Shocking: There Are No Replacement Shocks For the Latest Mirage

I recently installed a set of Eibach Pro Kit springs on our 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback (they're actually for the Euro market Space Star, which is the same as the Mirage). They only lower the car about 1", but I'm not looking to slam the thing to the ground, so they're ideal. Plus, these springs were going to be used with the stock shocks for now. Normally, I'd replace the shocks when lowering car, but the Mirage only has 5,000 miles on it, and the drop is minimal.

However, my curiosity was piqued as to what shocks were available for the Mirage. It turns out there aren't any—literally. None. Nada. Nothing. Well, nothing other than the factory Tokicos via the Mitsubishi dealer, which must be made out of solid platinum for the price they'd want.

There's a thread on MirageForum.com about replacement shocks. It's five pages long. It confirmed that there are no shocks available in North America from Monroe, Gabriel, KYB, Tokico, Koni, or any other shock maker for that matter. I find that amazing since Mitsubishi has sold more than 100,000 Mirages in North America since its debut as a 2014 model year vehicle. What gives?

OK, what about other global markets? There have been over 750,000 Mirages or Space Stars sold globally. Surely, there has to be something out there.

The Mirage is manufactured in Thailand. Using Google translate, I attempted to browse Google for shock absorbers in Thai, and would have my findings translated using Google. Nothing—or should I say ไม่มีอะไร. Next I attempted another country where the Mirage is popular, Indonesia. Tidak ada. OK, what about the UK? No, sir. Germany? Nichts. New Zealand and Australia? Sorry, mate. Finally, I attempted a search in Japan. The only thing I found were some KYB SR Specials shocks, but they're for the Mirages powered by the 1.0-liter engine. I have no idea if they'd work for the 1.2 liter; for all I know the shock mount might be different (unlikely), but the 1.2-liter Mirages likely weigh more.

Globally, Mitsubishi has sold more than 750,000 Mirages. How there cannot be any replacement shocks outside of buying the original equipment units is, well, shocking. Sure, there are a number of high-performance coilovers from Tein, Godspeed, and BC Racing (among others), but if you're not looking for a harsh-riding coilover setup, you're going to be spending a lot of dough at your local dealer. FYI, the MSRP for a pair of rear shocks for the Mirage is a whopping $287. A pair of fronts is a staggering $665! You're looking at a mind-blowing $952 for new shocks all around—and that wouldn't even include labor if you're not doing it yourself. You can save quite a bit by going through a place, such as Mitsubishi Parts Warehouse ($464.64), but for comparison's sake, a set of KYB replacement shocks (direct replacement OE-grade) are $167.99 shipped for the Yaris.

Here's hoping that some company—any company—is going to offer up a replacement shock for this car.