MITSUBISHI

R.I.P Mitsubishi Mirage: Another Affordable Car Under $20K Bites The Dust

As car folks still ponder how bloated, overpriced SUVs came to take over the automotive landscape so quickly, the world ought to raise a glass as it says goodbye to one of the last bastions of affordable cheap cars, the Mitsubishi Mirage. With this, the Japanese automaker also becomes a completely SUV-brand, at least here in the U.S.

In a recent Mitsubishi Motors North America announcement, the company said that the sub-compact Mirage sedan will be no more. The model has been plying American streets for 11 years, but production will cease two years after Japan did the same. If you're still reading this and wondering what a Mirage is, you're not alone. The sub-$18,000 car, known for its obvious entry price point, has practically been invisible to most Americans, even when sedans and hatchbacks still ruled the earth.

We applaud Mitsubishi for keeping the fire burning this long, giving its 218,000 fanbase economical, safe, and relatively reliable transport. Nonetheless, low sales throughout its 11-year run and the rise of the ridiculous love for SUVs have proven to be the death knell for this little 78 horsepower car that could.

With the Mirage dropping out of the race, the only sub-compact holding the fort (until its own discontinuation expected in 2025) is Nissan's bigger-selling Versa lineup, which at $17,800 including destination fees, remains the cheapest car sold in the country.

Mitsubishi did add that "production will cease late this year, and we expect to have sufficient dealer stock to last into the summer of 2025," just in case potential customers want to snap up deals as dealerships begin offloading them from inventory...On another note, the automaker also highlighted that 2025 will see the facelifted Outlander. The critically-acclaimed SUV (in the Japanese version, anyway) will be getting tweaked styling with more upscale materials and technology. The only "details" given were that there will be new wheels, different colorways, ventilated semi-aniline leather seats, larger 12.3-inch infotainment unit, and a Yamaha-tuned audio system. Probably the biggest improvements will come in the form of a higher capacity battery promising greater range (and potentially higher performance).

However, American buyers of the PHEV Outlander will not be receiving many of these improvements in 2025. The only changes we'll get are design changes and now standard heated front seat, while the SEL trim adds a heated steering wheel and panoramic sunroof.

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