We often see Japanese domestic market introductions and get all hot and bothered because those cars won't be sold here in the United States. This is not one of those times.
The 2012 Mitsubishi Mirage goes on sale in Thailand in March with three stated objectives: Compactness, affordability, and efficiency. At about the size of a Mini Cooper hatchback (146 inches in length), the five-seater Mirage looks in every way like the transportation appliance it aims to be. Powered by a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine with stop/start technology and a continuously variable transmission, Mitsubishi says it should be good for about 30 kilometers per liter – that's 70 miles per gallon. That's impressive – its 14-inch wheels and disposable wheel covers, less so.
It's been a decade since Mitsubishi sold a Mirage in the U.S., and over 20 years since anyone cared. We don't expect this one to even make it here, let alone move that needle.