2022 Kia Rio vs. 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage Comparison

The 2022 Kia Rio and the 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage are two of the most affordable cars on the market today, but they both also come with long warranties. Here’s how they compare.

2022 Kia Rio

2022 Kia Rio Starting Price: $16,150 | Price yours or View listings near you

Above Average: Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard; great gas mileage; comfortable; affordable; available as sedan or hatchback (Rio 5-Door).

Below Average: No manual transmission offered; not many standard safety tech features; trunk and back seats are small.

Consensus: The 2022 Kia Rio is a subcompact sedan (or hatch, in Rio 5-Door guise) that’s high on practicality and efficiency and low on cost.

2022 Mitsubishi Mirage

2022 Mitsubishi Mirage Starting Price: $14,645 | Price yours or View listings near you

Above Average: Low price and running costs; hatchback is versatile; long warranty.

Below Average: Crash test results; lacks dynamics; weak engine.

Consensus: The 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage is one of the least expensive cars on sale in the U.S. today, but it still includes modern essentials like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard.

Rio vs. Mirage: Pint-Sized, Packed With Value

Kia Rio

The 2022 Kia Rio subcompact sedan and Rio 5-Door subcompact hatchback are essentially mechanically identical to their corporate cousin, the Hyundai Accent, but do vary considerably in terms of style and equipment.

Power comes from a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive. The engine is rated for 120 horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque, and paired with a standard continually variable transmission (CVT) that nets 36 mpg (33 city/41 hwy) combined. The CVT simulates an 8-speed automatic.

Just two trims are offered with the 2022 Kia Rio: the base LX starting at $16,150, and the S that starts at $16,790. The Rio 5-Door (hatchback) is only available in S trim and starts at $17,090. The base Rio LX comes with 15-inch steel wheels, a 3.5-inch LCD instrument panel display, trip computer, 6-way adjustable driver’s seat, an 8-inch touchscreen display with rear camera, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Upgrading to the Rio S adds a front center armrest, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, adjustable rear headrests, rear USB charging, an 8-inch touchscreen with UVO telematics and satellite radio, and the option to upgrade to automatic climate control.

The Kia Rio sedan offers 89.9 cubic feet of total passenger space, plus 13.7 cubic feet in the trunk. The 2022 Rio 5-Door, on the other hand, offers 90.5 cubic feet of total passenger space, plus 17.4 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, or 32.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.

Mitsubishi Mirage

The 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage is an economical, very affordable subcompact available in both sedan and hatchback body styles. The hatchback starts from $14,645, while the sedan, called the Mirage G4, starts from $15,645.

Both the hatchback and the G4 sedan use the same 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine rated for 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. If those numbers sound small, that’s because they are. The Mirage is one of the least powerful new cars available. The engine is also prone to noise and vibration, especially when working hard. All Mirages come with a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, plus a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Four trim lines are offered on the 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage: ES, LE, BE, and SE. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on Mirage ES, but a CVT transmission can be added to ES and is standard on all other trims. The 2022 Mirage G4 scores 35 mpg combined with the 5-speed manual or 37 mpg combined with the CVT. Hatchback Mirages are slightly more efficient, scoring 37 mpg with the manual or 39 mpg with the CVT.

The top-of-the-line SE starts at $18,695 in sedan form (or $17,895 as a hatchback) and includes ES features like a 7-inch display with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and automatic climate control, plus LED headlights, heated front seats, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, push-button start, rain-sensing wipers, fog lights, and 15-inch alloy wheels.

Both the hatchback and the sedan offer seating for up to five. The sedan’s trunk fits 12.4 cubic feet of cargo, compared to the hatchback’s behind-the-seats 17.1 cubic feet or 47.0 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.

Similarities

Price; powertrain warranty; standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; sedan and hatchback body styles.

Kia Rio Benefits

Larger trunk on sedan model; more shoulder room front and rear; more power.

Mitsubishi Mirage Benefits

Low starting price; fuel economy; more rear-seat legroom.

Which One is Right for Me?

The 2022 Kia Rio is a no-frills subcompact sedan or hatchback that still covers the necessary tech bases with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage is a frugal subcompact sedan or hatchback with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for one of the lowest prices of any new car in America. Ready to buy a Kia Rio or Mitsubishi Mirage? Shop for one on sale now near you

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