The Demise Of The Mitsubishi Mirage Leaves Only One Car Left Under $20K

It’s official. The Mitsubishi Mirage has been discontinued. “Mirage is being discontinued in the US market, and there will not be a 2025 model,” Jeremy Barnes, Mitsubishi Sr. Director Events and Communications told CarBuzz. This follows an announcement back in January that production for the Japanese market was ending. Both the Mirage hatchback and the Mirage G4 sedan were axed. This leaves only one vehicle in the US priced below $20,000 – the Nissan Versa.

The Mirage was an affordable solution for those who wanted a new car but didn’t necessarily have a huge budget. It was a great choice for new high school or college grads with the sedan priced from $17,995 and the hatchback a little bit lower at $16,695.

Small Cars Simply Aren’t As Popular As SUVs

Despite the growing popularity of SUVs that make bigger is better the story of the day, not everyone needs that kind of vehicle. Anyone who is single or even couples without kids can save money on the cost of their vehicle and gas if they simply think small. Even families can do well with a small, affordable car to tackle the daily commute with a second, larger vehicle for hauling around the kids.

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While the Mitsubishi Mirage is definitely going away, that doesn’t mean the car will necessarily disappear from lots overnight. “Production for our market will cease late this year, and we expect to have sufficient dealer stock to last into the summer of 2025,” said Barnes. That, of course, is just an estimate, so waiting until the last minute isn’t a good idea if this is the car you want to buy.

Only One Vehicle Remains For Less Than $20K

That gives you a little time, but once it’s gone, there is exactly one option left if you want to get a car for less than $20,000. That would be the Nissan Versa, which is a compact sedan that starts at $16,680 and is the cheapest of the lot. It also gets great fuel economy with an EPA-estimated 32/40 mpg city/highway to help you stay on budget even if gas prices take a nasty jump.

Related

Dirt Cheap Sedan Shootout: Versa vs. Mirage

Here’s how the cheapest sedans in the USA stack up against each other.

That’s it. One car is left under $20,000, so if Nissan pulls the plug on the Versa at some point, the cheapest cars in the US will start in the $20K range. Despite the lack of cars under that price, there are still plenty of affordable options in the low 20K range, many with more power and more upscale interiors. Still, if you’re on a budget and every penny counts, the days of sub-$20K cars are coming to an end.