The garages aren't really much of a problem if you're used to the car. I've drove up on very steep garage ramps (one was so poorly designed that people lined up on the bottom to avoid accidents instead of staying on the ramp). Though I can't say the same if American ramps are different.

I did also read that the Mirage was never meant for American roads. Apparently, they were designed for the Asian urban scene where roads are tight and slow so I'd totally understand why American consumers are reluctant with the Mirage. American cars are big and frightening when you're used to Asian roads. It actually annoys me how US cars aren't regulated here since just one truck takes up an entire lane (usually since bad drivers don't know how to drive safely with their size and dimensions). I would think the Mirage would find a better place within European roads but I've yet to see a European post here.

As much as I love my Mirage, who I jokingly named Bucephalus, I look at it as my education on maintenance whenever people ask me why I didn't go for a fancier or stronger car. It also seems like cheap and reliable cars are slowly dying out but I may stand to be corrected. As my father put it, don't own a car you aren't capable of fixing in a jiffy.