Makeover for Mitsubishi Mirage

MITSUBISHI has hit back at Holden’s all-new Spark micro-car with a refreshed Mirage hatchback and sedan range, which brings a light facelift for the hatch, revitalised interiors, a tweaked chassis and an increase in the asking price.

With a bump of $260 to $12,250 plus on-road costs, the Mirage ES manual hatch is still Australia’s most affordable new car, although with a driveaway price of $12,990, Suzuki’s Celerio is arguably cheaper when all the forms are signed and sealed.

Along with the 2016 update, Mitsubishi has dropped the manual LS hatch option, with the top-spec Mirage now only available with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to align with the sedan line-up.

Upgrading the ES to the CVT automatic costs an extra $2000, taking the price to $14,250, while the top-spec LS starts from $15,250. Pricing for the sedan has increased a mere $10 across the board.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited product communications co-ordinator Genevieve Kerin told GoAuto the price adjustment was accompanied by a reduction to fixed-price servicing costs.

“We’ve reduced capped-price servicing by $270 dollars for the life of the vehicle so that offsets it, but there are significant updates to the current model that has resulted in a modest price increase across the range,” she said.

“We’ve definitely positioned the Mirage at the more affordable end of the market and we think the updates will be received well.”

Hatchback versions wear a new outfit for 2016 with styling change to the grille, front and rear bumpers, wheels and bonnet, while all versions receive a cabin refresh with higher-grade materials and smarter piano-black trim for the ES. Sedans also now have a three-spoke steering wheel covered in leather.

In addition to the aesthetic upgrades, the Mirage has had a chassis tune for enhanced vehicle dynamics, says Mitsubishi. Spring and damper rates have been revised and new front suspension top-mounts have been fitted for reduced road noise.

CVT management has also been fettled for improved rolling acceleration, and manual versions are treated to hill-hold assistance.

LS hatchbacks now have an illuminated gearshift and a display for outside ambient temperature, while both sedan and hatch ES versions pick up a new three-dial air-conditioning panel.

Two new premium paint colours have been introduced for the hatch update, with ‘sunrise orange’ and ‘wine red’ joining four other choices in the palette, all of which cost an extra $550 (except white). Sedans also have the new red option along with three other hues.

Interestingly, the ‘mulberry’ metallic pink colour has been discontinued as has the ‘pop green’ that was introduced soon after the model’s launch in 2013.

According to Mitsubishi, the two colours were not the most popular, and that that title goes to the no-cost white.

Under the bonnet it is business as usual with a 57kW 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine powering all variants. Combined-cycle fuel consumption is rated at 4.9 litres per 100km for the sedan or 4.6L/100km for the hatchback.

Standard safety fare includes six airbags, active stability control (ASC), ABS, EBD and an emergency stop signal. All models have a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating.

A five-year/100,000km warranty, the capped-price servicing and five-year roadside assistance are all thrown into the deal.

2016 Mitsubishi Mirage pricing*

Hatch
ES	$12,250
ES (a)	$14,250
LS (a)	$15,250
Sedan
ES	$14,500
ES (a)	$16,500
LS (a)	$17,500

*Excludes on-road costs