2022 Mitsubishi Mirage Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Small, cheap cars used to be common, as many automakers raced to make efficient urban commuters at a reasonable price. That’s not the case...

Small, cheap cars used to be common, as many automakers raced to make efficient urban commuters at a reasonable price. That’s not the case today, but some automakers have clung to the tradition. The Mitsubishi Mirage is one of the cheapest new cars on sale today, and it comes with a long warranty to boot. It won’t win any drag races and it certainly won’t get pulses racing, but for a get-it-done car, it does offer quite a bit.

Mitsubishi offers the 2022 Mirage in four trims: ES, LE, Black Edition, and SE. The Mirage is powered by a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a continuously variable transmission and front-wheel drive. The three-cylinder does not provide strong acceleration in any situation, and it makes too much noise at all times. The Mirage is a decent urban commuter car, though, as its size makes it easily maneuverable. It’s also likely that buyers won’t spend too much time fretting over dents and dings in their $16,000 car.

Handling and ride quality are also lacking, though the car is not particularly uncomfortable in motion. Its tiny, skinny wheels and overall compactness mean it gets tossed around by wind on the highway, and it’s not great at handling imperfections in the road.

Passenger space is surprisingly ample, and headroom is good. The Mirage’s upright shape aids in that regard, but its overall lack of length translates to a punishing lack of legroom in back. At first glance, the car’s interior looks decent and well put-together, but closer inspection reveals where Mitsubishi had to cut corners to make the price tag work. Hard plastics and cheap-feel materials are the name of the game here, and there are plenty of exposed bolts and unfinished-looking areas in the cabin. None of the issues here interrupt the driving experience, though.

The tiny Mirage offers 17.1 cubic feet of cargo space with the back seats upright, which is impressive for a vehicle of its size. The rear bench folds flat, which opens the space to 47 cubic feet.

A big surprise here is that the Mirage gets a 7.0-inch touchscreen as standard equipment. It runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is unheard of at this price point. A Rockford Fosgate stereo is available. Though the car is unbelievably cheap, Mitsubishi gives the Mirage forward-collision warnings with pedestrian detection as standard kit. Lane-departure warnings, automatic high beams, and other advanced driver aids are available.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage is on sale now. Pricing starts at $16,125 after destination. The LE trim starts at $18,075, the Black Edition at $18,675, and the top SE trim at $19,375.