I finally test drove one of these

"fhrblig" (fhrblig)
06/25/2015 at 00:49 • Filed to: None

I was stuck on the west side after work because when it rains during rush hour in Denver everyone loses their damn minds. So I decided to kill time by test driving this Mitsubishi Mirage.

I really wanted to like it, and to be honest I almost could. The problem is it has the worst clutch I’ve ever driven. ‘Light’ is not a strong enough word for it. The manual gearbox wasn’t good either, but if the clutch was stiffer I’d maybe be willing to put up with it. It’s a shame. The rest of it is a perfectly decent car.

DISCUSSION (21)

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 01:00

That was my problem with the DART. Between the totally rubbery feeling of the shifter, the hard plastic knob, and the suuuper light clutch, it was the least enjoyable manual trans vehicle I’ve ever driven.

sellphones2493 > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 01:09

Did they try to sell it to you and/or throw a price out?

M54B30 > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 01:14

I’m tempted by these just so I can pay cash and walk away with the title. Too bad the clutch sucks, i heard that from some reviews too.

fhrblig > sellphones2493
06/25/2015 at 01:16

Nope, he was like, “Ok, you’ve driven it, I’ll never see you again.”

M54B30 > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 01:21

Also, I’m tempted to see what the aftermarket will offer for it. Even a modest bump in power from bolt ons can transform it to a fun car.

Dunnik > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 01:46

Oh, well, if you didn’t like the car with a manual, you will absolutely LOVE it with a CVT.

What else can I say about this car? It’s small, tinny, and cheaply made - but it’s cheap to buy, insure and gas up. Mitsu’s sales are so bad they’re offering one of the best warranties in the business. As much as we enthusiasts like to shit on shitboxes sometimes, they have the place in the world, and for many, a car like this will tick all the automotive boxes.

Nibbles > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 02:20

not Dealin' Doug I take it

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 03:04

Tell me more about this crapcan. You say the clutch was light and the gearbox wasn’t good. Please expand on this.

If you just needed a car and didn’t really care about driving dynamics at all (that is, fuel economy and reliability were your top concerns), how would you rate it? If you had never driven a manual before, how hard would it be to learn in the Mirage? If you didn’t know better, would you like it more?

The reason I ask is that I may be recommending a very cheap car to a friend soon and I’m weighing something cheap that is new against something old that is cheaper to buy. My nearest Mitsubishi dealer is a crazy drive away, so I'm reluctant to make the trip just to try it.

The Ghost of Oppo > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 07:11

Ha! Could we almost consider the mirage the US’s Tata Nano? So cheap people don’t trust it

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 07:14

Wow. Sadly that's probably happened to him before, if he had that reaction. People hate the car that much?

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
06/25/2015 at 07:53

that was my experience too. Test drove a Dart Rallye with all the bells and whistles and a manual. Came away from it thinking “y’know the interior is great, the ride is good, the handling is not boring, but I think I’d have to get the auto if I actually decided to buy this...”

it's sad. :'(

fhrblig > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/25/2015 at 09:37

Take your left leg and move it forward. Now bring it back. You have just experienced the clutch in a Mirage.

Honestly, the rest of the car is perfectly adequate. Sure, the plastics are cheap, but everything is put together fine and looks decent. Plenty of room, and an adequate trunk. I am even ok with the weak three-banger that makes more noise than power (but the noise isn’t unpleasant). I just think you’d have to opt for the CVT, unfortunately.

I think if they could hold off on a new car for a couple months, the new Chevy Spark will be out and it might be pretty good.

fhrblig > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
06/25/2015 at 09:39

It’s part of a Dodge/Ram dealership, so I think it’s more indifference than resignation.

fhrblig > Nibbles
06/25/2015 at 09:41

Ha, no. I’d probably still be there right now trying to leave.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/25/2015 at 09:50

Hyundai Accent was awesome when I had it as a rental (I mean, “awesome” is an overstatement, but it did its cheap car job well).

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > fhrblig
06/25/2015 at 10:05

Does the fact it is so light make it hard to tell where the engagement point is? I’d think a really light clutch might be a benefit in a car you regularly deal with traffic in.

I’ve contemplated others, like the Fit and Fiesta, both of which have what appear to be decent manual options. I need to talk my coworker into letting me take his Fit for a spin, but he’s such a rough driver that I’d be afraid to let him try my FoST.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
06/25/2015 at 10:10

That’s an option I hadn’t considered. The Elantra that I had as a rental recently was shockingly-good, too, for what it was.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/25/2015 at 10:17

I was getting 50-60mpg driving through the FL keys, too.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
06/25/2015 at 10:19

That is truly mind-blowing. Out of a conventional naturally-aspirated engine? With their current commute, if it could pull close to that, the car would practically pay for itself.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/25/2015 at 10:48

It was whatever engine that’s in the cheap rental version (probably the only option) with “Eco" turned on. Direct injection, so who knows about carbon build up / longevity. Also the 50ish mpg was based on the cars computer, so there’s that.

I think I used about six gallons of gas driving from Ft Lauderdale to key west and back.

fhrblig > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/25/2015 at 11:14

Yeah, you end up lurching a lot because of it.