Mitsubishi Mirage CE (1996-2003)
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Great little car. I love my little mirage :)
Mirage CE (1996-2003)I bought a 1997 mirage last year and I love it.
I do mostly highway driving and it has been a great little economical car. Perfect for a first car or learner. If you want a mirage with central locking, airbags and a better sound system, go for the 2001-2003 model as the 1996-2000 models did not have central locking, airbags and only had 2 front speakers. The 2001-2003 models had 4 speakers and a cd player instead of a cassette player
Pros:
small on the outside, plenty of room on the inside.
Is economical
Costs around $35-40 to fill tank
Still looks great on the roads for a 90s car
Cheap to buy
Cheap to repair. Had a little accident and needed a new headlight which was $30 from a wreckers
Purchased in for $400.
- Transmission: Automatic
- Bought: Used
- Year: 1997
Great very cheap car, much better than expected
Mirage CE (1996-2003)Bought my Mirage in early 2020 for $1,000 as a car to leave at the train station, sometimes for a couple of weeks at a time, and it's been great for this purpose. Because some paint is missing from the bumpers and it has a few scratches and dings, nobody messes with it in the car park. It's also been fine to drive on the freeway for ~120km at a time when necessary, although it does struggle to maintain 110 km/h up some of the longer inclines.
I've used it to cart furniture, big printers and other equipment around and it carries a surprising am
... Read moreount of stuff, particularly with the back seats down. Being based on the Lancer and hence being quite wide with a low centre of gravity, it's actually not too bad to drive either, even though my other car is a sports car! It's been dirt cheap to service and keep on the road too - tyres were $65 each, servicing was less than $200 and (touch wood) nothing has gone wrong with it since I got it earlier this year.Purchased in .
- Transmission: Manual
- Bought: Used
- Year: 2003
!!! Best car Ever !!!
Mirage CE (1996-2003)I bought this car in 2014, never had a single problem, in 3 years ran like a bullet, cheap to run, very easy to drive. Buy it your will never lose.
Purchased in for $850.
- Transmission: Manual
- Bought: Used
- Year: 1997
The best little car!
Mirage CE (1996-2003)My first car was a Mitsubishi Mirage 2003 model second hand that I learnt to drive in I’ve only had my licence for about 6 yrs and I am also a bit older and had no idea how to drive! Never had one problem whatsoever! Excellent on fuel. I got my Mitsubishi Mirage 2003 serviced every 10,000kms and never had 1 problem. A bit small was my only issue and also being a 2 door was a bit hard to get in and out of the back. I would highly recommend this beauty of a car to anyone that is learning to drive, so so easy.
- Body: Hatch
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- Badge: (No Badge)
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- Engine Size: 1.5
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- Transmission: Automatic
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- Date Purchased:
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Best car I've ever owned
Mirage CE (1996-2003)I purchased this car when it was six months old in 2000. I have driven it most of the way up the east cost of Australia and extensively around Victoria and it has been a very reliable car. I have serviced it regularly but until a few years ago, that was really only twice a year. It costs very little to service and the most I've ever spent on it was $700 when it needed a major service (nothing out of the ordinary, just parts that wear out over time). I've never broken down in it and I've just had to replace the battery every few years (which is
... Read moreto be expected) and being a girl, I have run out of petrol a couple of times! Silly me... The interior is very comfortable, still after nearly 16 years. I have carted furniture in it and moved house a few times in it. It's surprisingly roomy when it comes to packing stuff in. The air-conditioning still works beautifully, I did upgrade the stereo to a better one after about 10 years. Speakers are brilliant. It is a bit noisy on the freeway but just turn the music up! Runs on the smell of an oily rag. Really! It is very cheap to run. I am very glad they started making these again because they are a great car. I heard people say Mitsubishi were known for 'missing bits' but not true with this car.- Body: Hatch
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- Badge: Sport
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- Transmission: Manual
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- Engine Size: 1.2
- Selected Review
Wish I never sold it!
Mirage CE (1996-2003)I owned my Mirage (4G15) when I got my licence back in 2000 and sold it back in 2006 with 56,000km's on the odometer - what would I say about that car??? "AMAZING"...
I had the car for 6 years and did all sorts of things with it, from road trips to short drives to work and back and even travelled to Uni for all those years - It never missed a beat and the whole package of the car engineering wise was formidable even in today's construction abilities 'the car is bomb proof'! Mitsubishi has lost its abilities to manufacture decent cars - this
... Read moreshows in todays Lancers, Pajero and Triton's. I wasnt one of these kids that added wings and the 'looks' to a car, but I added Speedy Holotype R wheels in 16.5 with good tyres to match and lowered the car with King Spring's Control Rate springs which gave the car a good posture and better handling on the road. I gave it better sway bars both front and back with Whiteline adjustable sway bars and installed an engine / strut tower brace in the engine bay and a strut tower brace in the rear hatch, and played around with the engine also - a mild cam and irridium spark plugs and topgun leads from a upgraded Bosh dizzy. The exhaust was installed with a 4-2-1 extractors and a mild stainless steel system installed which gave it a surprisingly better response than standard! It did keep an excellent fuel consumption figure - the 4G15 engine was only a SOHC 16 Valve and was busy for most of its life - but was looked after with good quality oils and fuel and never struggled at all and never one claim of needing a mechanic! There is a MIVEC 1.6l 4G92 that made twice the power of the 4G15 but was never brought into Aus due to our fuel being poor and the market needing these 'go fast' Cyborg's. The Mirage was a solid car with McPherson strut suspension front and rear and had a very aerodynamic undercarriage which proved to be quiet on the road at highway speeds, the Mirage's from my time didnt have any air bags but relied heavily on structural safety and I never once felt unsafe while in that car - it did win quiet a few safety awards back in its time and sold a lot of units due to that fact. Interior was bland, however very functional and structural with no soft spots and bits that would come away eg: current Lancers... The seats were comfortable and it had a tilt adjustable steering wheel which was good for my height. The doors are like wings - they're quiet long, as to give people space to get into the rear seats - the Mirage will comfortably seat 4 people and 5 if light enough as the car will ride on its bump stops in the rear.- Transmission: Manual
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- Body: Hatch
Basic but well engineered car
Mirage CE (1996-2003)I bought a mirage 6 years ago for a cheap daily to get to work and uni cheaply, and has been good. It has power windows, mirrors, steering and a.c. Mine was not optioned with airbags or abs brakes. It Its very simple to work on and service yourself. I did many interstate trips with this and it has enough ground clearance to be driven on gravel roads without any damage. At around 230k I replaced the original 1.5 4g15 engine with a 1.8 4g93 from a written off Lancer. I changed all engine gaskets, belts and consumables, swapped ecu and a few wiri
... Read moreng harnesses on the second hand engine and bolted it up to the 1.5 4g15 gearbox. This made it a much better car to drive especially with freeway driving. I have put another 60k on the car with this new engine and still this car has not given me a single drama everything works perfectly. As the mirage is more or less a hatchback version of a CE Lancer, parts are very easy to source and cheap. Anyone looking for a cheap reliable A to B machine this is it if you can find one thats been looked after go for it. Other nicer cars and motorbikes have come and gone for me but have always kept this. GOOD features of this car include excellent a.c, entertaining (but predictable) steering and handling, cheap feeling but still very well designed and put together interior, ridiculously reliable plus cheap & easy to maintain, faultless electrics, good fuel economy, good quality tires are cheap with standard wheels, its very light so excellent brake pad longevity. Components from many other Mitsubishi cars bolt straight up. BAD: Thin paint on the roof, unsuportive seats, unsafe in an accident, road noise, not the most glamorous used car on the market. The factory stereo and speakers are terrible, but I suspect most would have been swapped for better aftermarket stuff by now. In Japan this car had many factory interior, body and engine options but ADM models are very basic.- Body: Hatch
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- Badge: VR-X
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- Transmission: Manual
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- Engine Size: 1.5
2002 Mitsubishi Mirage Manual
Mirage CE (1996-2003)Bought second hand 2002 Mitsubishi Mirage 5 speed manual 3 dr Hatchback on 07/02/2012 with 110000kms on the odo. Excellent small car, extremely agile, reliable, smooth gear shift and spacious. Fit dishwasher, bbq, tools, so much. Just normal engine oil, filters and brakes changes till 140000kms. Fuel economy 6.6 lts/100 kms pretty good even on busy city road. Trade in this year to bigger car, Mitsubishi Outlander.
- Engine Size: 1.5
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- Transmission: Manual
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- Body: Hatch
Pre 2003 Mirages are unbreakable
Mirage CE (1996-2003)Hi,
I bought a 98 Mirage bought 5 years ago thinking that I will use and dump into scrap yard after few years. So I didn't do any service. Never changed the oil engine and etc. Ran 30K for 3 years and guess what, I never had any issues. It never disappointed me. After 3 years without any services done, I sold it to one my friend. Now this is his 2nd year with the car. He told me he has minor service (changed engine oil and air filter) and that's it for the last 5 years. Still running smooth and still water coming from exhausted as it is a new car. Unbelievable!!
- Engine Size: 1.5
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- Body: Hatch
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Not a patch on the old one.
Mirage CE (1996-2003)Bought a new manual Mirage in February 1997 and it now has close to 150000kms on the clock. One of the best cars we'e ever owned. In 18 years it has cost almost zero apart from normal, regular maintenance.
Took a new one for a test drive - not a patch on the old one, even though the new one has all of the modern safety features. Dealer offered me $200 as a trade-in, which they'd probably sell for $4000.
So the old girl will stay in the stable and is probably good for another 18 years or more.
- Body: Hatch
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- Transmission: Manual
Great car
Mirage CE (1996-2003)I have the 2003 manual Mirage. It's the best little car, very fuel efficient and never misses a beat. Mines on 186000km at the moment and still going strong. Holds a lot for a small car and won't buy anything but a Mitsubishi again.
- Body: Hatch
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- Transmission: Manual
Mirage comes out on top, Best little Engine Ever...235,000 km still faultless :)
Mirage CE (1996-2003)Hi, In the past I had a stock Lancer 1.5 auto , and I drove from 20,000 km - 245,000 km and I never had a issue...
As long as you keep up with the service book services, these cars will never let you down... I know of many people that have owned a Lancer or Mirage 1.5, and all say they never had problems either...
Mirrage and Lancer are the same car & engine in the 1.5 liter , only difference is that one is a hatch and one is not.
Comes down to individual taste, but I think the Mirage is more sharper around the corners and a little bit
... Read morelighter, so it feels better.... Lets not get this wrong THE MIRAGE AND LANCERS R NOT BMW, AUDI, they are economical cheap get around vehicles.... that's it... if you after safety, sports handling, and performance you are looking in the wrong place.... But if you want a car to get you from A to B, and never give you problems at a very little cost in operating, maintain, insurance, cheap wheels 13'inch - 15inch etc than this car is for you... 4 years ago I decided on downsizing from a Mitsubishi 380 (very good cars), I wanted to save petrol, maintains costs and not lose on resale value... I found a clean stock Mirage manual 5speed, one owner 10 years old trade in, all service history etc. Picked it up for $4000. Best $4000 I have ever spent on a vehicle...- Body: Hatch
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- Transmission: Manual
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Great Run-around Car
Mirage CE (1996-2003)"It's no compromise of standard features..." is not quite true, in fact the 97 Mirage is missing some that would be considered standard, like a CD Player or Power Steering. If you can do without these then the car is a good one for you, However if you are elderly i think the lack of Power Steering could be too big a negative to buy one.
Overall I find the car to be a good drive, reliable, and value for money.
Reliable, good fuel economy, fair bit of room for a small car.
No Power Steering, No CD Player
- Body: Hatch
My dream car!
Mirage CE (1996-2003)I always got envied someone driving mirage. I always find myself drooling whenever it passes by me. Perhaps, a year or 2, I can afford to buy one for myself. I was able to drive mirage when I insisted my friend that I will drive on our way to the beach. It was easy to control, the seat was comfortable, the aircon was seamless, everything was perfect! I envied my friend for having one. Until that I'm saving my money for 1. Finger crossed ^^
- Body: Hatch
OK
Mirage CE (1996-2003)Good city car for BIG people, but gutless on highway when overtaking or going up hill with airconditioner on. (automatic) Very reliable, easy to manoevre, but is set a little too low.
As a BIG person this small car is ideal. Plenty of room in the front. Ideal as a single person car. Fuel is economical and I drive around 500km per week.
No power when overtaking. Quite dangerous in fact. The Airconditioner bolts (assembly to the fan) have come loose twice and lost completely once. As this fan also drive the power steering it was quite dangerous. Can't hear the radio on the highway with the roadnoise. Red paint fades badly even after protective coat.
- Body: Hatch
Questions & Answers
Does anyone know if the hatchback door is the same in a 2000 model as a 2003
Does the 1999 tailgate fit a 1998 ce mirage?
Sorry Wendy, I am not a panel beater or other expert to answer this question, perhaps the Mitsubishi parts department can look up the spare parts catalogue for you and check if the parts number is the same for both components in both years.
But I can offer a bit of advice to Misubishi owners with vehicles under warranty: I walked into Southside Mitsubishi in Perth to have an intermittent screen looked at and was immediately confronted with a request for a $100 or so "diagnostic fee". Advised the gentleman that this was a vehicle under warranty and walked as the screen was lit at that time. Came back some other time with the vehicle running and a dead screen as proof of a problem under warranty. Turns out a two-stage fuse was only pressed in to the first stage leading to intermittent loss of power to the screen. Had I agreed to pay the "diagnostic fee", I would now be $100 poorer!
Will a 1996 mirage backseat headrest fit a 1999 backseat?
Get an answer from our members and Mitsubishi representatives
Details
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| Category | Cars and Hatchbacks | Cars and Hatchbacks | Cars and Hatchbacks | Cars and Hatchbacks |
| Starting Price | $15,990 | $14,990 | $13,490 | $15,250 |
| Transmission | Automatic and Manual | Automatic and Continuously Variable (CVT) | Manual | Automatic and Continuously Variable (CVT) |
| Drive Type | Front Wheel Drive (FWD) | Front Wheel Drive (FWD) | Front Wheel Drive (FWD) | Front Wheel Drive (FWD) |
| Fuel Type | Petrol | Petrol | Petrol | Petrol |
| Wheels | 13" Alloy | 14" Steel | 14" Steel | 15" Alloy |
| ANCAP Safety Rating | 5 Stars | 5 Stars | 5 Stars | |
| Fuel Consumption | 4.7 L/100km | 4.7 L/100km | 5 L/100km | |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 50 L | 35 L | 35 L | 35 L |
| Engine | 4 Cylinder 1.5L | 3 Cylinder 1.2L | 3 Cylinder 1.2L | 3 Cylinder 1.2L |
| Max Power | 69kW @ 5500rpm | 57kW @ 6000rpm | 57kW @ 6000rpm | 57kW @ 6000rpm |
| Max Torque | 126Nm @ 3000rpm | 100Nm @ 4000rpm | 100Nm @ 4000rpm | 100Nm @ 4000rpm |
| Country of Manufacture | Japan | Thailand | Thailand | Thailand |
| Manufacturer Warranty | 5 year(s) | 5 year(s) | 5 year(s) | 5 year(s) |
| Release date | ||||
| Discontinuation date |
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