Mirage Fifth Generation

Fifth generation

Production	1997–2002
Assembly	Assembly Mizushima plant, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan Normal, Illinois
Body style(s)	3-door hatchback 4-door sedan 4-door wagon 2-door coupe
Layout	FF layout
Engine(s)	1.5 L 92 hp I4 1.8 L 113 hp I4
Transmission(s)	4-speed automatic 5-speed manual
Wheelbase	Sedan: 2,500 mm (98.4 in) Coupe: 2,415 mm (95.1 in)
Length	Sedan: 4,410 mm (173.6 in) Coupe: 4,270 mm (168.1 in)
Width	1,690 mm (66.5 in)
Height	2000-02 Coupe: 1,360 mm (53.5 in) 2000-01 Sedan: 1,390 mm (54.7 in)) 1997-99 Sedan: 1,335 mm (52.6 in) 1997-99 Coupe: 1,305 mm (51.4 in)
Curb weight	1,045 kg (2,300 lb)

A new Mirage was launched in 1995 and called the 'CE' or 5th Generation chassis. The range was rationalized to a two-door coupe (still called Mirage Asti in Japan), three-door hatchback and a four-door sedan, all but the three-door being called Lancer in export markets. A station wagon on this platform was offered but never as a Mirage, in either Japan or overseas. In Japan it had Libero badges. It is usually considered part of the Lancer lineage, not the Mirage one.

By 2003, the only Mirage sold in Japan was the coupé, without the Asti designation.

Due to Mitsubishi's financial troubles, this version of the Mirage stayed in production to 2003, with minor facelifts along the way. Despite a new Lancer (the Lancer Cedia) in 2000, many countries (including Thailand and New Zealand) still sold this generation as late as 2003. The United States, which sold the range as the Mirage from 1997 to 2002, replaced it with the Lancer Cedia (called plain Lancer there and in all other export markets) from 2002.

With the rising popularity of boxy compact and subcompact SUVs in Japan, the Mirage nameplate was used on a domestic market-only model called the Mirage Dingo, from 1999. The Dingo was facelifted in 2001 and cancelled in 2003.

However, New Zealand sold a very different Mirage in 2002: a rebadged, Dutch-made Mitsubishi Space Star. The vehicle was not very popular and was soon discontinued.

Most countries replaced the Mirage with the Mitsubishi Colt, sharing a platform with the Smart Forfour, in 2004.