Car Q&A: 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4

2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 | getinmymouf.com

This post is made possible through a partnership with the awesome folks at DriveShop and Mitsubishi, who provided us with a vehicle to test drive for a week. You can follow the conversation on social media with the hashtag #DriveMitsubishi.

Specs

MSRP (as tested): $17,830
MPG Estimate: 35 city – 42 highway
Engine: 1.2L MIVEC DOHC 12-valve 3-cylinder
Power: 78 hp @ 6,000 rpm | 74 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
Transmission: Continuous Variable Transmission
Color: Infrared (exterior) / Black (interior)

For more info, click here to view the 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 brochure.

As much as I enjoy test driving SUVs, it’s always fun to have a smaller car to zip around town in. They’re more fuel efficient, easy to park, and if you get stuck underneath it, you can probably find a few strong folks to lift it off of you.

Enter, the Mitsubishi Mirage. It’s kind of an adorable car. You’re tempted to both pinch its cheek and also try and lift it off the ground. Despite the cheek-pinching, the Mirage was kind enough to answer a few of our questions:

Get in my Mouf (GIMM): You are not a figment of my imagination, correct?

Mirage: A Mirage joke. Very Clever. Yes, I am a real.

GIMM: What’s with the name, then?

Mirage: I like to think of myself as a thirst quenching pool of water in a dessert of cars.

GIMM: Dessert or desert?

Mirage: Dessert.

GIMM: Dessert?

Mirage: Yes, the world as a sweet place, filled with candy, ice cream, and pastries.

GIMM: Like the game, Candyland.

Mirage: Never heard of it. Look, in this world we live in, I find it’s best to be an optimist. Some might say that my trunk is half full, but I would argue that it’s half-empty.

GIMM: I think you have that backwards…

Mirage: No, if it’s half empty, that’s a good thing. It means, there’s room for more suitcases, more beach towels, more picnic foods.

GIMM: You seem to subscribe to the ol’ adage of “big things come in small packages” philosophy.

Mirage: Quite the contrary, that adage is cliché, dated, and it really is offensive to small packages. I’m a small car and I embrace that. For example, I bet you could parallel park two of me in one space.

I’ve seen the way you park; you need all the help you can get.

GIMM: Fair enough.

Mirage: But should it be fair enough? Life is naturally not fair. If it were fair for everybody, then would that not actually be unfair to those who would otherwise have an advantage?

GIMM: You’re quite the philosopher.

Mirage: Am I, or is it just a figment of your imagination?

GIMM: …anyway, your gas milage is very efficient.

Mirage: Miles and gallons are simply man-made constructs in which we subjectively measure what is efficient. I believe efficiency is a measure of pleasure, divided by time.

GIMM: And now we’re doing math…

Mirage: But either way, by your human definition and my more accurate definition… I am indeed efficient.

GIMM: Last question–or rather, I’ll just make a statement and you can turn it into something deeper and more philosophical. Your warranty coverage is one of the best in the industry: 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable New Vehicle Limited Warranty, a 7-year/100,000-mile Anti-Corrosion/Perforation Limited Warranty and 5-year/ Unlimited Miles Roadside Assistance.

Mirage: Yes, I’m pretty well covered.

GIMM: That’s it?!

Mirage. Yes. Sometimes saying nothing is more powerful than saying something.

GIMM: There it is.

***

Disclaimer: As noted above we were provided this vehicle courtesy of DriveShop and Mitsubishi. Other than being allowed to test drive this vehicle, we were not provided any monetary compensation for this post. All opinions and fake interviews with inanimate objects remain our own.

Car Reviews

Car Q&A: 2017 Mazda6 Grand Touring

2017 Mazda6 Grand Touring | getinmymouf.com

This post is made possible through a partnership with the awesome folks at DriveShop and Mazda, who provided us with a vehicle to test drive for a few days. You can follow the conversation on social media with the hashtag #DriveMazda.

Specs

MSRP (as tested): $34,350
MPG Estimate: 21 city – 27 highway
Engine: Skyactiv-G 2.5L 4-Cyl Engine
Power: 184 hp | 185 lb-ft of torque
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Color: Machine Grey Metallic (exterior) / Parchment Nappa Leather (interior)
Options: GT Premium Package (regenerative braking system, active grille shutters, shifter LED accent lighting, bright finish interior trim, Nappa leather-trimmed upholstery, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, steering wheel w/ unique stitch, black headliner)

For more info, click here to view the 2017 Mazda6 Brochure.

We spent a mostly rainy week with the 2017 Mazda6. Sure, we wished the weather was better, but the Mazda6 still made the most of running errands, commuting to work, and chauffeuring a labradoodle around town. Although we didn’t have an opportunity to take any fun road trips or long weekend drives, the Mazda6 did make for a solid daily driver.

With features galore, for example excellent handling and surprisingly good gas mileage, we were excited to sit down with this beautiful automotive creation for a quick Q&A:

Get in my Mouf (GIMM): Should we discuss the elephant in the room first?

Mazda6: Not sure I follow you…

GIMM: I test drove a previous version of you–2015, I think–and came very close to making a purchase.

Mazda6: Way to make this awkward interview right out of the gate. Why didn’t you?

GIMM: It just wasn’t a fit at that time–Look, I wanted to address it, but let’s not dwell in the past.

Mazda6: For the record, you brought it up. Why don’t you go ahead and ask what my favorite food is. This is a food blog. That’s your schtick, right?

GIMM: We’ll get to that, but I wanted to first ask you about the Lane-Keep Assist. It’s a pretty slick safety feature that autocorrects the steering wheel if you start to drift out of a lane.

Mazda6: Apples. That would be my favorite food.

GIMM: Okay. That’s jumping ahead a bit–

Mazda6: Crisp and juicy. They can be sweet, tart, or both. It’s a breakfast food, it’s a dessert, it’s a snack. What can’t an apple do? As a vehicle that’s what I aspire to be. I want people to think of me as being as versatile as an apple.

GIMM: Judging by your reviews on Edmunds, Car and Driver, and Motor Trend, I think it’s safe to say people are viewing you a versatile option. Speaking of safe, the Lane-Keep assist is a nice feature that–

Mazda6: Sure I get solid reviews from all the pros, but you know what really gets me psyched? The people. That’s who I do this for. Read these reviews.

GIMM: Yes, I have read those. We prepare pretty thoroughly for our interviews.

Mazda6: Of course you do. Anyway, when I read things like “Best car out of 12 that I have owned” it makes me feel like I’m truly making a difference out there. When people go car shopping, too often they have to sacrifice something–budget, performance, options. But, I feel like I do a pretty good job of minimizing those sacrifices. I help people realize that they can have it all in one vehicle: Race-car like handling, high-tech safety features, luxury-car comfort, impressive fuel economy–all combined in a family sedan that looks “sexy as hell”. That last description is an actual quote from a reviewer.

GIMM: Of course it is. Anyway, speaking of high-tech safety features–

Mazda6: *Sighs* Yes, the Lane-Keep assist is cool. If the driver is distracted, it allows me to temporarily take control of the steering wheel to ensure the car doesn’t drift out of the lane.

GIMM: You like to be in control, don’t you?

Mazda6: This interview is over.

***

Disclaimer: As noted above we were provided this vehicle courtesy of DriveShop and Mazda. Other than being allowed to test drive this vehicle, we were not provided any monetary compensation for this post. All opinions and fake interviews with inanimate objects remain our own.

Holiday, Recipes

White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn

As much as we like to complicate things, sometimes you need to keep things easy. That’s what White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn is all about. An easy snack, for a busy season.

The recipe stems from one of our family’s favorite holiday cookies: The White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie. So simple, yet so addicting, the White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie would cause a civil war if it were absent during December.

The only downside is that you have to actually make cookies. Sure, baking cookies isn’t hard, but it is time consuming and there always a bunch of dishes you have to clean afterwards… Seriously, why would anyone bake cookies ever?

Ah, right. Because cookies are awesome.

Anyway, White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn, on the other hand bridges the gap between a wanting a sweet, salty, tangy snack and actually having to spend the time to make it. It’s a win, win, win, win, win.

Perfect for Christmas Morning snacking, or for holiday light tours, this popcorn will make you forget about all those big brands that make a living selling over-priced popcorn in gift boxes.

Snack hard this holiday season.

White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn

Ingredients

3 Cups of Popped Popcorn (One bag of microwave popcorn, if you want to keep things easy)
1/2 Cup of Dried Cranberries, minced
1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar
One 4 oz bar of White Chocolate, roughly chopped
1/4 Cup Christmas Sprinkles
Pinch of Salt (more or less depending on how salty your popcorn already is)

Instructions:

Make the popcorn according to the instructions. Seriously, no judgement on using microwave popcorn.
Toss the minced cranberries in the powered sugar – This will help separate the cranberries and allow them to stick to the popcorn better.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread out the popcorn on the sheet and top with the cranberries.
Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 45 seconds. Stir and heat for another 20 seconds and stir again – All of the chocolate should be melted.
Drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn and cranberries, then sprinkle the sprinkles on top and mix well.
Let the mixed popcorn sit in the refrigerator for about five minutes to set up.

Time Traveling in the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited | getinmymouf.com

Disclaimer: We have been given compensation for this post by FCA US. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are our own.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited is the vehicle my younger self always wanted. Let’s travel back to the late 80’s…

When I was a kid, I always wished we had a big car. Like one of those cool vans, big SUVs, or heck–even an RV with beds and a full kitchen. When you’re child, bigger is better. I also always envisioned that road trips to the beach, long car rides back from relatives, and even boring errands would be more enjoyable in the back of a vehicle that facilitated more fun. And I doubt my younger self would believe that playing Nintendo in the back seat would even be a thing, let alone an eventuality.

The truth is that we didn’t really need a large vehicle – I was an only child for most of my life, until my brother was born and ruined everything (just kidding, love you bro). So, I ended up growing up in the back seat of compact sedans coveting SUVs and minivans with palatial back seats.

Cut To: The early 2000s. The Young adult me–partially influenced by The Fast & the Furious–was more focused on smaller vehicles with a stick shift. I would laugh at minivans, then try and race them in my non-suped up car. I would lose a lot, but I still thought I was cool.

Back to Present: Now an old-er adult, I didn’t know what to expect from the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. Tina and I don’t have any kids, yet. We have a dog, but Cooper tends to be terrified of any vehicles with doors that move by themselves (the Pacifica has three). How would I feel, as a 32-year old, driving a minivan? Would I tell my co-workers, or would I hide it in the back of the parking lot next to the dumpster?

Spoiler Alert: At the end of our week-long test drive, I didn’t want to give the keys back.

The whole week I couldn’t stop showing off the features of this minivan from the future. I’d open both sliding doors with the remote for no reason at all! I happily displayed how easy it was to fold down all the rear seats to anyone who would listen. I made multiple trips to the grocery store and Salvation Army just to have an excuse to haul stuff around.

Not to mention that the ride was comfortable, the steering wheel was warm to the touch on cold mornings, and the entertainment system was on a whole new level. There were so many hidden drawers for storage that Tina and I were finding new nooks and crannies almost every day.

Oh and there’s a built in vacuum. A vacuum. Built. Into. The vehicle.

So, yeah, it’s safe to say the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited will change your mind about minivans.

Chrysler Pacifica: Labradoodle Approved

For a dog, Cooper is a tough critic. Considering he loves car rides, he sure is picky on the types of cars he prefers to serve as his carriage. He tends to like smaller sedans with cozy back seats and won’t even entertain the idea of hopping into an SUV unless strongly persuaded with treats.

However, he had no hesitation hopping up into the Pacifica.

I’m sure he was a little surprised at just how much room he had back there. With what probably felt like a living room’s worth of space, it was quite different than his typical wheels. We opted to put down the middle-row seat for Labradoodle Cruising Mode.

Coop also enjoyed the fact that there was plenty of storage for tennis balls and dog treats.

Lunch break Nintendo

With dual-screens, an HDMI input, and an AC power outlet, lunch breaks are a whole lot more fun. Tina’s brother surprised us with a Nintendo Classic system, so of course I had to take it for a spin in the Pacifica.

As a 32-year old, sitting in the back of the Pacifica, on my lunch break, playing Super Mario Bros., I seriously did my younger self proud. It was a weird moment where I felt like I had time traveled to the past and the future simultaneously…and it was glorious.

Leave home for the holidays

Test driving the Pacifica during the holiday season was also perfect timing. Not only does it have all the extra room to haul around presents and donations–you know the normal stuff that you would see in a commercial for a minivan–but it really does enable you to do more with your family. You won’t want to hang around the house, because the Pacifica makes you want to get out and do stuff. Productive stuff, but also fun stuff. Everyone loves fun stuff, right?

No matter how old we get, we like drive around and look at lights, so taking out the family–no matter how big or small, or if it includes four-legged children–to look at lights was a nostalgic holiday activity suited for the Pacifica.

Since this is a food blog, you know we had to bring along some snacks for our festive light tour: White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn (click here for the recipe). Inspired by highly requested (at least in our family) white chocolate cranberry cookies, this was a crunchy, salty, sweet, tangy snack that makes you want to use a ton of adjectives to describe it.

Oh and any loose kernels on the floor were easily taken care of with that built-in vacuum.

For lighting purposes, we took the pics at sunset. No, we did not look at Christmas lights during the day. That would be silly.

A long goodbye

As we had to hand the keys back, one might assume that we mentally traveled back in time and looked back upon all the fun times we had with the Pacifica. Fondly remembering the remote engine start, panoramic sunroof, powerful V6, or the helpful 360 surround view.

Instead, we lamented everything we didn’t have time to do. A road trip to the beach with my parents. Help someone move out of their apartment. Stretch out and take a nap in the country. Have a picnic at a Winery. Make pancakes for breakfast.

Wait, what?

Yup. Pancakes. Seriously, with an AC outlet and all that space, I could literally hook up a griddle and make pancakes in the Pacifica. Maybe in next year’s model…

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited

Want more info about the Pacifica? Click here for the brochure and follow the conversation with Chrysler on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Just wanna see it for yourself? Go find a dealer near you!

Disclaimer: As mentioned above, we have been given compensation for this post by FCA US. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are our own.