2013 Mitsubishi Mirage On Sale From January, Priced At $12,990

Mitsubishi's new Mirage light car will join the ranks of the ultra-affordable when it hits Australia in January, priced from $12,990. 

It won't be the cheapest - the J1, Alto and MK all start below $12k - but at just under $13k, the Mirage will tackle the $12,490 Barina Spark, $13,490 Micra and the $13,990 Volkswagen Up. 

The littlest Mitsubishi will be offered in three trim grades, from the entry ES to the mid-level Sport and topping out with the $15,490-$17,740 LS variant. 

Manual and CVT automatic transmissions will be offered across the range, and a 57kW/100Nm 1.2 litre petrol engine is the only powertrain on offer. 

Depending on specification, fuel consumption ranges from 4.6 to 4.9 l/100km, and CO2 emissions from 109 to 115g/km.

The new Mirage measures in at 3710mm long, making it around 200mm longer than the tiny Suzuki Alto but 160mm shorter than the Mitsubishi Colt, for now still the brand's smallest offering in many Western markets.