Mitsubishi Mirage To Be Axed in the US: Report

The Mitsubishi Mirage is presently vying for the title of the cheapest car on sale in the U.S., but that's all set to change. New reports indicate that time may soon be up for the bargain-basement commuter car, at least in America.

According to sources speaking to Automotive News, the Mirage will leave the U.S. market by the middle of the decade. The humble car is presently available as both a hatchback and sedan. When it ends its run, sources indicated it will mark Mitsubishi's exit from the sedan segment entirely.

The Mitsubishi Mirage is one of a handful of cars with a manufacturer-suggested retail price under $20,000. It joins the Kia Rio, Forte, and Soul in this category, along with the Nissan Versa. It doesn't have the cheapest MSRP of the bunch, but in the real world, it's the only car that transacted for less than $20,000 last month, according to data from Cox Automotive.

For now, Mitsubishi is playing its cards close to its chest. Speaking to Automotive News, Mitsubishi spokesperson Jeremy Barnes didn't give a verdict on the Mirage's future with the company. All we know is that it's sticking around for the time being. "It's a vehicle that we still see as having a role in our portfolio at this time," said Barnes.

The Mirage sold 15,816 units in 2022. It may not sound like much, but it made up a significant proportion of Mitsubishi's U.S. sales last year. The beleaguered automaker sold just 85,810 vehicles across the U.S. in 2022. Mirage sales were still down 31% from 2021, though, and it's hard to see a ten-year-old budget hatch lighting up the sales charts anytime soon. It's struggling to shift units right now, and in 2023, is expected to sell less than half of its 26,966-unit peak in 2019.