ONE can assume that the Mirage G4 GLS Sport I test drove is number one of 300 units to be produced. Introduced as a limited edition to its subcompact’s lineup, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) brought in the P929K GLS Sport to add to the popular G4 lineup to offer more options to the customer.
I could very well be the target market for the G4 GLS Sport–someone who wants a dependable compact car that can perform well when prompted. It is frugal and agile. It has a presence but it doesn’t require bulk to have that stance. For example, the door width and the roominess are so very crucial in a compact sedan because it gives it the spaciousness of a bigger car. Only the external dimensions are smaller–which makes for easier parking. It expresses itself as small, but it is mighty elsewhere.
Mighty comes in the form of body cladding. Not chunky body enhancement like overblown biceps, just nicely packed ABS and contoured body lines. That’s how I describe the GLS Sport exterior enhancements, which include a new under-grille garnish with thin chrome trim, front and rear air dams, a rear lip spoiler, and a side body skirt. These parts are purely aesthetic it seems, but I seriously believe that slicing through the wind at 80 to 100 kilometers per hour will give these body add-ons some purpose–and deflect the wind and even cause downforce.
Downforce may be the best way to describe the MIVEC (for Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control) system in that it manages in a very complex way the induction and exhaust of gases in the rather small 1.2-liter 3-cylinder DOHC engine. Managing the flow of clean air and the exit of exhaust gases not only enriches the mix with gasoline but also results in less emissions. That is what MIVEC has come to be known for. It also manages very well the combustion cycle so that the car is responsive–not as linear as I would like but quick enough with that Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) running the show.
The dimunitive powerplant produces 76.4 HP and 100 N-m torque. This engine is sufficient for a car of this size delivering an excellent power-to-weight ratio. It won’t accelerate like a bullet, and lacks the sort of punch needed to overtake a truck or a bus on short notice but that is by no indication a shortness of breath. One can imagine it as shorter strides. It however accelerates and delivers responsively.
Steering is precise though there was a bit of delay with turning in a way (maybe because of the steering damper or the electric motor?) but it made the ride smoother for me, overall, especially when traveling over rougher terrain. The G4 Sport hit a good balance with steering weight: never too heavy that it became tiring or bothersome during my drives through Taguig, QC, and San Juan but not light enough that it was difficult to control on bad terrain — I never felt as though going over potholes or cracks in the road had me wrestling for control of the vehicle, even at relatively higher speeds.
I took it on a drive up and down some of the steeper roads in UP Diliman, as well as the twisting roads of Pansol and the mountain road of the Calauan Highway which has a tight lefthander at a 15 percent grade in Brgy. Balayhangin and it felt pretty smooth, overall. I didn’t feel like it lacked at all in power going uphill at a comfortable pace, and the downshifting was smooth when the hills got particularly steep.
No real issues with the shifting, save how long it takes to downshift when you really hit the accelerator (partly why it’s difficult to overtake longer vehicles/on smaller windows with it) but that’s probably due to the smaller displacement engine.
The car road over cracks, potholes, and other such imperfections with ease. It was a very smooth experience (I took it on the C5 service road that was full of broken asphalt, and it handled it without much sway felt in the interior. Not sure if that was due to the thickness of the wheels or the suspension itself, but it was definitely a good driving experience in that regard.
When the car was launched last January the common understanding was the limited edition vehicle was a representation of things to come for the variant. The current generation of the Mirage G4 was locally revealed in August of last year and was noted for its updated styling featuring the sharp “dynamic shield” front face plus interior refinements such as the new 7-inch Smartphone-link Display Audio (SDA) system which has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. A Sports variant can be said to be a logical next step in the line-up.
“The Mirage G4 has always been an embodiment of dynamism, which is why we fondly associate it to be ‘Game For Anything’ much like the personality of its owner. With this newest iteration, Mitsubishi wishes to reach out to every type of customer that there is. We want to give them options that best represent their individuality so they get to experience what we mean by ‘Life Made Better’,” Takeshi Hara, President and CEO of MMPC said during the launch.
Now that is a really honest statement. Hara never said the car will perform like a sports car nor did he lay any claims that the body kits would give it extra oomph on the gas pedal. What he did say is that the variant creates a space for those who’s personality may match the unobtrusive looks and the real-world performance the G4 Sport delivers.
Apart from the conveniences I mentioned earlier, the Keyless Entry and Engine Push Start system along with a Welcome Home and Coming Home Light are welcome features. The lights activate upon the click of the remote to illuminate immediate surroundings when leaving or approaching the vehicle.
The seats upfront are comfortable and snug, with a nice soft-touch material that didn’t get too hot to the touch even after leaving the car in sunny areas. My complaint? It does not have lower back support and reclining headrests. The climate control and aircon system is powerful enough to cool down the car even after sitting in the sun, but only in the front seats. There are vents in the rear, which is good so the rear passenger area to cools down faster.
Rear seats are well bolstered and firm. What is amazing is the legroom–stretching the frame to the most possible end points of the C-pillar is a good move, because trunk space remains to he comparatively huge (to a VW Santana, for example). All the seatbelts are there as well as fix points of child seats.
The layout of the controls was pretty standard, nothing really stood out as difficult or cumbersome to use. Ankles never felt strain from the angle of the accelerator or brake pedals. The wiper stalk left some room for improvement, as it had a relatively unclear set of controls printed on it.
“We make a conscious effort to listen to our market and pair it with continuous product development. These help us better understand and live up to the expectations of our Filipino customers,” Hara said, confirming MMPC’s inspiration in coming up with the limited edition GLS Sport.
The vehicle comes in Titanium Gray Metallic, Red Metallic and Cool Silver Metallic. There are many promos running now that make the whole G4 line-up available to upstarts and millennials. From where I am, I say it is a great compact to start with.
