Compare the2022 Chevrolet SparkVS 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage

The Chevrolet Spark has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help 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 Chevrolet Spark 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 Spark has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, 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 Spark 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, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems and rear parking sensors.

There are almost 9 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Spark’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Spark second among city cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Mirage isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 12th in reliability, above the industry average. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 13th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chevrolet 3 places higher in reliability than Mitsubishi.

The Spark’s 1.4 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 22 more horsepower (98 vs. 76) and 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (94 vs. 74) than the Mirage’s 1.2 DOHC 3-cylinder.

To help the driver achieve optimum performance and fuel economy, the Spark has a standard up-shift light to indicate when to shift based on power needs and conditions. The Mirage doesn’t offer an up-shift light.

For better stopping power the Spark’s brake rotors and drums are larger than those on the Mirage:

For better traction, the Spark has larger tires than the Mirage (185/55R15 vs. 165/65R14). The Spark’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Mirage (185/55R15 vs. 175/55R15).

The Spark’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mirage’s standard 65 series tires.

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

The Spark is 8.3 inches shorter than the Mirage Hatchback, making the Spark easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Spark’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.

The Spark Manual can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Spark can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Mirage can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Spark has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Mirage doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

The power windows available on both the Spark and the Mirage have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Spark 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 Spark 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.

The Spark LT/ACTIV’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. The Mirage doesn’t offer heated side mirrors.

The Spark LT/ACTIV’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.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Spark is less expensive to operate than the Mirage because it costs $73 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Spark than the Mirage, including $34 less for a water pump, $253 less for a starter, $123 less for fuel injection, $45 less for front struts and $468 less for a power steering pump.

The Chevrolet Spark outsold the Mitsubishi Mirage by 43% during the 2021 model year.