Fourth Generation of Mitsubishi Mirage

In October 1991, the fourth generation Mirage made its debut for the Japanese market alongside the related Lancer. Departing from the previous series, the new Mirage adopted a much rounder body shape—a change duplicated by much of the automotive industry in the early-1990s. As before, the Japanese Mirage lineup comprised the three-door hatchback (now called Mirage Cyborg) and sedan (now with a six-window glasshouse), plus a new coupe body type suffixed Asti. Lancer variants sold in Japan offered unique body variants—a four-windowed sedan and from May 1992, a station wagon suffixed "Libero". The wagon was still sold as of 2012 in Belize,^[18] however as of 2013 the model is no longer offered on the website.^[19]

Naming of the various models for export was many and varied. As a Mitsubishi, the three-door was restricted to the Mirage and Colt names, but the Mirage Asti coupe was often badged Lancer as well. With the sedan, export markets only retailed the four-window variation, although this occurred under both the Lancer and Mirage names.Unlike prior generations, the Japanese market Lancer range co-existed with greater differentiation when compared to the Mirage. The Mirage with its sportier appearance and tapered hood, featured elliptical headlamps with a very narrow single-port grille. Lancer variants diverged with more angular styling characterized by the more upright design. The Lancer also featured re-shaped fenders, less rounded headlamps, and a larger dual-port grille. Although both were built on the same platform, the Japanese-specification Lancer sedan received different sheet metal than the Mirage equivalent. More traditional in silhouette, the Lancer sedan (suffixed Vie Saloon) featured a simple four-window glasshouse, whereas the Mirage sedan adopted a more modern six-window glasshouse with abbreviated trunk.

Mitsubishi's powertrain choices were vast with this new platform. Front-wheel drive was most common, with all-wheel drive available for some models. Engines ranged from 1.3- to 1.8-liter naturally-aspirated gasoline inline-fours, 1.8- and 2.0-liter turbocharged versions of the same, plus 1.8- and 2.0-liter diesels. Notably, a gasoline V6 engine variant was also offered, displacing just 1.6-liters, making it the smallest mass-produced V6. The 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four, producing 145 kW (197 PS), was sold a "Lancer GSR" and from September 1993, formed the basis of the Lancer Evolution I that used the 2.0-liter 4G63 engine from the successful Galant VR-4 rally car. For the standard Lancer, this turbocharged 4G63 engine was an option only in the United States, but was quickly dropped in prior to the release of the Evolution I. An electric version of the wagon was released to Japan named the "Lancer Libero EV" and utilizing a nickel–cadmium battery.

Australian market versions of this generation were released in late 1992 and were officially referred to as the CC series Lancer.^[20] Buyers had the choice of the Lancer coupe (available in GL and GLXi equipment levels), sedan (GL, Executive, and GSR), and wagon (Executive). Five-speed manual transmission came fitted as standard, with all variants except the GSR available with automatic—three gears for the base coupe and sedan—and a four-speed unit for the remainder of the lineup. The GL coupe and sedan featured the 1.5-liter carbureted motor, with the 1.8-liter fuel-injected engine reserved for the rest of the series. All engines except in the GSR are single overhead camshaft design; the GSR featured double overhead camshafts, plus a turbocharger and intercooler.^[20]

This model launched in the United States for the 1993 model year as the Mirage, with all variants now sourced from Japan (instead of Japan or Illinois as previously). The same body shapes were also sold as the Dodge and Plymouth Colt in both the United States and Canada. The six-window greenhouse sedan was sold in these countries as the Eagle Summit alongside a coupe of the same name. For the Mitsubishi branded versions sold only in the United States, the coupe and four-window sedan were offered in base, S, ES and LS trim levels. Five-speed manual transmission was standard, although an automatic was optional on all Mirages except the S coupe. Mitsubishi kept the preceding generation's base 1.5-liter 4G15 engine with 69 kW (92 hp), but fitted the ES and LS sedans with the new 1.8-liter 4G93 engine rated at 84 kW (113 hp). For the 1994 model year, Mitsubishi introduced introduced a driver's airbag, the LS sedan lost its optional anti-lock brakes, and the LS coupe gained the 1.8-liter engine previously exclusive to sedans. The 1994 model year was the last year of retail sales for Mirage sedans (which became limited to fleets) and for the Dodge and Plymouth Colts altogether, although the Eagle Summit sedan and coupe remained on sale alongside the Mirage coupe through to 1996. As a consequence, only S and LS Mirage coupes returned for model year 1995, and both benefitted from a new passenger's side airbag and covered center console (and therefore the deletion of the motorized front seatbelts). The 1995 Mirage LS coupe gained uprated 14-inch wheels, but deleted access to power windows, power door locks, and cruise control.

Mitsubishi granted Proton in Malaysia a license to the fourth generation design from 1993—and it is still produced in a distant form as of 2012. The first variant produced, the sedan was badgedProton Wira and was complemented by a Proton-designed five-door Wira hatchback in 1994. Later in 1995, the three-door (Satria) and coupe (Putra) entered Malaysian manufacture. Proton then developed a pickup truck variant which came to fruition in 2002 as the Arena.