Mitsubishi has taken the wraps of the sedan version of the new Mirage, dubbed the Attrage. Just-Auto reports that the Thai-based sedan will launch in July, and will be exported shortly thereafter. Powertrains will carry over from the Mirage, but hopefully the name will change when it comes to our shores.

Pop quiz:

1. What segment sells in strong volumes in America?
2. What segment is considered poison by American consumers?
3. Why is Mitsubishi neglecting a popular segment while focusing on an unpopular one?

The answers are, in order: Compact cars, subcompact cars and “we have no idea whatsoever”. Despite letting their Lancer ripen so long its turned into vinegar, Mitsubishi is apparently intent on introducing a subcompact sedan to the American market.

While subcompact hatches have gotten some traction here, nobody likes subcompact sedans. Not only do they scream poverty, but they look like rubber erasers that have been melted in the microwave. And yet Mitsubishi looks set to bring over a product based on the G4 sedan, according to Automotive News.

Why not a replacement for the Lancer? Why not a decent mid-size sedan? If there’s one thing we don’t need, its a competitor for the Nissan Versa S “Credit Criminal special”.

Mitsubishi announced fuel economy figures for their newest subcompact, which will revive the Mirage name. At 37 mpg city and 44 mpg highway, the Mirage will best the Chevrolet Spark, its main competitor in the A-segment. But Mitsubishi has yet to announce any of their powertrain offerings for the Mirage. Overseas, a 1.2L 4-cylinder making 73 horsepower is offered.

Honda wasn’t the only Japanese auto maker debuting something at the Montreal Auto Show. Mitsubishi debuted the Canadian-spec version of the new Mirage – without giving it a name.

North American spec versions of the tiny Mitsu include a new 1.2L three-cylinder engine, rather than the 1.0L unit employed in world markets. Despite the bump in displacement, the Mirage puts out a whopping 74 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. Although we at TTAC are against re-purposing all or part of a press release, we’ll make an exception this time, to illustrate just  how enthusiastic Mitsubishi Canada is about this car.

Displayed in striking Green Metallic paint, the subcompact was unveiled by Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada (MMSCAN) president & CEO Shin Fujioka to gathered media: “The new 2014 Mitsubishi is fun, efficient, greener and affordable. We can’t wait!” he said.

Mitsubishi’s commitment to the American market seems to hinge on two crossovers, one plug-in, and a hilariously undersized A-segment car. The plan is so absurd that it may have a chance of succeeding.

Hans Greimel of Automotive News sat down with Osamu Masuko, head of Mitsubishi Motors, to discuss his plans for the United States. In the wake of Suzuki’s departure from America, all eyes are on Mitsubishi to be the next one to bounce from the USA. Mitsubishi is targeting 55,000 units for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. After that, it’s 80,000 units or bust.

While Mitsubishi lost the Endeavor, Eclipse and Galant this past year, there is new product in the pipeline. The Outlander Sport will be built in Mitsubishi’s Illinois factory, with a view to exporting it to markets like Russia. Meanwhile, the upcoming Outlander and its plug-in sibling should end up as Mitsubishi’s core product, sitting alongside the aging Lancer and the super Evolution, which somehow has managed to hang on.

While Mitsubishi is banking on the Outlander to help it achieve a medium-term goal of 100,000 sales annually, one car that won’t make a big splash is the Mirage A-segment car that Mitsubishi has pledged to import. Maskuo told AN that monthly sales of 600 units may end up as Mitsubishi’s target, and due to that, it may only be sold in certain regions. An EV may be part of the plan as well, but Maskuo is concious of the failure of the all-electric i, and the capabilities of a Mirage EV, stating

As for EVs, it’s true, not everything went according to plan. But that’s not to say that EV technology was rejected. This technology is a must and indispensible for developed economies.

Mitsubishi still has to contend with an ancient, uncompetitive Lancer and nothing to replace the Galant. And that may not be such a bad thing. The compact and mid-size segments are about as cutthroat as you can get, and it’s highly unlikely that anything they field would be good enough to steal sales away from the outstanding entries fielded by every other OEM.

Instead, Mitsubishi is left with a slightly odd, pseudo-niche lineup. Perhaps the Outlander and its plug-in variant will take off. Sales of the Spark have been stronger than expected, and the Mirage may find itself duking it out with the hot-selling Chevy. The odds are not at all in Mitsubishi’s favor, and there’s a good chance their plan could fail. But they deserve some credit for doubling down on their strengths, rather than just fielding more half-assed “me too” product.

Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko re-affirmed his company’s commitment to the American marketplace, despite seeing most of its product line eliminated, and the flagship i electric car fail miserably. Despite these Job-like setbacks, Mitsubishi will release more new product in 2013, including a plug-in hybrid SUV and an all-new A/B segment car.

Despite sales projections of 20,000 units annually, Automotive News is reporting that Mitsubishi has sold less than 500 examples of the i through October, and plans for a successor are now dead. Where Mitsubishi will hit back is with plug-in cars and what Masuko calls “attractive products” that will motivate dealers to invest in upgrading their facilities.

The Outlander will hit showrooms in July, followed by the tiny, three-cylinder Mirage hatchback in September. A plug-in Outlander will go on sale in early 2014. Mitsubishi is also planning to increase capacity at their Illinois plant from 50,000 to 70,000 units a year, largely for exporting vehicles to world markets. While Masuko is looking to double sales to 100,000 units in America by 2014, Mitsubishi has a long way to go. As it stands now, only Suzuki cars sell worse among Japanese brands, and they won’t be around much longer.

Looks like I have my work cut out for me yet again; the new Mitsubishi Mirage will be coming to Canada, but Mitsubishi may not bring their new small car to the United States. Yes, I’ll take time to review it.

According to Automotive News, money is tight at Mitsubishi, and the new Outlander will take priority over the diminutive Mirage, with Mitsubishi spokesman Roger Yasukawa telling AN

“Our concern from a timing standpoint is that with the Outlander coming out next year, not too far from a possible launch of the [Mirage], we have to really think about resources,”

The Mirage is also on the small side for American tastes – about the size of a Chevrolet Spark, and even shorter than the Ford Fiesta or Kia Rio hatchback. Built in Thailand, the Mirage is meant to be basic transportation designed to give Mitsubishi a foothold in fast-growing Southeast Asian markets. Pricing would have to be rock bottom for it to sell in America, but if it costs too little, dealers may not make any money on the car.

The Mirage should do reasonably well in Canada, where small, affordable cars are always a hit. The province of Quebec in particular should be a big market for the Mirage. Hyundai Canada used to sell 50 percent of their Accents in Quebec alone (when the car could be had for under $10,000 brand new) – but the Mirage’s CVT-only configuration may not go over well in la belle province, where anecdotal evidence gleaned from walking the streets of Montreal suggests that buyers heavily favor manual transmissions in their compact cars, even in the hilly, narrow stop-and-go streets of Montreal and Quebec City.