Manila to Baguio with 15 liters? Mitsubishi PH hosts first eco-run with Mirage G4

The two variants of the Mirage G4 used for the eco-run

These days, everyone’s finding an excuse to drive up to Baguio, with its cool jacket-weather temperatures and misty mountain views. So when Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) led a two-day eco-run drive to the country’s summer capital, some 34 members of the motoring media from 16 various publications and outfits quickly signed up.

At the event were MMPC’s Junya Masuda (EVP for marketing), Akihiro Yamada (VP, Executive Office), Froilan Dytianquin (VP for marketing services), Dante Calma (AVP for marketing services) and Arlan Reyes Jr. (senior manager for advertising and public relations), ably coordinated by Rosemary Cruz from the ads and PR team.

According to Reyes, MMPC’s own team achieved about 21 kilometers per liter and was expecting similar results from this eco-run. To validate their own findings, MMPC brought along 10 units of the Mirage G4, five test units in the manual transmission variant and the other half in CVT (continuous variable transmission), and split the group into 10 teams.

The best results for both manual and CVT variants were 33.6 kpl and 26 kpl, respectively. Our own team, which was composed of this writer, Inquirer Motoring columnist Botchi Santos and Inquirer Motioncars contributor/videographer Ronnie Trinidad achieved a 17.4-kpl consumption reading. This was most likely due to the fact that we were traveling at about 100 kilometers per hour on the highway’s long stretches and had a tendency to overtake slow-moving vehicles throughout the drive. By traveling at 100 kph, which is the maximum highway speed, the car has a tendency to burn more fuel as compared to traveling between 60 kph to 80 kph, which is considered the optimal speed to achieve maximum fuel efficiency. Our team’s result is by no means considered low, and we felt that it is considered a more “real-world” situation.

Unveiling the G4

Inquirer Motoring/motioncars.inquirer.net team (from left) Alvin Uy, Ronnie Trinidad and Botchi Santos with MMPC vice president Akihiro Yamada

MMPC officially unveiled the all-new Mirage G4 last October and, as it added this model to its passenger vehicle lineup, it was primarily designed to address the need for a practical yet stylish compact sedan. The Mirage G4 stands for Mirage Global four-door sedan, offering greater cabin and trunk spaces, as well as class-leading features and amenities. We all took turns in driving and riding on the back seat. According to our six-footer companion Ronnie, who had no problem sitting at the back seat, the ample legroom and rear cabin visibility keep its rear passengers comfortably seated despite the long drive.

The all-new Mirage G4 is available in GLS and GLX variants and in both CVT and five-speed manual transmission with introductory retail price that starts at P578,000 for the GLX MT, P628,000 for the GLX CVT, P668,000 for the GLS MT and P718,000 for the top-of-the-line GLS CVT.

Beating at the heart of the Mirage G4 is a lightweight and compact 1.2-liter 3 in-line DOHC Mivec (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control) gasoline engine that generates a maximum output of 77 horsepower and 100 Newton-meters of torque. It was more than sufficient to keep us in good pace alongside bigger sedans on the highway, while burning a lot less fuel—thanks to this eco-friendly engine combined with well-designed aerodynamics. Mitsubishi’s Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body also gave us the confidence to keep pace in the five-hour trip all the way up to Baguio.