Good news, lovers of diminutive, low-cost subcompacts!

It appears that a four-door version of the Mitsubishi Mirage will eventually find its way to North America to join its 3-cylinder hatchback sibling. News of the addition was leaked to Motor Trend via a Mitsubishi excutive at the recent L.A. Auto Show.

“Rent-a-car companies rejoice,” declared Carscoops.com upon hearing the news.

Their reaction promises to be more animated than that of the general population’s.

The Mirage hatch came to North America in the fall of last year with a low starting price and good advertised mileage – just the thing to combat high gas prices and a stagnant economy.

It also brought a 74-horsepower 3-cylinder engine that left no one’s heart on fire. Still, it sold far more units than, say, a Kia K900 – way more, in fact.

This calendar year, U.S. sales figures show a total of 14,240 Mirage hatchbacks sold as of Halloween, while Canadian buyers snapped up 3,561 in the same time frame.

Since last fall, a far-batter-reviewed competitor has emerged – the Nissan Micra – and oil prices have fallen steeply, which changes the playing field. So far, it doesn’t seem like the bigwigs at Mitsubishi are in much of a rush to get the Mirage sedan to U.S. and likely Canadian) shores anytime soon.

Going by pictures of the Mitsubishi Attrage, which the Mirage is billed as overseas, an improved (front end featuring chrome and actual grille openings) would accompany the new four-door.

 

Links:

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/11/mitsubishi-to-bring-mirage-sedan-to-us.html

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2013/10/mitsubishi-mirage-sales-figures-usa-canada.html