The Mirage arrives in time to take on Kia's first entrant into the segment, the tiny European styled Picanto, which lands next month.
The tiddler of the Mitsubishi range has a new front grille, redesigned bonnet and different wheels to go with a cabin that claims better quality seat materials and piano black accents to lift the ambience.
There are two new exterior colours — wine red and sunrise orange — but the biggest changes are under the skin.
New electric power-assisted steering is said to have improved response while also making the Mirage easier to manoeuvre and more comfortable on the highway.
Mitsubishi has recalibrated the car's continuously variable transmission for better in-gear acceleration and tweaked the suspension to reduce body roll through corners, improve ride comfort and reduce road noise.
There are no price cuts but the brand, which already has a higher than normal five-year warranty, has reduced the cost of capped servicing by $270 over the four-year period.
Car brands got excited about the micro-car market a couple of years ago, when rising fuel prices and greater emphasis on emissions suggested car buyers would rush to downsize.
That failed to eventuate, as our love of SUVs put paid to a small-car revival.
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