The deadliest cheap car in America is also the least powerful vehicle on the market
The Mitsubishi Mirage will leave production after the 2024 model year. Unfortunately, that leaves the Nissan Versa as the only new car in America under the $20,000 price point. However, the Mirage’s cheap car credential isn’t the little Japanese car’s only standout statistic. Interestingly enough, the Mirage is one of the deadliest cars and the least powerful new car in the country.
The Mitsubishi Mirage is more than a cheap car; it’s the least powerful and one of the deadliest cars on the market
The Mitsubishi Mirage took the assignment seriously. Is it a cheap car? Check. Is it more efficient than its closest rival? Check. However, the little hatchback (and its sedan sibling) feature in the top 5 cars with the highest fatal accident rates in the country.
The Mitsubishi Mirage and Mirage G4 sedan have fatal accident rates of 13.6 and 10.1, respectively. That puts the standard hatchback in the No. 2 spot in the segment and No. 3 overall, per iSeeCars. Granted, the Mitsubishi Mirage earned a four-star safety rating from the NHTSA. However, the diminutive size and weight of the cheap car puts it at a disadvantage with the ever-popular SUV and pickup truck population in the United States.
| Make and model (cars) | Fatal accident rate (per billion miles) | Segment rank |
|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Corvette | 13.6 | 1 |
| Mitsubishi Mirage | 13.6 | 2 |
| Porsche 911 | 13.2 | 3 |
| Mitsubishi Mirage G4 | 10.1 | 4 |
| Kia Forte | 8.1 | 5 |
| Kia Soul | 7.3 | 6 |
| Toyota Corolla Hybrid | 7.3 | 7 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 7.3 | 8 |
| Nissan Versa | 7.2 | 9 |
| Kia K5 | 7.1 | 10 |
On top of the Mirage’s negligible size and weight, the cheap little economy car is, well, underpowered. It produces 78 horsepower courtesy of a 1.2L inline-three-cylinder engine. While it’s good for up to 43 mpg at highway speeds, the paltry output establishes it as the least powerful car in America.
Still, the Mitsubishi Mirage sits in an interesting place among the deadliest cars on the market. The razor-sharp performance rivals, the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911 reside just ahead of and behind the Mirage, respectively. An odd top four, indeed. After all, in its base spec, the Corvette 1LT is over six times as powerful as the Mirage. Make no mention of the upper trim Corvettes or 911s.
However, the Mirage’s closest competitor, the Nissan Versa, has a much lower fatal accident rate. At 7.2 cars per billion vehicle miles, the Versa’s fatality rate earns it the No. 9 spot on the list of the top 10 deadliest cars on the market.
