Currently reading: Restyled Mitsubishi Mirage to be revealed on 18 November

Budget city car will take styling inspiration from the Outlander and could offer a hybrid version

Mitsubishi has previewed an updated version of its Mirage city car ahead of an unveiling in Thailand on 18 November. 

The Hyundai i10 rival will be offered globally in hatchback form, but its saloon sibling, the Attrage, won't be heading to UK dealerships. The pair accounted for 140,000 sales globally in 2018, says Mitsubishi.

The preview image highlights a revised front end design that features Mitsubishi’s new corporate styling. The chrome trim linking the slimmed-down headlights and lower front bumper is carried over from the latest versions of the larger L200 pick-up truck and Outlander SUV, with a slatted grille design replacing the mesh design on the current model. 

There’s no word on powertrain changes, but the refreshed Mirage is expected to offer the same pair of three-cylinder petrol engines as the current model. The 1.0-litre produces 70bhp and 65lb ft, while the 1.2-litre produces 79bhp and 78lb ft. 

Both are said to be optimised for lightweight build and efficiency and may be electrified at some point in the new Mirage's lifecycle, heightening its appeal in the UK, where it has traditionally struggled against better-equipped and more keenly priced rivals.

In May, a senior Mistubishi source hinted that the Japanese company was considering an electric version of the Mirage to rival the new Skoda Citigo-e iV and Renault Zoe. He told Autocar: “If you try to build one car for both Asia and Europe, it’s clear you end up pleasing neither. It’s either too lowly specced or too highly specced depending on your perspective.

“We have a couple of options. We could look to the Renault-Nissan Alliance for a solution or we could move towards a battery-electric city car for some markets.”

The current Mirage, which replaced the Colt, was introduced here in 2013. It was launched with a raft of new equipment as standard, including hill start assistance for the first time in the smallest Mitsubishi model's history. 

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Felix Page

Felix Page
Title: Deputy editor

Felix is Autocar's deputy editor, responsible for leading the brand's agenda-shaping coverage across all facets of the global automotive industry - both in print and online.

He has interviewed the most powerful and widely respected people in motoring, covered the reveals and launches of today's most important cars, and broken some of the biggest automotive stories of the last few years. 

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jonboy4969 7 November 2019

The only car other than the

The only car other than the Daewoo Matiz that frightened me - the Matiz was blown across the carraigeway whilst going over the Orwell Bridge, and this thing, is so under powered, and vile, its laughed at in the US as one of teh worst cars around and very unreliable, after the previous gen Colt, this was a 500% let down.

 

And it is NOT based on anything, especially the Micra...

 

jonboy4969 7 November 2019

The only car other than the

The only car other than the Daewoo Matiz that frightened me - the Matiz was blown across the carraigeway whilst going over the Orwell Bridge, and this thing, is so under powered, and vile, its laughed at in the US as one of teh worst cars around and very unreliable, after the previous gen Colt, this was a 500% let down.

 

And it is NOT based on anything, especially the Micra...

 

Thekrankis 7 November 2019

Colt was good.

Current Mirage is dire.

This has to be MUCH MORE than a facelift to succeed.