Mitsubishi’s all-new global compact car, the Mirage, made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show and is scheduled to arrive in Australia next year.
To be manufactured at Mitsubishi’s Thailand plant, the new compact hatchback has been conceived for sale success in emerging world markets where the priorities are affordability and optmised fuel consumption.
The Mitsubishi Mirage will replace the existing Colt in Mitsubishi’s Australian lineup but intriguingly, the company’s Executive Vice President of Product Projects and Strategy, Mr Gayu Uesugi, told Car Showroom there would be another model in the gap between the compact Mirage and Lancer (sedan and hatchback).
Power comes from a new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine with auto stop and go and driving through a CVT automatic transmission. Fuel economy is claimed to be 3.3l/100kms.
Styling is a pleasant twist on the compact hatchback genre and unlike any other Mitsubishi model. The front features a narrow upper air intake and large modern headlights with the usual sculpturing around the bonnet edges while the rising glasshouse and squared-off C-pillars are reminiscent of the Suzuki Swift – a direct rival.
We sampled inside and were pleasantly surprised by the rear seat leg room which appears to rival segment stars like the Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta.
Mitsubishi Australia will reveal full details closer to the Mirage’s local launch.
