Used car guide · 2013–2021

Mitsubishi Mirage common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Mitsubishi Mirage, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 33,044 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

33,044MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
11,120on the UK register
2014best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

202120202019201820172016201520142013

What usually goes wrong with a Mitsubishi Mirage?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Mitsubishi Mirage in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Mitsubishi Mirage MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 4.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Wipers

    up to 2.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

  • Ball joint dust cover

    up to 7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

Mitsubishi Mirage MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage did best (79% passed first time, 9 points above all 2014 cars) and the 2020 did worst (87%, 0 points above all 2020 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202188%87% +1525
202087%87% +02,138
201988%85% +33,351
201885%83% +23,054
201784%80% +43,734
201683%77% +64,126
201580%74% +64,455
201479%70% +95,207
201375%67% +86,454

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Mitsubishi Mirage

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 4.2× as often on the Mitsubishi Mirage as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the wipers? (Flagged at MOT 2.1× as often on the Mitsubishi Mirage as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the ball joint dust cover? (Flagged at MOT 7× as often on the Mitsubishi Mirage as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Mitsubishi Mirage?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score