Mitsubishi Mirage updated, still cheapest car with 5-star safety

Updates to the Mirage include exterior styling comprising a new front grille, bonnet, bumper bars and wheel designs. Two new paint colours have been added; Sunrise Orange and Wine Red.

Mitsubishi has improved interior trim by switching to higher-grade material for the seats and adding cushioning to the rear bench.

Enhancements extend to the Mirage’s driving experience via “extensive rework of suspension tune and electric power steering calibration,” according to Mitsubishi. The result is more intuitive steering response, better balanced handling and increased ride comfort.

3

Low running costs are a big part of the Mirage’s buyer appeal, something Mitsubishi has recognised and made even cheaper by reducing the price of its capped price servicing. Its 1.2L four-cylinder engine has fuel usage of a meagre 4.6L/100km which also keeps the cost of ownership down.

The starting price of $12,250 gets you a Mirage ES hatch with a manual gearbox. Add $2000 for an automatic.

Standard features of the ES include six airbags (front, side and curtain), stability control, 14-inch wheels, hill start assist, ABS, emergency brake assist, Bluetooth, air conditioning, power windows and two ISOFIX points for child seats.

3

A higher-spec LS model is available from $15,250 with only an automatic gearbox. It has all the standard features of the ES plus 15-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, cruise control, window tinting and interior enhancements including piano black and chrome trim and a leather gear shifter.

“Mirage is already packed with great standard features, so for 2016 we’ve made meaningful improvements,” said Tony Principe, Mitsubishi’s Executive Director of Marketing. “Easy to drive and easy to live with, the Mirage offers an unbeatable mix of style, practicality and value.”