Mitsubishi Mirage G4 - Is it a good buy?

Mitsubishi Mirage G4 is a sedan version of the highly popular hatchback Mitsubishi Mirage. With the same characteristics, design and dynamics, the Mirage G4 tends to capture the minds of the Filipinos. It is certainly a welcome addition to the Mitsubishi line-up in the country owing to the popularity of its hatch sibling and for the buyers who wish to have additional space in form of an extended boot.

With similar cabin space, amenities and performance numbers, the Mirage G4 offers an added advantage of 450 litre of trunk space over its hatch counterpart. So, if you are a big time fan of the Mitsubishi Mirage then adding those extra litres of space at the back totally make sense because space adds so much to a car especially when you like to go on weekend road trips and family picnics.

Aside from these what does the Mirage G4 brings to the table and how worthy is it really to be parked in your garage? Let’s find out.

Looks

The looks of the Mirage G4 are satisfactory, with larger chrome grille up front, big Bi-Xenon HID projector headlamps and a more detailed lower bumper that has fog lamps with black-housing and chrome treatment. The rear section is a rugged one and of course, the extended boot provides an extra advantage for the buyers to consider. Unlike the Mirage hatch, rear seats in the Mirage G4 cannot be folded down for storing long items. Compared to the competition, the looks are just not good enough to give it an edge. Probably, an area the automaker should be looking at for some creativity.

Interiors

From the inside, the Mirage sedan looks to evoke pleasure for both, the driver as well as the passenger. However, manages a few bits of it though. The sedan-feel seems to be missing, with no padded elbow rest and centre armrest. Overall, you won’t find many soft-touch materials inside the cabin.

Your mood lifts up with the supportive fabric seats, audio controls mounted steering wheel and a 6.75-inch/7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes with DVD, MP3, iPod, AUX-in, Bluetooth and USB connectivity options. The touchscreen also serves the purpose of a built-in GPS navigation system, available only with the GLS variants though.

The cabin space is quite generous. The occupants get an impressive legroom of 1,725 mm which makes it up for a comfortable ride. Additionally, the trunk space of 450 litres offers room for both your daily grocery shopping and weekend getaway essentials.

Performance

The Mirage G4 is powered by a 1.2-litre DOHC gasoline engine which comes with Mitsubishi Innovative Valve-timing Electronic Control System (MIVEC). The lightweight and aerodynamic body of the sedan lets it perform considerably on the urban roads. Its power and torque are rated at 78 PS and 100 Nm respectively. It comes with two transmission options, including 5-speed manual and CVT.

It offers an agile and smooth driving experience throughout which is further complemented with a claimed fuel economy of 21 kmpl. This would be an ideal number for daily office goers to consider. It also gets an Eco Assist Lamp that lights up automatically during favorable driving conditions. The engine noise is persistent which degrades the quality of the ride by a substantial amount.

The tight turning radius of 4.8 m helps you maneuver the vehicle easily which adds to the driver comfort big time.

Safety

In the mini car category, the Mitsubishi Mirage G4 has won the ASEAN NCAP Grand Prix Award for a safety metric called Adult Occupancy Protection which definitely adds a sense of safety to the buyer's mind. On the features front, it gets dual SRS airbags, ABS with EBD and a reinforced impact safety evolution (RISE) structure that effectively absorbs impact energy, keeping the interior cabin safe and protected. It also gets a reverse camera for a clearer picture at the back side of the car.

Variants and pricing

The company offers four choices to choose from - the GLX M/T, GLX CVT, GLS M/T and the GLS CVT. While the GLX variants get 3-spoke Urethane steering wheel with silver accents, the higher-end GLS variants come equipped with a leather-wrapped steering wheel with chrome and piano-black accents. The top-end variants also get dark chrome 15-inch alloy wheels, unlike the entry-level GLX models that come with 14-inch steel wheels with cover.

Mirage G4 GLX M/T is priced at Php 666,000

Mirage G4 GLX CVT gets a price tag of Php 717,000

Mirage G4 GLS M/T retails for Php 768,000

Mirage G4 GLS CVT for Php 819,000

Colours

Considering preferences of many if not all, the Mirage G4 is offered in a total of eight magnificent colours, including Pyrenese Black, Cool Silver, Virgil Gray, Savanna White, Wine Red Pearl and Majestic Red. The other two colours, Medium Blue Mica and Sundance Orange are exclusively for GLS variants.
Verdict

Keeping the need at the top and tallying the fuel economy with the competition, the Mirage G4 seems to be a fairly good option to consider as your first subcompact buy. It scores good marks on the practicality front and gains brownie points for its exceptional fuel economy. Other than that, there is not much to brag about.