2014 Mitsubishi Mirage arrives in US this fall

Thu, 28 Mar 2013

Mitsubishi dealers have been painfully starved of fresh product for ages now, with their most recent new model, the bubble-shaped i electric car, already requiring a serious sales jumpstart. We've known for a while that help is on the way in the form of an all-new Outlander crossover, but we've basically only had loose confirmations to go on that the Japanese automaker would eventually reintroduce its Mirage subcompact to the American market. Today, those rumors have turned to reality, as Mitsubishi has confirmed that the five-door economy car will hit US dealerships this fall.

Every subcompact player needs a trump suit, from Ford's tech-rich Fiesta to Honda's impossibly space-efficient Fit, and the Mirage's calling card figures to be its fuel economy. Mitsubishi says it expects its 2014 Mirage to achieve 37 miles per gallon in the city and 44 on the highway (combined rating of 40 mpg) when equipped with a continuously variable transmission. Those figures are good enough, Mitsu says, to earn it the title of the most fuel-efficient gasoline vehicle sold in America that isn't a hybrid.

Of course, Mitsubishi isn't outlining any additional specs at the moment – not even engine configuration. We're expecting the company's 1.2-liter three-cylinder, which in European spec delivers a modest 79 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque. The Continent's Mirage weighs under 1,900 pounds, but the normally aspirated triple still makes for leisurely acceleration of 11.7 seconds to 62 miles per hour. It will be interesting to see if Mitsubishi makes some powertrain alterations to better suit American expectations.

With no performance stats on offer other than fuel economy, interested parties will need to find succor in confirmation that the model will come with features including automatic climate control, power windows and a four-speaker stereo with USB port. Options will also include navigation with rearview camera, LED interior illumination and park assist. No pricing has been released at this time.

Details Upcoming Outlander PHEV at the 2013 New York Auto Show

NEW YORK, March 28, 2013 - Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) has unveiled a remarkably fuel-efficient all-new 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage 5-door subcompact at the 2013 New York International Auto Show that is expected to arrive at Mitsubishi Motors dealers later this fall. Mitsubishi Motors also announced pricing information on the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander compact CUV (arriving in dealerships this June) at the show, along with demonstrating a detailed full-scale cutaway model of the upcoming eco-friendly Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle).

The all-new 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage model is expected to achieve a lofty manufacturer estimated fuel economy of 40 mpg combined/37 mpg city/44 mpg highway (CVT-equipped model; pending EPA fuel mileage rating), making this stylish new vehicle the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid gasoline vehicle available in America.

In addition to its exceptional fuel economy, the all-new 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage will be offered exclusively in a convenient 5-door configuration with room for five passengers.

The affordable 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage boasts a number of welcome standard and available features including:

Estimated 40 mpg combined fuel economy (37 mpg city/44 mpg highway; pending EPA fuel mileage rating)
7 air bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
4 speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 sound system with USB/iPod® input
60/40 split folding rear seat
Active Stability Control (ASC) with Traction Control Logic (TCL)
Brake Assist and Hill Start Assist (HSA) (CVT-equipped models)
4-wheel Anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
Power windows with driver's side auto-up/down
RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) safety cell body/chassis technology
Rear Spoiler
Automatic Climate Control
Electric Power Steering (EPS)
Available options include Navigation with Rearview Camera, Parking Assist and LED Interior Illumination Packages

By Chris Paukert