Compare the2022 Toyota Corolla HybridVS 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Corolla Hybrid has a standard driver’s knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelt or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Mirage doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Corolla Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Mirage doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Pre-Collision System in the Corolla Hybrid as “Superior.” The Mirage scores zero, and is rated by the IIHS as having no effective frontal crash prevention.

The Corolla Hybrid has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Mirage doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Mirage doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

The Corolla Hybrid’s optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Mirage doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Corolla Hybrid’s optional cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Mirage doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Corolla Hybrid’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Mirage doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Corolla Hybrid has standard Safety Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Mirage doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Corolla Hybrid and the Mirage have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes and rearview cameras.

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid weighs 856 to 1010 pounds more than the Mitsubishi Mirage. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hybrid is safer than the Mitsubishi Mirage:

	Corolla Hybrid	Mirage
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	187	362
Neck Injury Risk	27%	40%
Neck Stress	243 lbs.	435 lbs.
Neck Compression	50 lbs.	68 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	330/310 lbs.	291/454 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	27%	43%
Neck Stress	165 lbs.	204 lbs.
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	203 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hybrid is safer than the Mirage Hatchback:

	Corolla Hybrid	Mirage
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	MARGINAL
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	.9/.5 kN	4.9/1.8 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	3%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.54/.46	1.87/.8

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hybrid is safer than the Mitsubishi Mirage:

	Corolla Hybrid	Mirage
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	147
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	129 G’s	177 G’s
Hip Force	330 lbs.	663 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	137	628
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	74 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	715 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	2 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	12 inches
HIC	239	267
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	52 G’s
Hip Force	623 lbs.	1200 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Corolla Hybrid is 5.9% less likely to roll over than the Mirage.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Hybrid the rating of “Top Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 213 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Mirage was not even a “Top Pick” for 2016.

Warranty

The Corolla Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Mirage’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla Hybrid for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mitsubishi doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Mirage.

There are almost 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Hybrid’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Corolla Hybrid’s reliability 47 points higher than the Mirage.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 13th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Mitsubishi is ranked 20th.

Engine

The Corolla Hybrid’s 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 45 more horsepower (121 vs. 76) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (105 vs. 74) than the Mirage’s 1.2 DOHC 3-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the Corolla Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Mirage doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Corolla Hybrid’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Mirage doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Corolla Hybrid has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Mirage (11.4 vs. 9.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Corolla Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Mitsubishi Mirage (5). This means the Corolla Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Mirage every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Mirage.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Corolla Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Mirage:

	Corolla Hybrid	Mirage
Front Rotors	10.8 inches	9 inches
Rear Rotors	10.2 inches	7” drums

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the Mirage. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Corolla Hybrid has larger tires than the Mirage (195/65R15 vs. 165/65R14). The Corolla Hybrid’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Mirage (195/65R15 vs. 175/55R15).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Corolla Hybrid has standard 15-inch wheels. Smaller 14-inch wheels are standard on the Mirage.

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mitsubishi Mirage only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Corolla Hybrid has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mitsubishi Mirage has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Corolla Hybrid has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Corolla Hybrid flat and controlled during cornering. The Mirage’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Corolla Hybrid’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the Mirage G4 (106.3 inches vs. 100.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Corolla Hybrid is 3.7 inches wider in the front and 5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Mirage.

Passenger Space

The Corolla Hybrid has .3 inches more front legroom, 5.1 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear hip room and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mirage G4.

Cargo Capacity

The Corolla Hybrid has a larger trunk than the Mirage G4 (13.1 vs. 12.4 cubic feet).

The Corolla Hybrid’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Mirage G4 doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

Ergonomics

The engine computer on the Corolla Hybrid automatically engages the starter until the car starts with one twist of the key and disables the starter while the engine is running. The Mirage’s starter can be accidentally engaged while the engine is running, making a grinding noise and possibly damaging the starter and ring gear.

To help each driver find a more comfortable driving position, the Corolla Hybrid has a telescoping steering wheel. Much better than just a tilt steering wheel or adjustable seat, this allows a short driver to sit further from the steering wheel while maintaining contact with the pedals. The Mirage doesn’t offer a telescoping steering wheel.

The Corolla Hybrid’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Mirage has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Corolla Hybrid and the Mirage have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Corolla Hybrid is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Mirage prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Corolla Hybrid’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Mirage’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Hybrid the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Mirage can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Corolla Hybrid has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Mirage doesn’t offer automatic headlights.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Corolla Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The Mirage doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Corolla Hybrid’s optional outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. The Mirage doesn’t offer heated side mirrors.

The Corolla Hybrid’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Mirage’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Corolla Hybrid has a standard Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Mirage doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Corolla Hybrid owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Corolla Hybrid will cost $625 to $1755 less than the Mirage over a five-year period.

The Corolla Hybrid will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Corolla Hybrid will retain 47.9% of its original price after five years, while the Mirage only retains 40.63% to 41.64%.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Corolla Hybrid as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.