Mitsubishi Mirage gets mid-cycle makeover

The bestselling Mirage, the present iteration of which was launched in 2012, gets a thorough mid-cycle refresh as Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) tries to sustain a strong start to 2016.

In a speech during the event held at the Solaire Grand Ballroom last Friday, MMPC president Yoshiaki Kato revealed that the company registered three consecutive months of robust sales from January to March – 23.8 percent more than last year’s figure during the same period, and better than the industry rate. Kato said that the performance was largely driven by the all-new Montero Sport, which notched sales leadership in the mid-size category for the quarter.

“To keep the fire burning, we are going to impress the market once again with the new and enhanced 2016 Mirage,” said Kato, and added that the vehicle is a “standout among hatchback models in the small-car segment,” appearing on the list of top 10 passenger cars since 2012. The executive also announced that under the government’s Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) program, MMPC will assemble units of the Mirage in its Sta. Rosa plant.

This means MMPC aims to figure prominently not just as a car dealer and manufacturer in the country, but employer as well.

The refreshed Mirage indeed promises to appeal once more to people on the lookout for a value-for-money vehicle with price point-leading features. Available in GLX and GLS variants with both five-speed manual transmission and continuously variable transmission (CVT), the Mirage still sports the same frugal, three-cylinder, 1.2-liter engine with Mitsubishi’s proprietary Innovative Valve Timing Electronic Control system or MIVEC. Euro 4 compliant, the power plant boasts numbers of 78ps and 100Nm to amply motivate the lightweight vehicle.

Viewed from the front, the Mirage obviously tosses aside its old look. The GLS variant sports new bi-xenon HID headlamps with LED-type position lamps. These frame a new grille with chrome finish. New shoes have been fitted onto the new models, with the GLS getting a two-tone 15-inch alloy wheels and the GLX bestowed 14-inch ones.

The total number of exterior colors available has now been bumped up to nine with the addition of Wine Red Pearl and Sunrise Orange Metallic, which supplements Cool Silver, Majestic Red, Medium Blue Mica, Virgil Gray, Aurora White, Savanna White and Pyrenese Black.

The Mirage interiors have also been revamped for a more “sporty yet subtle” look. Black fabric seats keenly suit the black theme within. “The dashboard provides a clean styling for excellent forward visibility. The GLS variant’s meter cluster is updated to a white-lit semi-high contrast meter cluster for an improved brightness and an added luxurious feel,” reported MMPC in a release.

Another new feature is the so-called “welcome-home lights,” which switches on the vehicle’s front and rear lamps of the car at night when the doors are unlocked using the keyless entry transmitter, and keeps them on even after shutting off the engine – illuminating the path of occupants as they make their way from the car. “The lights stay on for 60 seconds, automatically switching themselves off,” continued the release. This thoughtful function complements standard safety measures such as standard dual airbags, anti-lock braking (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD).

In the Mirage, MMPC’s Kato truly has cause to believe the company is in for another banner year, as he shared that the first quarter of 2016 has seen Mitsubishi’s slice of the local automobile market inch up to 17 percent.

The Mitsubishi Mirage is priced as follows: P553,000 (GLX MT), P603,000 (GLX CVT), P663,000 (GLS MT), and P713,000 (GLS CVT). MMPC extends a warranty period of five years or 100,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.