New Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback unlikely to arrive locally, and here’s why

The Mitsubishi Mirage five-door hatchback has been on the market for quite a while now. Throughout its model lifespan, the Japanese car brand has not released a new generation model of its subcompact hatch.

Facelifted Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback Ralliart Edition

Mitsubishi introduced the facelifted Mirage, and Mirage G4 last 2019 in Thailand, which showed that it has not forgotten the said model. Two years after debuting in the Land of Smiles, Mitsubishi Motors Philipines Corp. (MMPC) officially launched the facelifted Mirage G4. But, the company has yet to bring in the Mirage Hatchback.

Previous reports state that MMPC is on track to bring the new Mirage Hatch. The said move makes sense since MMPC’s current challenger in the subcompact hatchback segment is in need of a design update to square up better with rivals such as the Toyota Wigo, Honda Brio, Suzuki S-Presso, among others.

Although, MMPC’s current standpoint might not suit the ears of individuals who are patiently waiting for the facelifted Mirage Hatchback’s arrival. This is due to the reason that the new Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback is unlikely to arrive locally as of this writing.

The facelifted Mirage comes with a more assertive front end

Philkotse’s Jacob Oliva confirmed the news from MMPC during the flag-off of the 2022 Asian Cross Country Rally in Thailand. According to the company, bringing over and producing the new Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback locally is too big of an investment for MMPC. Moreover, the sales volume is minimal; only 500 units are sold per month, which is small compared to over 1,000 units of Mirage G4 sold monthly.  

It has the familiar rear design

However, fans of the Mirage Hatchback still have a reason to be hopeful. MMPC added that it isn’t closing its doors as the hatchback shares several parts with the G4 anyway. It’s just a matter of demand at this point, which currently points to people buying crossovers instead of 5-door hatchbacks. If there will be a shift in demand in the future, MMPC is open to bringing over the new version since only minimal adjustments are needed in the stamping plant.

MMPC is currently offering the pre-facelift Mirage Hatchback in two variants that either come with a manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Mirage MT is priced at Php 711,000 while the Mirage CVT retails at Php 772,000. 

Meanwhile, the Mirage G4 is offered in five variants with prices ranging from Php 769,000 to Php 929,000. MMPC recently introduced the Mirage G4 Black Series, priced at Php 899,000. 

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