Autocrossing the Mirage Was Scary and Hilarious! What an Experience!

[@RWM195]

Your final conclusion about the true mission of this car is correct. It is purely a low-cost, fuel-miserly, long-warranty, easy-to-park city car meant to primarily get a person to and from work. This was an interesting video from the perspective of seeing what this small economy car could do when pressed to its limits. No surprises were had, but it was worthwhile nonetheless. As you discovered, there is nothing remotely “sporty” about it, and an autocross racer it isn’t, but at least Mitsubishi is honest in not making any sort of pretentious implications to that affect. In the end, it’s just a good, reliable set of inexpensive work wheels, plain and simple...and I rather think it’s happy being just that.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Rw M A spot-on summary and very well said! Thank you for watching and commenting! Maybe I should try another economy car or maybe a big family sedan.

[@RWM195]

Evolution Autocrosser If you’re able to pick up a used police car at, say an auction, that might make for an inexpensive yet competitive race car. Police cars are purposely built for speed, endurance, and handling, so this could very well prove to be a good choice with which to beat those pesky Volvo’s. Good-luck and have fun.

[@americanrambler4972]

@@RWM195 I don’t think a police car would do all that well overall in an auto cross. Police cars are built for police work, not cone running. A police car is heavy, and when outfitted for police duty, it is loaded up with a lot of weight in gear. They are overall above average in all around performance, but not excellent. A police car can run down and catch a large majority of cars and trucks, but true sports cars and sports sedans out match police cars in braking, cornering, top speed and often acceleration. A high performance sports car makes for a poor police cruiser. And vice versa.

[@LucianNF]

IF you put the right money-parts into it it's actually a really good rally car, however you'd have to dump a decent chunk of change. Granted I suppose most proper rally cars get pricey when it comes to building roll cages and sway bars etc.

[@elusive5884]

Despite the Mirage being very slow, that looked like tons of fun!

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

It was pretty fun. That said - it was not fun enough for me to take the Mirage out again. I wouldn't mind trying a Ford Focus ST or a Honda Civic Si.

[@leifleoden5464]

Christian summed up my feelings on the Mitsubishi Mirage perfectly "I'm assuming this doesn't have ABS" ... "Actually it does." Everyone rags on this car but to me, I see a super budget car and think: "Bet it doesn't have AC".. "Oh it does" "Doesn't have a back up camera" ... "Oh it does" "Bet it's super uncomfortable" .... "No it's fine" "I'll bet you can't modify it" .... "Oh wait people in ASEAN and dropping 4G63-4 engines in and racing" Sorry, this is way more than I expect from a car that most people, at least that I know, are getting for under $13k. It's actually a pretty cool car.

[@themikproject]

In the Philippines, we have a lot of competitive Mitsubishi Mirages on the autocross. But our courses are way tighter than this, and we have a dedicated class for 1300cc and below cars.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

TheMikProject Mik very interesting. Miatas are the popular small engine car for autocross here. I’m actually thinking about getting one of those

[@CJ-wc6lf]

I like humble car enthusiasts, that are thankful for little. It is a great way to be. I like to see gas misers, people that get several hundreds of thousand miles on a vehicle, and those that got the cheap deal on a car purchase. New subscriber and thanks.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Thank you!

[@goraceacar]

LOL, awesome. "Full throttle, full throttle..." 😂

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

I was standing on the accelerator and the car was like..... so?

[@benignrabbit1882]

That’s the idea isn’t it to prove you can do it with anything. The more dangerous it feels the more you have to prove you can handle it.

[@doctorferdinand1003]

The roll is hilarious. On right handers you look like you're getting ready to be parallel to the road. But man, thats some of the most painful understeer I've seen, especially considering how little the power is contributing to the car's understeer. Thats just pure under tired, front heavy, weak suspension push! Funny video!

[@bcredeur97]

I feel like if you had got the one with the manual it would of been a bit better. economy cars tend to feel much faster with them.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

I'm sure you're right. I found a video of a manual Mirage and it did 0 to 60 in about 12 seconds instead of the 15 the automatic takes. That said, I want to try the test again using the B mode on the transmission to see if that makes a difference.

[@djkenny1202]

Always meant to try this out in my 92 VW GTI 16v. Added sway bars and coil overs. Really grips. I like the Mirage, almost bought one. But I’d have to get the stick shift. I thought it was a reasonably fun maneuverable car. I drive a CVT and really found it too sluggish. I’m a chill driver on streets and obey all rules. So I hardly needs speed racer. Anyway, instead I bought a Nicer 2015 Scion XB Manual with 30k. It was $11,500 and the Mirage new would have been 10 grand.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

djkenny The CVT is very sluggish. Almost too sluggish for the streets if you have to really accelerate quickly. But as far as low-speed maneuverability goes it really can’t be beat. It handles like a golf cart. It makes the tightest turns and fits into the tiniest spots

[@BuildingTheEXOCET]

That is funny. The body roll is crazy

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

The roll was scary at first but I started to get used to it by the 3rd or 4th run. I think it's hilarious how you can just watch the horizon pitch every time I make a turn.

[@kenoverton7918]

I wonder if the Mirage suspension is set up softer for the US market, my car bought in the UK seems much more composed and level when cornering?

[@leifleoden5464]

The Lancer EVO 2019!

[@jeffvanorsdol5126]

My thinking is, those of us in HS get the most track time at any event! As you point out every one can come out - shave off some time and grin like a fool.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Fun is what it's all about!

[@fudgumz1369]

I think some thicker sway bars and a set of coilovers or hell even some lowering springs and that Mirage would handle pretty nicely.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

It would certainly help! The stock suspension is so soft!

[@karlmallen2990]

Hey thats cool! I also do autocross with my toyota vios (yaris sedan) it has a 1.3 Engine and an automatic transmission and Its FUN

[@scarletskunkjob9842]

This is great content and exactly what a lot of us want to know and try for ourselves. There’s nothing more compelling than safely pushing an affordable and low power car to the limit. If you find any other asthmatic shopping trolleys to take to the autocross I want to see it.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Glad you enjoyed it! I could see myself making a whole series of autocrossing budget cars just for laughs! Hmmm...

[@florida83]

Can't wait to take my 21 Ecosport 1.0 eco boost and try this. How do I sign up. It's been a dream of mine to try this.

[@tacobagcharlie9298]

Ive only been twice and my first autox was in my 07 yaris. Was the slowest one there but my first time was like 60 seconds around and my last was 45. I was .4 seconds behind a 335i when i saw my time on my last run i shouted "f*** yeah!" Real loud and a bunch of guys working real close to where i was gave me a big dirty look 😅

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

That’s awesome! The sense of accomplishment from improving as a driver combined with the fun of pushing the limit is what it’s all about!

[@aroundomaha]

That was a hoot to watch.

[@josephdupont]

Volvos are a good blend of performance and manuverbility as I recall from an auto cross in Salina Kansas. I had a renault R 10 I think..

[@hellcat320]

props to actually driving the balls off the pos lol thats the whole point of autocross to me brother. just get out there and have fun

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Thanks, man! Yeah it was certainly a fun experiment. But it's certainly not winning any competitions - that's for sure. Fun is what keeps me coming back for more!

[@hellcat320]

@@EvolutionAutocrosser Yah for sure but you summed it up right. The car does excell at what it was designed to do. I just picked up a 17' brz to start autoX again and drive in the summer (Canada sucks for rwd in the winter) but I am in the same boat my daily is a 97hp Jetta TDI. Sure its a junker, but it gets 45mpg without even trying and its a piece of cake to work on.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Justin Williams Awesome, man. I’m sure the BRZ will be a blast.

[@hellcat320]

@@EvolutionAutocrosser i am hoping i can up my skills to the level of the car, just gunna run in street class for now. Love your channel though you got alot of great content and experience to share! i sub'd!

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Justin Williams thank you for the positive words and for the subscribe. It’s my suggestion to definitely stay in street class for the first season or two. I agree with your plan. Maybe even forever. Once you bump to a higher class it can become an arms race to spend more and more money to become more competitive. Also the racing tires are very expensive and you’ll go through multiple sets a season. I learned all this the hard way.

[@bokdcutie]

Not sure if that car year model has an EBD. Electronic Brake Distribution. It will help keep the car in momentum while having control.

[@blazetownsend8785]

You were never at risk of roll over. But that suspension was definitely way softer than what we got in our 2022. I heard the first two gen's were really soft and that the 2022 is 3rd gen suspension.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

You’re probably right. That said, It was very soft. If the car was faster and the tires were gripper, I would be truly scared to autocross it.

[@tubathecoolkid6919]

volvo gonna woop the vet behind you

[@stfu7202]

Lol I love the Pikachu keychain

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

LOL. You are the first to mention it. Thanks for noticing that fun little Easter egg.

[@standonit27]

Thinking about an autoX grudge match with my wife in her 2017 kia Sorrento. Front wheel drive, 290hp, 3rd row seating......what do you think?

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

I think a Kia Sorrento could beat a Mitsubishi Mirage in an autocross! LOL

[@chada75]

What tires was on the car?

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Birdup4life OEM low rolling resistance all seasons. Lol

[@johnnykeller5186]

A few things I noticed that were affecting your times. 1. You were in a CVT version instead of the manual option. Those JONCO (June-co) CVT's (manufactured by Nissan) are notorious for heat-soak issues. The heat-soak actually causes belt-sag inside the transmission which translates to noticable, marked even acceleration loss. 2. This is a technique thing that would only be applicable if you were in manual transmission mirage 2a. Instead of angling in at a 45° approach on entry broaden it out; enter the corner from the farthest outside point possible. 2b. Clutch-in and let the weight of the vehicle dampen inertia on corner entry, trail-breaking as needed to maintain your line through the corner. 2c. The instance you feel your front inside tyre clip the apex, rev match, drop that gear, back on the throttle while straightening out the front end; correct accordingly to align on the furthest outside edge of the available track mirroring your entrance. The more crass explanation is to abuse the shit outta whatever track width thats afforded to you both on entry and exit. Things I noticed in the slalom. The best way to think if a slalom approach is you're trying to "iron out" the kinks in the road. Minimalist input from the rack and more throttle input (basically steer with the throttle) would aide in mellowing out some of the body roll. However you had a few factors working against you in the execution of this. 1. The rack on these vehicles is electronically controlled. This makes it difficult to gauge inputs accordingly given the lack of feedback inherent in the system design 2. Torsion Beam Rear suspension...essentially the rear wheels of the car are being drug around erroneously by the front drive wheels. Its cheap, its economic, it works from a practicality standpoint but for sportier driving it can do a few things. 2a. Lack of compliance in the rear can lead to front end scrub creating understeer. 2b. Same lack of compliance that causes front end scrub, on switchbacks or broad corners can cause the rear to step out which then due to suspension geometry requires correction from the front end (or crafty throttle management in a manual equipped vehicle) fouling the cornering line leading the vehicle to either drag through the corner killing exit speed or causing the vehicle to run wide on exit exceeding track width.

[@kirkwilson5905]

I'd call it success! You beat an Audi S4! : )

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

I think I beat a first-time novice in an S4 who got lost on the course. lol.

[@matthewz5234]

What a nice dude

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Me? I try :-)

[@leop3009]

Put the swaybar kit on that Mirage if you wanna reduce body roll 😊 now that u know how it behaves without it .... u can tell how it behaves with it...btw seems Christian is feather lite too .... looking by youe lap time🤔

[@schizobipolarjoe]

he's gaining on us, come on neddy move that thing. it won't go any faster it's a geo metro, but in this case a mitsubishi mirage. at least you had fun. was this with ER, or NTAXS ?

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

This was with ER.

[@schizobipolarjoe]

@@EvolutionAutocrosser Cool, I'm going to have to take a break from autocross sent my front coilovers in to get rebuilt. now my back need to be sent back. but currently don't have the money. I'm up in the air, may put my car back to stock, and buy a miata for the fun car.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

@@schizobipolarjoe Good luck with everything. A Miata seems like a good idea since they are plentiful, cheap, and look like a lot of fun!

[@MrSlowestD16]

lol, well at least you got better over the course of the day! That thing is super underpowered even for HS. You're racing against 5th/6th gen civics at the same weight with 65% more horsepower and less drivetrain loss than that mirage, lol. Maybe I missed it in the other video, but what kinda MPG does that thing get?

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

The Mirage is extremely underpowered. But the thing is It got me seriously thinking about buying a legitimate H street car and switching back-and-forth between that and my Street Modified evolution. Then I could talk about trying to go fast in both a slow and a fast car for comparison. In the city the Mirage can get between 37 to 42 miles per gallon. It's pretty impressive for a non hybrid.

[@MrSlowestD16]

@@EvolutionAutocrosser Yea that's pretty damn good for city, that's pretty solid for most hwy 4cyl cars. Go for it, buy something light and make it go fast! I have a friend who is one of the top SMF guys in the country & he started racing an EF civic (HS) in college (AFTER becoming good in his SMF car) and said he learned a shit-ton from driving a slow car on street tires fast. I think slicks mask mistakes and good power/suspension allow you to make up time where you may have screwed up earlier.

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

@@MrSlowestD16 A fast car on slicks definitely masks mistakes. I make plenty of mistakes in my Evo and still manage to put down a fast time. If I could learn to get it perfect it would be pretty epic.

[@1998lemuel]

there's no coilovers for that car? A set coilovers suspension might help with the roll of the car

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

I’m not aware of any coilovers for this car. They might exist I’ve just never looked. In any case, I don’t have the mirage any more.

[@americanrambler4972]

So the mirage was fun. Once. Auto crossing a mirage would not be my first choice, probably not on my list at all. Except for choosing an oddball hopelessly out classed ride just to see what can be done with one on the cheap. (I bet with some tweaking, you could make this a significantly quicker car. But probably not a competitive one. But enough to where the other guy may need to work harder than expected to stay ahead.)

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Yeah - I only autocrossed it because I already owned it and I thought it would be funny. It certainly was. There was someone who modded up their Mirage with suspension, tires, etc. for autocross. It was pretty quick but never handled as well as one might like. Plus there's only so much power you can get from a small 3-cylinder engine while other cars in class have a 4-cylinder engine.

[@gusrockes]

its a mirage, throw it as hard as possible into the corner

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Yeah I don’t know about that…

[@benmartinez399]

You can tell he doesn't drive a momentum Car LOL!

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Ben Martinez Definitely! Although I understand the concept, it would surely take me a few events to fully adjust my driving style. I’m so used to braking hard, turning in, and accelerating out. I really should buy a legit HS car or Miata and learn to drive that. It would be a good experience.

[@LLCoolPass]

5spd bro. Why didnt u get thr 5spd not even to say why the f wouldnt u bring a 5spd to autox....

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Hah. This was my wife's cheap commuter car for driving to and from the office. It's just easier to have an automatic. We never ever intended to autocross it.

[@bobking7347]

Please have no music next time

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Alright ;-)

[@bobking7347]

@@EvolutionAutocrosser glad you understand I wasn't trying to be mean, keep up the good work

[@TristanSchaefer-ef8um]

classic mirage hater

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Sorry, man. We owned it for years and it served its purpose as an affordable commuter. But let’s face it - it’s a terrible car for autocross.

[@jeremiahfauzi3429]

would better in MT

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

I completely agree. The CVT is very slow. However, it still has very narrow tires, soft suspension, and feels top heavy when you take corners quickly. It's not a car I would want to make faster - lol.

[@bradencollins3068]

HOW DID YOU NOT DIE!?

[@EvolutionAutocrosser]

Braden Collins good question! In fact I’m not so sure that I’m not typing this response from Valhalla right now!