The Most Fuel-Efficient Gas-Powered Car On Sale Today

Summary

• The world is shifting towards electric cars, but the Mitsubishi Mirage excels in fuel efficiency among gas-powered models.
• Stick with the base ES CVT trim for best value – extra features on higher trims don’t align with affordability.
• Mirage offers unmatched fuel economy and exceptional warranties, but lacks in performance and interior quality.

It is without a doubt that the world is slowly moving away from gas-powered cars. More and more electric vehicles and hybrids are popping up and dominating the market. Pretty soon there might very well be no gas-powered cars left, especially when you’re looking for something affordable.

It’s not hard to understand why the industry has started making this shift towards alternative fuel sources. Not only is it environmentally friendly, protecting the limited resources we have on the planet, but it’s also more efficient. With gas prices rising to ridiculous heights around the world, the reality is that owning a fuel-efficient car is a necessity, especially when you’re on a tight budget.

In this world of fuel efficiency, though, there is one gas-powered model that stands above the rest, even matching the economy of a ton of hybrid cars. The Mitsubishi Mirage is a champion for those who are looking to spend as little as possible on transportation, being incredibly cheap to run and having an absurdly low purchase price.

UPDATE: 2024/02/21 9:00 BY MOSES KAROMO

The Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback is the most economical gas-powered car, currently on sale. The downside of its frugality is poor performance. This update details what the Mirage offers and how it compares with other equally affordable cars in the subcompact car segment.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources like the EPA and NHTSA.

A Selection Of Trims But No Need To Go Higher Than The Base Model

Filling up with fuel isn’t the only place you’re going to save a ton of money when you’re considering buying a Mirage. There are very few new cars out there that still have an MSRP that sits under the $20,000 dollar mark. The Mitsubishi Mirage is one of them. As a bonus, you don’t really have to move up the trim levels if you’re looking for value.

Trim Options

(Source: Mitsubishi)

The Base ES CVT Variant Is The Smartest Buy

The bog-standard ES CVT trim is the only one worth considering if you want to maximize value for money. The higher trim levels definitely come outfitted with more equipment, but the features that you get just don’t align with the point of buying a Mirage in the first place. Paying for alloy wheels and unique color schemes is not the game of someone looking to spend less than $17,000 dollars on a car.

Plus, if you start moving up the trim level, the price range you’re looking for gets more and more competitive. The Mitsubishi Mirage’s biggest strength is that it is essentially the cheapest city car you can get in every way, and it starts to lose that edge when you add unnecessary extras to the price. Thus, we recommend sticking with the base model, the Mirage ES CVT.

Mirage ES CVT Standard Features

• Four-speaker audio system
• Seven-inch display screen
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Automatic climate control
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Cruise control
• Remote keyless entry
• Voice recognition control

Mitsubishi’s Warranty Is One Of The Mirage’s Biggest Strengths

In a world of increasing expenses, maintenance costs are another place where everyone gets money anxiety. Buying a cheap car is all great and well, but if you have to worry about fixing it all the time and racking up a big bill, then what’s the point? Luckily for the Mirage, Mitsubishi offers one of the most competitive warranties around.

All Mirage Trims Get A Two-Year Complimentary Maintenance Plan From Mitsubishi

Not having to worry about your car breaking down in the time that you own it is great, but not many automakers offer a warrant with the longevity that Mitsubishi does. The 2024 Mirage comes with a limited warranty that lasts you up to five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first.

There is also a powertrain warranty that lasts up to 10 years or 100,000 miles, which is mighty impressive. On top of all that, a two-year, 30,000-mile maintenance plan is standard that covers three oil changes, three wheel rotations, and one cabin filter.

The Mirage Has A Four-Star NHTSA Safety Rating

Safety and reliability are not things you have to worry about in the Mirage either. It achieved an excellent four out of five-star safety rating from the NHTSA, which, given its price, is quite an achievement. All-in-all, the Mirage is built to last, and you won’t be spending much on its upkeep.

2024 Mitsubishi Mirage Standard Safety Features

• Forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection
• Automatic high beams
• ABS with brake assist
• Active stability control
• Hill start assist
• Traction control logic
• Seven airbags

The Mirage Packs A Very Frugal Engine

Unfortunately for Mitsubishi, this is where the strengths of the Mirage end. While you’re saving a ton of money and that’s great, the car you’re getting is extremely bare-boned, even for its ridiculously low price. Some people buy a car for pure enjoyment and others for function. Even if you’re the latter, you’re going to be disappointed driving the Mirage.

Performance Specifications

(Specs: Mitsubishi)

Every trim level of the Mirage comes fitted with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder which just doesn’t produce enough power. Even when you’re on city streets, the Mirage often doesn’t feel like it has the power to keep up with traffic. It somehow feels like it has less than its already tiny 78 horsepower. Also standard is a CVT and front-wheel drive. Even without comparing the Mirage to its rivals, it just doesn’t feel like it has enough go, even for the tamest of drivers. Sitting behind the wheel you’re going to be pushing the engine hard to get it to do even the most mundane of tasks.

The Mitsubishi Mirage’s Fuel Economy Is Unmatched

The Mitsubishi Mirage is a small compact four-door hatchback that exists for the sole purpose of being cheap. This is a purpose that it achieves exceptionally well. When you compare it to rivals, like the Nissan Versa, the Mitsubishi Mirage is simply the best choice if the main thing you care about is how much gas your car will consume.

An upside of having a low-power, low-capacity engine is that it doesn’t consume much fuel. The Mitsubishi Mirage achieves an absurdly good combined 39 MPG in hatchback form. Even when you’re only using the car in the city, it still achieves 36 miles per gallon and once you’re on the highway the average shoots up to 43 miles per gallon.

There is a sedan option called the Mirage G4 that still does pretty decently when it comes to fuel efficiency, but the hatchback is by far the better option. When it comes to saving money on gas, there really isn’t an alternative. The most comparable car in this class from another automaker is the Nissan Versa, another compact car that’s pretty light on fuel consumption. However, even at its best, it only averages a combined 35 miles per gallon.

Inside The Mirage Is Cheaper Than The Price Tag Suggests

The interior is another bleak topic of conversation when it comes to the Mirage. You really shouldn’t expect much from a car that costs less than $20,000.

Hard Plastics Fill The Mirage’s Interior

There are a couple of subcompact cars that offer cabins that feel like good value for money and the Mitsubishi Mirage does not sit among them. Hard plastics and poor-grade materials grace basically every panel in the cabin. The overall design also feels like it’s a decade old. The Mirage does come standard with an infotainment center and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, which is a point in its favor, but ultimately, it just doesn’t feel like it’s enough.

Though Tiny, The Mirage Offers A Decent Amount Of Cargo Space

In terms of space, the driver and the front-side passenger will feel fairly comfortable, even on slightly longer journeys. However, the backseat feels like a squeeze, even for a car in this segment. What is pleasantly surprising is the cargo space, which is pretty decent for this price range. With all seats in place, the Mirage offers 17.1 cubic feet of cargo volume; folding the rear seats increases cargo capacity to 47 cubic feet.

Mitsubishi Mirage Vs. Mitsubishi Mirage G4 Vs. Nissan Versa

The Mirage’s competitors in the subcompact car segment are the sedan variant of the Mirage, which is the most frugal new sedan in the market, and the Versa four-door from Nissan. Let’s find out how the hatchback stacks up against its rivals.

The Mirage G4 Has More Rear Passenger Space Than The Hatchback

Despite having the same powertrain as the hatchback Mirage, the sedan is slower due to its higher curb weight. The four-door is also less economical than the smaller hatchback. One area where the G4 triumphs over the Mirage is the rear passenger room – it offers backseat occupants three more inches of legroom. The negative impact of extra comfort for rear passengers is reduced cargo space: the G4 has 12.4 cubic feet of cargo room, 4.7 cubes less than the hatchback.

Performance Comparison

(Specs: Mitsubishi, Nissan)

The Versa Is Faster Than The Mirage

Mitsubishi compares the Mirage against the Nissan Versa on its website, boasting that its offering comes with more standard features. What Mitsubishi cheekily omits is that the Nissan is considerably more powerful than the Mitsubishi.Featuring a 122-horsepower inline-four, the Versa is the fastest offering in the subcompact car segment.

Summing Up The Mitsubishi Mirage

If spending as little money on a car is your goal, then the Mitsubishi Mirage is a great choice. Filling up your car is something that you’ll rarely do, and your wallet will thank you for it. The Mirage will also rarely run into problems, and when it does, Mitsubishi has your back with their warranty and maintenance plans. However, everything about the Mirage is soul-less; its engine is tiny, so you’ll struggle to get anywhere in a hurry, and its interior is spartan no matter what you upgrade it with.

It’s not a car that will ever give you trouble and, on paper, it’s not a terrible choice, but it’s just a machine built for moving you from A to B and that’s all it will ever offer you. Most automakers have abandoned the subcompact car segment; following the Kia Rio’s discontinuation, only the Mirage and Versa remain. The Mirage might be next on the chopping block, so if you want a new one, start saving up. It won’t take you long to come up with the money.