Compare the2023 Nissan VersaVS 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage

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

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Versa SV/SR are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Mirage doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Nissan Versa 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Versa has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Mirage doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Versa SV/SR’s 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 Versa SV/SR’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Mirage doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Versa SV/SR’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.

Both the Versa 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, rearview cameras and available daytime running lights.

The Nissan Versa weighs 405 to 634 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 Nissan Versa is safer than the Mitsubishi Mirage:

	Versa	Mirage
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	36%	40%
Neck Stress	326 lbs.	435 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	354/296 lbs.	291/454 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	267	307
Neck Compression	137 lbs.	203 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	236/194 lbs.	297/155 lbs.

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

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 Nissan Versa is safer than the Mitsubishi Mirage:

	Versa	Mirage
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	145	147
Chest Movement	1 inches	1.1 inches
Hip Force	318 lbs.	663 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	250	628
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	74 G’s
Hip Force	461 lbs.	715 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	2 Stars
Max Damage Depth	10 inches	12 inches
HIC	232	267
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	52 G’s
Hip Force	481 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 Versa is 4.6% less likely to roll over than the Mirage.

Warranty

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

There are over 3 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Versa’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Versa has a standard 120-amp alternator. The Mirage’s 85-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 59 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is rated below average.

Engine

The Versa’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 46 more horsepower (122 vs. 76) and 40 lbs.-ft. more torque (114 vs. 74) than the Mirage’s 1.2 DOHC 3-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Nissan Versa is faster than the Mitsubishi Mirage (automatics tested):

	Versa	Mirage
Zero to 60 MPH	10.4 sec	10.9 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	10.3 sec	11 sec
Quarter Mile	18 sec	18.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	79 MPH	75 MPH
Top Speed	115 MPH	102 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Versa has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Mirage (10.8 vs. 9.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Versa	Mirage
Front Rotors	10 inches	9 inches
Rear Drums	8 inches	7 inches

The Versa stops shorter than the Mirage:

	Versa	Mirage
70 to 0 MPH	178 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Versa has larger standard tires than the Mirage (195/65R15 vs. 165/65R14). The Versa SV’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Mirage (205/55R16 vs. 175/55R15).

The Versa SR’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mirage’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Versa S has standard 15-inch wheels. Smaller 14-inch wheels are standard on the Mirage. The Versa SR’s 17-inch wheels are larger than the 15-inch wheels optional on the Mirage.

The Versa has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Mirage doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Versa has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Mirage doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Versa’s wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the Mirage G4 (103.1 inches vs. 100.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Versa is 3 inches wider in the front and 3.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Mirage.

Passenger Space

The Versa has .6 inches more front headroom, 2.8 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mirage G4.

Cargo Capacity

The Versa has a much larger trunk than the Mirage G4 (14.7 vs. 12.4 cubic feet).

Towing

The Versa 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 Versa can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Mirage can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The engine computer on the Versa 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 Versa 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 Mirage’s standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Versa’s standard doors lock when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

The Versa SR’s LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the Mirage SE’s xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

The Versa 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 has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the SE/Black Edition.

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

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

The Versa’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 Versa SR has a standard Intelligent 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Nissan Versa SV/SR has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Mirage doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Versa owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Versa will cost $400 to $5020 less than the Mirage over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Versa is less expensive to operate than the Mirage because it costs $18 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Versa than the Mirage, including $257 less for a water pump, $52 less for a muffler, $109 less for a starter, $30 less for front struts, $22 less for a timing belt/chain and $645 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Versa first among small cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Mirage isn’t in the top three.

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