With a starting price of just $13,795, the Mitsubishi Mirage is one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) new car money can buy in the United States today. It's also the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid vehicle sold in the country for the 2019 model year, and the good news is that it's here to stay – or that's what we tend to believe after seeing the facelifted Mirage and Attrage (Mirage G4 in America) for the Thai market.
While the subcompact model remains instantly recognizable, it now features a more mature front fascia thanks to the adoption of Mitsubishi's Dynamic Shield design language with a dominating X-shaped radiator grille. Also new are the headlights, which now feature a revised layout with standard projector lenses and integrated LED daytime running lights.
At the back, both the hatchback and the sedan now appear slightly wider due to the new squarish treatment for the bumper corners and the modified L-signature horizontal LED lamps that stretch across the width of the car. Both come with new 15-inch wheels with two-tone diamond-cut styling on the Mirage and a traditional silver finish on the Attrage.
Inside the cabin, the duo gets softer materials and a redesigned front armrest for all trim levels, while the more expensive models also benefit from a special seat design. More importantly, the models receive a new infotainment system with a seven-inch display, which supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
No hardware upgrades are reported at this point, which means the Mirage and Attrage continue to be powered by a three-cylinder naturally-aspirated 1.2-liter gas engine good for 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. This motor is the only available choice in the United States as well, where you can have it with a continuously variable transmission for an EPA fuel efficiency numbers of 36 miles per gallon in the city, 43 mpg highway, and 39 mpg.
The first public appearance of the refreshed duo is scheduled for the Thailand International Motor Expo later this month and Mitsubishi says "sales in other markets will follow sequentially."
