For people on a strict budget who just want a new car to travel from point A to point B, the Mitsubishi Mirage has been the go-to model. However, its days are apparently numbered as Automotive News cites insiders claiming the cheap, no-frills small hatchback and sedan will both be discontinued. The five-door Mirage and four-door Mirage G4 will allegedly be dropped from the US lineup by the middle of the decade.
If true, the Mirage will be one of the many cars to get the axe in recent years while people continue to flock to crossovers and SUVs. Research conducted by Cox Automotive has revealed Mitsubishi’s aging car is the only model that transacted for less than $20,000 last month. The hatch retails from $16,245 while the sedan begins at $17,245, before destination and handling fees.
Contacted by Automotive News, Mitsubishi Motors North America spokesperson Jeremy Barnes said the Mirage is not going anywhere for the time being: “It’s a vehicle that we still see as having a role in our portfolio at this time. It fulfills the role of an entry-level vehicle.” But sales numbers are showing the entry-level car is on a downward trend as deliveries to customers in the first half of 2023 plummeted by 44 percent. For the full 2022, demand declined by 31 percent compared to the previous year.
While a direct replacement is not planned, the report states the Outlander Sport will apparently be superseded by the recently unveiled Xforce. The small crossover will serve as the entry point into the company’s lineup in the US following the Mirage’s demise, although an official announcement has yet to be made.
Rumor has it Mitsubishi also intends to launch a fully electric coupe-styled crossover in 2026 molded after the Leaf replacement launching a year before. A zero-emission pickup truck for the US market is also in the works, according to the same report.
