IT’S hard to believe that it was only several months ago that Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. was in the middle of the controversial Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) allegations that put it in the headlines of almost every media outlet in the country.
But now, it seems all of it has been forgotten, and Mitsubishi is now enjoying a resurgence of sorts, based on the number of vehicles sold in the first quarter of 2016—14,688 units were sold, 2,839 units more compared to their sales figure in 2015 of the same period.
The newly launched Mitsubishi Montero sport is at the forefront of this rebound, together with the Mirage sedan variant called the G4. So, it was not surprising when Mitsubishi introduced the facelifted Mirage on April 29, which was held at the posh Grand ballroom of the ritzy Solaire Resort and Casino on Aseana Avenue in Pasay city.
The 2016 Mirage now sports a redesigned front end with a new chrome grille that proudly displays the Mitsubishi logo in the middle. It goes well with the new bumper that gives it a sportier look when compared to the old model.
The higher GLS variant also features a new Bi-Xenon High-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps that provide better illumination at night. The HID headlights also play a vital role in another new feature of the vehicle, called the “welcome and coming home lights.” This feature makes it easier for the owner to find his Mirage in the parking area at night and, at the same time, illuminating the path for him for 60 seconds after he turned off the ignition key.
The GLS now features a new 15-inch alloy-wheel design that has a two-tone color, while the GLX has 14 inchers.
The two new colors Sunrise Orange Metallic and Wine Red Pearl (shown in the photos) best described as youthful, which are available for the 2016 models. Buyers can also choose the following colors, including Cool Silver, Majestic Red, Medium Blue Mica, Savannah White, Virgil Gray, Aurora White and Pyranese Black to suit one’s taste.
The rear is now adorned with a pair of new LED taillights (GLS variant) that offer better illumination in the dark.
Inside it now has a black-themed interior and high-grade black fabric seat again. The GLS variant has a new instrument meter cluster that is white lit. This improves brightness and also add a luxurious feel. Both models are equipped with a two-din single in-dash tuner DVD, MP3 and iPod-ready entertainment system with touchscreen. The GLS has six speakers, while the GLX has four. Another difference between the two variants is that the GLS has a navigation system.
The Mirage still gets its motivation from the same 1.2-liter three-cylinder 12-valve DOHC gasoline engine, with Mitsubishi’s own Innovative Valve Timing Electronic System (Mivec). It’s rated at 78 hp and 100 N-m of maximum torque. It is now Euro 4-compliant.
Safety-wise, the Mirage is still equipped with dual SRS air bags, anti-lock brake system and a body shell that won the Asean N-CAP Grand Prix award for adult occupancy protection in the minicar category.
Mitsubishi has also increased the warranty coverage from three years to five years, or 100,000 kilometers coverage, whichever comes first, for stress-free ownership for its buyers. Having said all these, the Mirage is still competitively priced at P553,000 for the GLX manual and P603,000 for the GLX automatic with CVT. The more luxurious GLS, which received the most upgrade, starts at P633,000 for the manual and P713,000 for the CVT-equipped automatic.
Image credits: Patrick Tulfo