The Mitsubishi Mirage doesn’t have a lot going for it in the modern automotive landscape despite solid sales last year after its discontinuation was announced. Its sole subcompact competitor, the Nissan Versa, is a much more substantial vehicle for comparable money, not to mention the litany of used cars for sale at comparable prices. Having said that, curiosity just drove me to search AutoTrader for the cheapest new cars on sale in the United States right now, and I was shocked by what I found.
There are hundreds of brand new 2024 Mitsubishi Mirages listed for prices that would’ve been good deals 10 years ago, and are virtually unbelievable in 2025. The MSRP of a base 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage is about $17,000, but there are several new 2024 Mirages advertised for under $13,000. That’s about 70 percent cheaper than the average price of a new car. The next-cheapest new cars for sale online are a $15,495 2024 Chevy Trax, a $15,590 2024 Kia Forte, and a $15,679 2024 Nissan Versa.
What do you get for your $13,000?
While they aren’t fancy these Mitsubishi Mirages at least have standard features like push-button start, automated emergency braking, an automatic transmission, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, and power mirrors. Unfortunately they’re all saddled with the same 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that produces just 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. This diminutive powertrain paired with the Mirage’s impressively light 2,084-pound curb weight equate to great gas mileage, at least, with EPA estimates of 39 mpg city and 43 mpg highway.
One of the biggest incentives to buying a new car versus a used one is the inclusion of a manufacturer warranty, and Mitsubishi offers great warranties. All new Mitsubishi models come standard with a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, a 5-year or 60,000-mile basic warranty, a 7-year or 100,000-mile anti-corrosion warranty, and 5 years of standard roadside assistance with no mileage limit. There’s also a 2-year or 30,000-mile limited maintenance program that covers three oil and filter changes, tire rotations, and cabin air filter replacements. Financing one of these Mirages with minimal money down would equate to monthly payments around $300 per month, and could be even lower.
As the average transaction price of a new car rose to $49,740 in December of last year according to KBB, these brand new Mitsubishi Mirages are not just a figment of your imagination. While they’re not remarkable or even particularly good cars, they’re amazingly cheap and might be the right choice for someone who desperately needs some reliable basic transportation. Heck, these would still be screaming deals if it was 2015 and not 2025.
