Test drove a Mitsubishi Mirage

About 2 years ago. No one was buying Ecosports. I didnt know they came in the 4 cyl non tirbo form - then I became interested, They were made by Mhindra in India, powertrain from Cleveland. Was looking at a Mustang GT stick. in the showroom, Mid epidemic - crickets at the dealer. Mustang looked cheap and junky. So off I wandered onto the back lot. Ford had a $3500 rebate at the time and I negotiated another $1500 off.

Good market timing.

I say better off with a used Honda Fit or Yaris than this mirage.
The Ford Ecosport is the Ford Ka built specifically for the Indian market
 
2023 Nissan Versa S, 1.6L/5MT, base MSRP, including "shipping & handling" is $17,075. And with nearly every option offered: $20,517.

"Cool", I thought to myself... And quickly realized that a more loaded, and barely used, Nissan Sentra will come at 50%-75% of new Versa's MSRP.
Here is one of many examples. A really nice 2018 Nissan Sentra Nismo, with a 1.6L Turbo and a 6-speed manual. Only 20k miles, $15,777 price tag. They got quite a bit of interior space for the size. I'm a big guy, and was equally comfortable in both front and rear seats.
Screenshot (19).png
 
2023 Nissan Versa S, 1.6L/5MT, base MSRP, including "shipping & handling" is $17,075. And with nearly every option offered: $20,517.

"Cool", I thought to myself... And quickly realized that a more loaded, and barely used, Nissan Sentra will come at 50%-75% of new Versa's MSRP.
Here is one of many examples. A really nice 2018 Nissan Sentra Nismo, with a 1.6L Turbo and a 6-speed manual. Only 20k miles, $15,777 price tag. They got quite a bit of interior space for the size. I'm a big guy, and was equally comfortable in both front and rear seats.
View attachment 184112


Yeah, Versas are going for $17K around here too.

https://www.nissankendall.com/new-vehicles/?_dFR[type][0]=New&_paymentType=our_price
 
Lots of insincere lamentations over the loss of this model. (lol) "Americans needs basic, affordable, reliable transportation"; companies provide it and no one buys them

This is almost the nail in the coffin for no frills transportation; I owned an !echo! and a yaris, both ridiculed but provided me YEARS of reliable, economical service.

-T
 
Lots of insincere lamentations over the loss of this model. (lol) "Americans needs basic, affordable, reliable transportation"; companies provide it and no one buys them

This is almost the nail in the coffin for no frills transportation; I owned an !echo! and a yaris, both ridiculed but provided me YEARS of reliable, economical service.

-T
Yup, the hypocrisy runs deep on this forum.

It’s all a conspiracy from the greedy manufacturers to sell overpriced vehicles, but none of these guys lamenting the lack of “simple” vehicles actually own one.

The best are the chest thumpers that say they would buy a stripped down version of a truck, car or SUV in a “heartbeat”, sure… 🤣
 
Those Mirages were advertised at around $12k new pre COVID days. I guess what hasn't seemingly doubled in price these days.

Great little car for that money. For $22k?? I'd go with something else.
Corolla
 
I've had 3 over the years and I still believe they are an excellent car that's built unapologetically for a purpose. People that knock them generally don't understand that (and have never even sat in one).

We used to sell these (manuals though). I can remember 1 recall about crash sensors, but that's it. The car didn't have issues. Obviously not a fast car, but with the manual it's about as fast as any other in that size and uses less fuel.

I would get one with confidence
 
Lots of insincere lamentations over the loss of this model. (lol) "Americans needs basic, affordable, reliable transportation"; companies provide it and no one buys them

This is almost the nail in the coffin for no frills transportation; I owned an !echo! and a yaris, both ridiculed but provided me YEARS of reliable, economical service.

-T
You have a great point.
Everyone talks about how we need small, inexpensive cars that are cheap to keep and run, but when the time comes to vote with our wallets we instead choose something much larger, more costly and thirstier to drive to work.
We then complain about fuel economy and the outsize payments many then make.
Common sense ain't common.
 
Yup, the hypocrisy runs deep on this forum.

It’s all a conspiracy from the greedy manufacturers to sell overpriced vehicles, but none of these guys lamenting the lack of “simple” vehicles actually own one.

The best are the chest thumpers that say they would buy a stripped down version of a truck, car or SUV in a “heartbeat”, sure… 🤣
And if you bought one they’d probably tar and feather you for purchasing a brand new car…

First breath: why doesn’t America have more sensible cars available? Second breath: Don’t ever buy a new car!

Good times.
 
The size of a person's manhood isn't proportional to the size of car they drive, although drivers of big haunkin pickups and SUVs would beg to differ it seems.
Same old derogatory BS. Reality is vehicles are bigger and keep getting bigger. Driving the smallest thing on the road puts you at a disadvantage in a collision with anything else. Not a choice I’d make. As I write this I’m sitting beside my honking big truck and mid-size travel trailer in Ramah, New Mexico enjoying some beautiful weather and geography. Got the dogs and bike and even the wife. Do that with a Mirage.
 
Same old derogatory BS. Reality is vehicles are bigger and keep getting bigger. Driving the smallest thing on the road puts you at a disadvantage in a collision with anything else. Not a choice I’d make. As I write this I’m sitting beside my honking big truck and mid-size travel trailer in Ramah, New Mexico enjoying some beautiful weather and geography. Got the dogs and bike and even the wife. Do that with a Mirage.
No more negative than the same old digs on small cars,
No thanks don't care what gas mileage they get or what they cost. Never haul my kids around in one either.
 
And if you bought one they’d probably tar and feather you for purchasing a brand new car…

First breath: why doesn’t America have more sensible cars available? Second breath: Don’t ever buy a new car!

Good times.
If you buy something new, the first and best 100K miles are out on the horizon.
When you buy used, most or all of those miles are in the rearview.
 
Same old derogatory BS. Reality is vehicles are bigger and keep getting bigger. Driving the smallest thing on the road puts you at a disadvantage in a collision with anything else. Not a choice I’d make. As I write this I’m sitting beside my honking big truck and mid-size travel trailer in Ramah, New Mexico enjoying some beautiful weather and geography. Got the dogs and bike and even the wife. Do that with a Mirage.
Eh, for whatever reason the 3/4 and 1 ton truck actually have pretty high death rates for the sheer size of the things...
https://www.iihs.org/ratings/driver-death-rates-by-make-and-model

Most of the tiny size cars still have a much higher rate though, but the Fit's is somehow less that some of the RAM's...
 
I like a stripped car but I also like 3-box styling. These hatchbacks with nothing behind the rear wheels except a plastic bumper just don't do it for me.

I can get the same reliability AND MPG from a Corolla, or better from a Prius, with a little more metal around me. Aerodynamically, you need to "close" the air bubble you create, and a vertically cleaved rear isn't the best for this. The classic 3-box is not just safer, the longer wheelbase makes for a better ride.

The only benefit of a Smart style car is being able to park it in weird places noone else can fit into. With my lifestyle it's not an issue.
 
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