Cheap & Thrifty: Toyota Prius C Vs Mitsubishi Mirage Compared - Green Car Reports
The best candidate to represent the non-hybrid side of that debate is the Mitsubishi Mirage. Their similar sizes and emphasis on fuel economy led one 2014 Prius C owner to test drive a 2015 Mirage, after which he posted a comparison on MirageForum. All Mirage models use a 1. 2-liter three-cylinder engine, which sends 74 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. With the manual, the Mirage gets an EPA-rated 37 mpg combined (34 mpg city, 42 mpg highway), while CVT-equipped models get a better 40 mpg combined (37 mpg city, 44 mpg highway). Total system output is 99 hp, and the Prius C gets an EPA-rated 50 mpg combined (53 mpg city, 46 mpg highway). There proved to be a gap in real-world fuel economy as well, with the author estimating that the Mirage will use an average of 30 percent more fuel than the Prius C in regular use. However, he writes that the tested Mirage achieved 54. 1 mpg over a 120-mile round-trip commute, involving both country roads and highway driving, without its air conditioning in use. He deemed the Mirage somewhat fun to drive, thanks to gearing that helped make the most of its three-cylinder engine's. Source: www.greencarreports.com
