of the vehicle population, with no special incentive, or any other discount from the authority. Aside from having a better Japanese brand, slightly more features than a Perodua, and a face that attract most lady owners, at RM66k, this 1.2-litre CVT powered tiny car is really not a choice of the crowd. Without any incentive, who care whether this car is trying to produce less C02 so that our next next next next next generation will still get to set, touch and climb some trees. Oh, have I forgotten Malaysia has EEV...which no one know what benefit it is bringing to the car owners. Bet most car manufacturers that get those EEV incentive will not pass down the discount to us, but reap more profit into their bank accounts.
Besides the extraordinary fuel saving economy the Mirage is bringing, this little car comes with push start button, keyless entry, auto aircon and a 2-din Kenwood player. Interior is tiny by nature, where seats are too soft to last your 5 - 10 years of ownership. Dual Airbag, ABS and seat belt pretensioner are the standard safety features of the Mirage. Nothing fancy, but a basic Japanese made for the day to day home and office travel, and some occasional long trip with your love one on the 78hp/100Nm engine power. Before you give this car a consideration, look at the Kia Picanto, which has much better specifications, but might face a low second-hand value.
| Kia Picanto | Hyundai i10 | Suzuki Alto | Mitsubishi Mirage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.2-L 4-Cyl | 1.2-L 4-Cyl | 1.0-L 3-Cyl | 1.2-L 3-Cyl |
| Engine Power | 87HP/119.6Nm | 87HP/119.6Nm | 67HP/90Nm | 78HP/100Nm |
| Transmission | 4-speed | 4-speed | 4-speed | CVT |
| Airbags | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Traction Control | Yes | No | No | No |
| Warranty (Yrs) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Price (RM) | 60,000 | 56,988 | 51,383 | 65,962 |
Build quality of the Mirage is not up to standard, as the demo car, which is fairly new, is already showing sign of rust in the engine bay. The metal clips holding the air duct are rusted, which show the Thailand local contents still need much improvement. One might also wonder why such a small car need a big battery, since a NS40 size should suffice in this car.
Lastly, ladies, feel free to take it for a spin, similar to the Mitsubishi Attrage, this car is for you if hatchback is your choice. The Mirage is a no-frill and basic car for city driving!
