2019 Mitsubishi Mirage

As modern cars go, you can't get much more basic than the Mitsubishi Mirage. This four-door hatchback was originally designed for sale in countries where budget-oriented drivers are less discerning than North Americans. Therefore, one of the first things you'll notice when comparing the Mirage to other little cars is a lack of the refinement we've become accustomed to even in inexpensive vehicles.

That is not to say the Mirage is a bad car; it's just a simple one, and that simplicity carries over unchanged into 2019.

The Mirage is powered by a 1.2L three-cylinder engine that makes 78 hp and 74 lb-ft of torque. It comes paired with a five-speed manual transmission at the bottom of the range; a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is optional in those entry trims and standard in the more comprehensively equipped models.

The Mirage's problem is not that it is unrefined; the trouble is this little hatch (there's a sedan, too, covered in a separate buyer's guide article) is less sophisticated in just about every measure than any other subcompact you can line it up against. Those cars include the Nissan Micra and Chevrolet Spark at the tiny end of the segment, and larger cars like the Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio twins.

ES trim starts out with 14-inch steel wheels with covers, LED taillights, power front windows (the rears are crank-ems) and a four-speaker stereo.

ES Plus models add air conditioning, power door locks with keyless entry, cruise control, power rear windows and a 6.5-inch display audio touchscreen that supports the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration platforms.

ES Limited gets you 15-inch black alloy wheels, fog lights, black side mirrors and rear spoiler, driver's seat armrest, premium fabric upholstery and leather trim for the steering wheel and shifter.

Finally, GT models bring silver 15-inch alloys, auto-off HID headlights, body-colour side mirrors and rear spoiler, heated front seats, six-way manual driver's seat, chrome interior door handles and passive keyless entry.

What Mitsubishi doesn't offer at any price in the Mirage are advanced safety features like collision warning, automatic braking or blind spot monitoring.

Mitsu's fuel consumption estimates for the Mirage hatch are 7.1/5.8 L/100 km (city/highway) with the manual transmission, and 6.6/5.6 with the automatic.