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The end of the road for the Mitsubishi Mirage in Australia has arrived, after two stints in showrooms across nearly three decades.
The final new Mitsubishi Mirage city hatch left in Australian showrooms has been sold – almost 18 months after the last examples arrived in the country.
Time was called on the Mirage in Australia after Mitsubishi elected not to invest in structural upgrades to meet new side-impact crash safety regulations introduced in November 2021.
Mitsubishi Australia estimated at the time of its axing in 2021 it would have sufficient stock to last until June 2022 – and Drive reported in June that approximately 50 new Mirages remained in dealerships.
A company spokesperson has confirmed to Drive the last new Mitsubishi Mirage example in Australia was sold in February 2023 – nearly 18 months after the final batch of cars arrived before the 31 October 2021 deadline for new imports.
Data provided by Mitsubishi Australia show 79,216 Mirages have been registered since the nameplate arrived on Australian roads in July 1996 – across 47,379 examples of the original 1996-2003 ‘CE’ model, and 31,837 examples of the just-superseded 2013-2021 ‘LA’ or ‘LB’ model.
Whereas the late 1990s and early 2000s Mirage was effectively the hatchback sibling to the Lancer sedan and coupe of the day, the 2010s Mirage was one size smaller than the Lancer, competing against the Kia Picanto, Nissan Micra, Suzuki Alto/Celerio and more.
The original Mirage launched in late 1996 at a price of $14,990 plus on-road costs with a manual transmission – but limboed to $13,990 plus on-road costs through 1997 and 1998.
It was never the cheapest new car on sale in Australia – which at the time of the original Mirage’s launch was the Daihatsu Handivan, priced from $10,990 plus on-road costs, according to database Redbook.
Sales spiked in the Mirage’s final year of full production, 2003, to 6661 vehicles – nearly double the prior year’s sales, likely a result of sharp drive-away offers.
The ‘original’ Mitsubishi Mirage.
The ‘original’ 2013 Mitsubishi Mirage.
The Mitsubishi Mirage retained its title until it left showrooms, priced from $14,990 plus on-road costs (ES manual) – or $700 less than the next cheapest new car, the Kia Picanto S manual ($15,690 plus on-road costs).
The 1990s Mirage was offered exclusively as a three-door hatchback – excluding its closely-related Lancer coupe and sedan twins – while the latest Mirage has been available as a five-door hatchback, or a four-door sedan (sold from 2014 to 2016).
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
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