Most Affordable Gas-Powered New Car That Gets 40+ MPG

Summary

• The 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage offers best-in-class fuel economy at 39 MPG combined, starting at $16,695 for the hatchback and $17,795 for the sedan.
• Powered by a 1.2-liter engine that produces 78 horsepower, the Mirage is the second-cheapest new car in 2024, behind the Nissan Versa.
• Despite Mitsubishi planning to end production of the Mirage by 2025, it still offers a fresh, eco-friendly, cost-effective option in today’s market.

In today’s economy, finding a new car that can provide optimal fuel efficiency is one of the first factors that should be considered. In 2022, fuel prices reached an all-time high average of $5.00 per gallon, as stated by CNN Business. Despite electric power being introduced to more and more segments throughout the industry in recent years, EVs cost more on average to buy new.

Luckily, some manufacturers still produce gas-powered cars offering excellent fuel economy at a much more affordable price, even if the selection is growing slimmer. Mitsubishi is a manufacturer that has a solid reputation for buikding reliable, user-friendly cars at very reasonable prices. Out of the three nameplates that the Japanese brands currently produce, the Mitsubishi Mirage is the only hatchback and sedan that the brand offers moving into 2024.

The Mirage was first introduced in 1978, with the compact hatchback, and the sedan version, the G4, is now in its sixth generation with a second facelift. In 2024, the Mirage continues its recent trend of offering standout fuel economy, while being one of the cheapest new cars on the market. Here’s an in-depth look at the all-new ’24 Mitsubishi Mirage.

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 including fueleconomy.gov.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage Offers Great Efficiency At An Affordable Price

Considering that the Mitsubishi Mirage is offered in either compact hatchback or sedan form, the miles per gallon that the car can achieve is pretty special. The hatchback model does offer slightly better fuel economy than the sedan, providing 39 MPG combined, with 36 in the city and a massive 43 on the highway.

Regarding the G4 version of the Mirage, the numbers still push the model to the top of the compact sedan segment. At 37 MPG combined, the G4 still offers 35 MPG in the city and 41 MPG on the highway. No matter which version of the Mirage you choose, you can be confident that you’ve chosen one of the most eco-friendly cars available for 2024 without breaking the bank.

The Cheapest Mitsubishi Model In 2024

Keeping on topic with the 2024 Mirage’s price, the model is the cheapest Mitsubishi available coming into the model year, starting at $16,695 for the hatchback and $17,795 for the G4 sedan. Considering that each of the four models offered by the brand are SUVs, a lower price can be expected. However, the next Mitsubishi up from the Mirage, the Outlander Sport, only costs $7,000 more.

When comparing the fuel economy between the Mirage and the Outlander Sport, the former beats out the latter by some margin, with the Outlander Sport offering 26 MPG combined. Of course, the Mirage has a much smaller engine, with both the hatchback and the G4 being powered by a 1.2-liter inline-three.

2024 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 Performance & Fuel Economy Specs

(Source: Mitsubishi)

The Mirage’s engine produces 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque, which happens to be more than enough for this lightweight, cost-effective car designed for efficiency and practicality. The ’24 Mirage has a top speed of 105 miles per hour and can go from 0-60 MPH in 11 seconds.

Class-leading Efficiency For A Compact Hatchback/Sedan

Moving outside of Mitsubishi’s current fleet, the 2024 Mirage remains super competitive in the compact segment. Recently, the closest rivals to the Mirage have been the Nissan Versa and the Kia Rio, models that Mitsubishi manages to top regarding their fuel-saving capabilities.

The 2024 Nissan Versa offers a total of 30 MPG combined, with the 2023 Kia Rio improving to 36 MPG combined. A key difference between the Versa and the Rio regarding availability is the Rio also comes in both hatchback and sedan form, but the overall MPG numbers stay the same.

The Versa does, however, offer a decent amount of extra power, outputting 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. The Kia Rio also improves on the Mirage for power, producing 120 horsepower and 112 pound-feet of torque. Albeit having more power over the Mirage, the Mitsubishi’s greater fuel economy more than makes up for the deficit. Considering the high costs of fuel today, efficiency has become much more valuable than power in the cost-effective compact segment.

An Ideal Choice For Urban Living

The outstanding fuel economy alone makes the ’24 Mitsubishi Mirage an attractive option for a new car in 2024. As more and more people have started to move into cities, smaller cars become the viable choice for a new car, but the comfort and practicality of larger cars never go amiss.

The Mitsubishi Mirage, despite its small size, manages to fit plenty of space and features into its package for 2024. Alongside its surprising practicality, the Mirage’s fuel economy also makes it a brilliant choice if you live in more rural areas, or plan on taking frequent commutes and/or road trips.

Cargo Space and Interior Dimensions

As for the space in the two ’24 Mitsubishi Mirage models, there are only minimal differences between them. For headroom, the hatchback comes with 39 inches in the front and 37.2 inches in the rear. The G4 only loses 0.1 inches in the front, and 0.4 in the rear. The hip room for the two models stays the same in the front at 48.8 inches, but the hatchback loses 0.3 inches from the G4’s 46.7 inches in the rear.

Legroom is an area that is looked at heavily for cars in the Mirage’s category, with the Mitsubishi offering solid room for all potential passengers. Both models provide 41.7 inches in the front, but the G4 has a 3.1-inch advantage in the rear.

However, due to the different design philosophies, the cargo space is where the two models see the biggest differences, with the hatchback taking the top spot. With the rear seat up, the hatchback offers 17.1 inches of cargo space, improving to a solid 47 inches with them folded down. The G4 still offers decent cargo space for a compact car, but only provides 12.4 inches of space with the seats up.

Comfort And Technology

As well as offering standout practicality through its cargo space, the 2024 Mirage also comes kitted out with a great deal of tech and safety, assisting with both comfort and overall drivability. As with the majority of new cars, the Mirage comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Smartphone Link display measures 7.0 inches as standard, which is the same size as the ’23 Nissan Versa. Comfort features such as automatic climate control and rear heater floor ducts also come as standard.

Another must-have with modern cars is the latest safety features, especially in smaller cars. Considering the price of the ’24 Mitsubishi Mirage, the car comes with more safety features than you might expect. Safety systems such as active stability control, forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, and advanced dual-stage front airbags, all come as standard.

How Does The Mitsubishi Mirage’s Price Compare To Its Rivals?

Besides having the best fuel economy in its class, considering the price is essential in determining just how cost-effective the Mitsubishi Mirage really is. Looking toward different manufacturer’s entries onto the market has long since been the best way to find value for money for a new car, which in 2024 shines an entirely new light on the Mirage.

The Second-Cheapest New Car In 2024

In the compact car segment, the 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage is the second-cheapest new car for sale, only falling short of its main rival, the Nissan Versa, which starts at $16,390. While this alone is a mighty impressive feat by itself, the Versa and Mirage are also the two cheapest new cars in 2024 throughout the entire industry.

Other rivals for the Mirage include the Kia Rio, which starts at $16,750, only slightly more than the Mirage and Versa. The ’24 Toyota Corolla also competes within the compact segment but fetches a higher starting price of $22,050, but comes with 169 horsepower over the Mirage’s 78. The Mirage, however, does beat the Corolla regarding fuel efficiency, with the latter being rated at 35 MPG combined.

At first, the Versa might seem more appealing due to this, but the 39 MPG overall for the Mirage makes it a better investment in the long run. With fuel efficiency becoming more and more prevalent, being able to provide such high numbers from a 1.2-liter inline-three should make this car a serious contender for those who want a cheap, eco-friendly, practical new car.

Key Takeaways:

• The 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage offers 39 MPG Combined, with 36 MPG in the city and 43 on the highway. This is best-in-class for gas-powered compact hatchbacks/sedans.
• As for prices, the hatchback Mirage starts at $16,695, with the Mirage G4 sedan starting at $17,795.
• The Mitsubishi is the second-cheapest new car for 2024, behind the Nissan Versa which starts at $16,390.
• The ’24 Mirage is powered by a 1.2-liter inline-three, making 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque.

The Future Of the Mitsubishi Mirage

Unfortunately, Mitsubishi plans to end production of the Mirage nameplate by the end of 2025. Despite being the second-cheapest new car for 2024, the gas-powered compact scene hasn’t been making enough sales, which is more than expected with the ever-growing EV scene.

Despite being more expensive, the obvious economic benefits of electric motors are attracting buyers at an unprecedented rate. As well as EVs, crossover SUVs have also become a key focus for many manufacturers, including Mitsubishi. However, in 2024, the full shift to affordable, fully electric lineups is still in the early stages, allowing the ’24 Mirage to still stand out from the crowd, providing a fresh, eco-friendly, cost-effective option that can tackle just about any task on the road.