Canada’s Cheapest New Car Returns for 2024, Still Starts Under $17,000
New-vehicle prices have exploded across the industry in recent years, so many potential buyers looking for an affordable model would probably be interested in a small car. Problem is, there are only two left on the market now that the Kia Rio has been discontinued.
And good luck finding one! Both the Mitsubishi Mirage and Nissan Versa are largely missing from dealer lots. Customers walking into a dealership will be directed to some other vehicle that’s more readily accessible and inevitably more expensive.
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Technically, Mitsubishi is keeping the Mirage alive for the 2024 model year, and you can still order a unit. Of course, it’s not the $10,000 steal it used to be when it launched back in 2013, but this tiny city car officially remains the cheapest new car in the country—the only one with a base MSRP under $17,000 and a total price under $20,000 when you include all applicable charges (freight, PDI, dealer and A/C fees, etc.).
Priced from $16,998, or an all-inclusive $19,480.50, the 2024 Mirage is losing its five-speed manual transmission in base ES trim and costing $1,500 more than a comparable 2023 model equipped with the unpleasant CVT.
Standard content has been slightly upgraded, mind you. A centre touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control and power rear windows are now part of the package. Still no centre armrest for the driver, though.
The Mirage SE has been replaced by a Black Edition for 2024. Requiring a $2,000 extra, this model stands out with 15-inch alloy wheels painted in black, auto LED headlamps, a red grille accent, premium cloth seats with six-way adjustment for the driver, red interior stitching and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The top-line Mirage GT carries a base MSRP of $21,498 and adds lane departure alert, forward collision mitigation, keyless entry and some leatherette on the seats.
In case you forgot, all models rely on a meager 1.2-litre triple-cylinder engine producing just 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft. of torque. Unsurprisingly, 0-100 km/h sprints are the slowest of any new vehicle on the road today. On the bright side, combined fuel consumption is 6.2 L/100 km (an exceptional rating for a non-electrified vehicle), and Mitsubishi still has that awesome 10-year/160,000km powertrain warranty.
We just have one question for you: do you see yourself still driving a Mirage in 2034?
