Mitsubishi Mirage Used Car Review: Still Worth It in 2026?
The Mirage is one of the cheapest used cars you can buy in the Philippines. But is it a smart buy or a false economy? We look at reliability, running costs, and what to check before buying one.
Let me tell you about the Mitsubishi Mirage. It's not a good car. But it might be the right car for you, and there's a difference.
In the Philippine context, the Mirage exists to answer one question: what's the least I can spend on a car that will reliably get me from point A to point B without embarrassing me in front of my neighbors? It's a car built to a price, and everything about it reflects that. But for a lot of buyers, that's exactly what they need.
What You Get for Your Money
On the used market, a 2018-2020 Mirage GLX CVT goes for ₱220,000-350,000. The top-spec GLS with the touchscreen and keyless entry is ₱280,000-400,000. That's hilariously cheap. For context, that's less than a decent used motorcycle — and this comes with air conditioning, four wheels, and a roof.
The 1.2L 3A92 engine makes a wheezing 78 hp. It's not fast. It's not even adequate on the expressway — merging onto Skyway requires planning and a bit of faith. But in the city, which is where 90% of Mirages spend their lives, it's perfectly fine. The CVT is calibrated for fuel economy above all else, and it shows. You'll see 14-18 km/L in city driving, which is genuinely impressive.
The Good Bits
Parts are cheap and everywhere. A Mirage front bumper is ₱1,500 at a surplus shop. An alternator is ₱3,000-5,000. A set of four shock absorbers will set you back ₱6,000-8,000 total. You genuinely cannot ruin yourself financially with a Mirage.
The hatchback body style is genuinely practical. The rear seats fold down, and you can fit a surprising amount of stuff — two weeks' worth of grocery runs, a medium-sized dog, or the contents of a small market stall.
Air conditioning is adequate for the cabin size. It won't freeze you out like a Fortuner, but on a 35-degree Manila afternoon, it keeps the cabin comfortable. The controls are basic — three dials for temperature, fan speed, and direction — and they work every single time.
The Not-So-Good Bits
The interior is punishment-grade plastic. Every surface is hard, hollow, and designed to a cost target that someone in Japan clearly celebrated hitting. The seats are flat and unsupportive. On a long drive to Baguio, you will feel every kilometer.
Sound insulation is essentially optional. At 100 km/h on NLEX, you will need to raise your voice to talk to the passenger. The engine gets thrashy above 4,000 rpm (which is where it lives on the expressway). Budget for earplugs if you do regular highway driving.
Reliability is... okay. The Mirage isn't unreliable, but it's not a Vios. The CVT is the weak point — Mitsubishi's JATCO units are sensitive to fluid changes. If the previous owner skipped CVT fluid changes (and many did, because it's a cheap car and cheap car owners often skip maintenance), you could be looking at a ₱40,000-60,000 replacement down the line. Always check the CVT service history.
Other known issues: the air conditioning compressor can fail around 80,000 km (common enough to be a known pattern), the power window switches sometimes stop working, and the front suspension bushings wear faster than you'd expect.
What to Check Before Buying
First: CVT fluid. Ask for proof of change every 40,000 km. If they can't show it, negotiate the price down by at least ₱15,000.
Second: the air conditioning. Run it on max cold and listen for the compressor cycling on and off. If it clicks rapidly or the air isn't cold after a few minutes, budget ₱8,000-15,000 for repairs.
Third: the suspension. Take it over a speed bump. If it clunks, the bushings are shot. Budget ₱3,000-5,000 for replacement.
Fourth: check for rust under the carpet in the rear footwells. The Mirage has a known issue with water ingress through the tail light seals on the hatchback model. It's an easy fix but it tells you how well the car was looked after.
The Verdict
The Mirage is the cheapest new-ish car you can buy in the Philippines, and on the used market it represents incredible value for someone who needs four wheels, air conditioning, and reliability on a tight budget. It's not a good car in the enthusiast sense. But it's a perfectly adequate tool for city transport.
Who should buy one? First-time car buyers on a budget. Students. Small business owners who need a runabout for deliveries. Families who need a second car and don't want to spend more than ₱300,000.
Who should not buy one? Anyone who does regular highway driving. Anyone who cares about driving enjoyment. Anyone who can stretch their budget to a Vios or a City — because those cars are objectively better in every way except price.
The Mirage is a compromise on wheels. But sometimes, a compromise is exactly what your budget needs. Check current Mirage listings on AutoEnquirer if this sounds like your kind of car.