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Minnesota couple puts 414k miles on a 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage

A couple in Minnesota just traded in their 414,000-mile 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage, which is notable for any car, topping many of the Junkyard Gems we've featured. We were also impressed because that's a lot of miles in a car that we weren't especially fond of. But the couple that owned it, Jerry and Janice Huot, clearly liked it. Dubbed the "Purple Won" in a nod to Prince, the subcompact endured six upper Midwest winters as an all-purpose utility and delivery vehicle. "I always loved the comments at gas stations and grocery stores and waves from people as I’d drive by," Jerry said. "Kids would always stop and point. Everybody seemed to love that car; it would make everyone smile whenever they saw it." The Huots were repeat Mitsubishi buyers in search of something with better fuel efficiency than their Cadillac. While Mitsubishi didn't specify which model the Huots traded in, it's safe to say that whatever it was, the 2014 Mirage would have been a significant upgrade in that respect, as it was rated at 37 mpg in the city, 44 on the highway and 40 combined when it was sold new; the EPA has since re-rated it at 36/42/39.   "Right in the middle of the showroom was this little purple Mirage that got 44 mpg," Janice told Mitsubishi. "IÂ’d had an Outlander Sport and Montero Sport before and loved them, so it seemed like a good choice. We drove the Mirage home that day, right off the showroom floor." "Janice drove it mostly for the first 7,000 miles or so, but when winter came, she wanted all-wheel-drive, so she got a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport," Jerry says. "But then I started using the Mirage for my business. I am a courier. I deliver samples from various doctorsÂ’ offices to labs, so I drive up and down the state and around town in Minneapolis all the time. The Mirage never missed a beat. It got me up and out of our gravel driveway, even in the middle of winter, when others got stuck in the snow." According to the Huots, the Mirage only needed two noteworthy repairs on its way to 414,000 miles: a replacement starter motor between 200,000 and 300,000 miles and a new set of wheel bearings some time after 150k, both of which they say were addressed under warranty. We checked with Mitsubishi, who confirmed that the Huots purchased an extended warranty from the dealership, hence the coverage of failed items at such high mileage. Apart from that, the Huots say it has needed only regularly scheduled maintenance. What replaced it? Another Mirage, predictably.

Junkyard Gem: 1990 Plymouth Laser RS Turbo

When Diamond Star Motors, a Chrysler-Mitsubishi joint venture, came online in the late 1980s, the first products to come out of the Normal, Illinois assembly plant were versions of the first-generation of the Mitsubishi Eclipse. There was the Eclipse itself, the Eagle Talon, and the Plymouth Laser. Here's a somewhat tattered example of the latter type, spotted in a Northern California self-serve yard. This car is unrelated to the Chrysler Laser of a few years earlier, which was based on the K-platform-derived Dodge Daytona. The Plymouth Laser was a pure Mitsubishi design. This one has the DOHC turbocharged 2.0-liter Sirius engine, rated at 190 horsepower. That was plenty of power by 1990 standards, a year in which the wildest possible Chevrolet Camaro (the IROC-Z, of course) packed just 230 hp under the hood. The IROC-Z weighed 3,149 pounds versus the Laser's 2,483, giving the Laser a slightly better power-to-weight ratio, not to mention a price tag more than $500 lower. CD players in cars were still uncommon in 1990; this Laser has the much more mainstream "computer controlled deck" cassette player, complete with nine-band graphic equalizer. Badging in futuristic typefaces was all the rage when this car was new. The all-wheel-drive Eclipse/Talon/Laser didn't hit dealerships until the 1991 model year, so all the '90s are front-wheel-drive only. The torque steer experienced in these cars could be exciting. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In the United States, Tina Turner pitched the Laser. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. North of the border, Celine Dion did the Laser's TV ads. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In Japan, the 1990 Eclipse featured "international breeze," whatever that is. Featured Gallery Junked 1990 Plymouth Laser RS Turbo View 23 Photos Auto News Chrysler Mitsubishi mitsubishi eclipse

2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport gets another refresh at Geneva

A mysterious electric SUV isn't the only vehicle Mitsubishi is bringing to the Geneva Motor Show. The company is also showing a refreshed 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (or ASX as it's known in some markets). And yes, despite the fact the Outlander Sport hasn't been completely redesigned since its introduction in the 2011 model year, Mitsubishi is only giving it a mild update. Up front, the entire fascia is changed with all-new headlights, grille and front bumper. It's all more angular, and appears to be a blend of the Eclipse Cross and that electric SUV concept teased recently. It's easily the most successful part of the refresh. The sides are unchanged save for some chrome fake fender vents. The back features new LED taillights and a rear bumper with a faux skid plate rather than a faux diffuser. The inside is almost unchanged except for the new infotainment screen. At 8 inches, it's an inch larger than the old model. It also has the ability to play videos from a USB flash memory stick when the car is parked. Powertrain options for the U.S. haven't been announced, but we expect it will use the same 148-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder currently available, plus its associated drivetrains. The current model can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive, with just a CVT on all-wheel drive models, and an available manual on front-driver versions. One final interesting aspect about the Outlander Sport just getting a refresh again is that it's the best-selling Mitsubishi in America, and the third-best worldwide. It seems strange to give so little love to a relatively successful model. Then again, the crossover has probably mostly paid for itself by now and it keeps selling, so perhaps Mitsubishi is just trying to maximize returns while it works on the smaller next-generation version. Related Video: