Tokyo motor show 2011 - Mitsubishi Mirage

The Mitsubishi Mirage on show in Tokyo is a compact and affordable city car that will be the entry-level model in Mitsubishi’ range.

At a little over 3.7 metres long, it’s 23cm shorter than the Colt supermini, as well as lower and narrower, but Mitsubishi claims there’s still space for five adults inside.

In an effort to maximise efficiency, Mitsubishi has focused on reducing the car's weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag.

The Mirage has a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine and features both stop-start technology and a CVT automatic gearbox. They are expected to help it average almost 85mpg. It is due on sale in January 2013 and will be priced to compete with the Nissan Micra, starting at around £9500.

The Mirage has been engineered so that other variants of the car are possible. Mitsubishi is considering a crossover model like the Nissan Juke, and a 'Plus' model that could be a rival to the Nissan Note.