Found this 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES yesterday

[JustPassinThru]

It's a VERY attractive package. And I'm perversely drawn to the three-pot engine.

The mileage is a draw, also - in my mature years, I'm irredeemably cheap.

Slick package, high mileage, three-cylinder mill...and I like the CVT in theory; never had one...

BUT.

It's not a Toyota. Toyota to Mitsubishi, were like GM's premium lines to American Motors. Both were Japanese, or American, made - but quality can vary wildly.

I had rented a Mitsubishi years ago. It was, after my Toyota truck of the time, irredeemably crude and tinny. That WAS years ago, but...beware.

Toyota performs near-miracles in engineering. But that's Toyota, not Japanese origin.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by JustPassinThru

It's a VERY attractive package. And I'm perversely drawn to the three-pot engine.

The mileage is a draw, also - in my mature years, I'm irredeemably cheap.

Slick package, high mileage, three-cylinder mill...and I like the CVT in theory; never had one...

BUT.

It's not a Toyota. Toyota to Mitsubishi, were like GM's premium lines to American Motors. Both were Japanese, or American, made - but quality can vary wildly.

I had rented a Mitsubishi years ago. It was, after my Toyota truck of the time, irredeemably crude and tinny. That WAS years ago, but...beware.

Toyota performs near-miracles in engineering. But that's Toyota, not Japanese origin.

Unless I'm inadvertently leaving a vehicle out, there are only 3 American vehicles owned by all of the different households in my family --- 1 Ford Escape, 1 Saturn SUV (one of the last ever made), and one huge RV (the biggest gas guzzler of all the vehicles). The household with the RV also owns the one car with better MPG than my Yaris --- one of the last 5-speed manual Civic Hybrid sedans ever made. Different Lexus models (E,R,G, L series, etc...no I series) far outnumber any other make, and are AS RELIABLE as my Yaris. Toyota within our family = remarkable.

[JustPassinThru]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Unless I'm inadvertently leaving a vehicle out, there are only 3 American vehicles owned by all of the different households in my family --- 1 Ford Escape, 1 Saturn SUV (one of the last ever made), and one huge RV (the biggest gas guzzler of all the vehicles). The household with the RV also owns the one car with better MPG than my Yaris --- one of the last 5-speed manual Civic Hybrid sedans ever made. Different Lexus models (E,R,G, L series, etc...no I series) far outnumber any other make, and are AS RELIABLE as my Yaris. Toyota within our family = remarkable.

Well, it depends on the brand.

Honda has been as reliable and well-engineered as Toyota. Honda, in fact, was ahead of Toyota in a number of ways, years back.

Nissan/Datsun was as well made as Toyota for many years. It was in product planning where Nissan fell behind; and how they rate today I don't know. I had a 1995 Hardbody to replace my 1979 Datsun PL620; I was not impressed with the engine or performance.

That was my last Nissan.

Lexus, of course, is a brand of Toyota - like Scion. Quality can expected to be the same; some Lexii and some Scions are sold worldwide as Toyotas.

As to Ford products...Fords have been hit-or-miss on quality...for decades. Some products were very good; some were garbage. But you pays your money and you takes your choice; and a car purchase is more money than I'm willing to gamble on.

Is a Mitsubushi going to be a good buy? I'd be inclined to try it; but I'm not in the market. I wish them well; I like seeing a product like this model come to be.

[wooverstone8]

Here's a review for the manual transmission version. The review is fairly positive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Isb1OUhuV8

[wooverstone8]

My local dealership has a new green Mirage on the lot. They added aftermarket rims, tinted the windows and taillights.

http://www.larsonmitsubishi.com/auto...ge-de/1051418/

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by wooverstone8

My local dealership has a new green Mirage on the lot. They added aftermarket rims, tinted the windows and taillights.

http://www.larsonmitsubishi.com/auto...ge-de/1051418/

I wonder what effect those rims would have on fuel economy? They might help re steering mushiness issues, etc. that other reviewers have found fault with.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by wooverstone8

Here's a review for the manual transmission version. The review is fairly positive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Isb1OUhuV8

I like that color more than the other colors I've seen.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by JustPassinThru

Well, it depends on the brand.

Honda has been as reliable and well-engineered as Toyota. Honda, in fact, was ahead of Toyota in a number of ways, years back.

Nissan/Datsun was as well made as Toyota for many years. It was in product planning where Nissan fell behind; and how they rate today I don't know. I had a 1995 Hardbody to replace my 1979 Datsun PL620; I was not impressed with the engine or performance.

That was my last Nissan.

Lexus, of course, is a brand of Toyota - like Scion. Quality can expected to be the same; some Lexii and some Scions are sold worldwide as Toyotas.

As to Ford products...Fords have been hit-or-miss on quality...for decades. Some products were very good; some were garbage. But you pays your money and you takes your choice; and a car purchase is more money than I'm willing to gamble on.

Is a Mitsubushi going to be a good buy? I'd be inclined to try it; but I'm not in the market. I wish them well; I like seeing a product like this model come to be.

I saw a 2014 IS series Lexus on the road for the first time the other day. The 2014 looks much more like the 2014 Corolla than the previous generation IS series looked like the previous generation Corolla.