If you mirror the part "without features" it remains dependent on the original and should follow all changes.
Agreed that this is limited functionality but overall, there are a few options for the right occasions.
Personally, I don't mind managing the mirrored part as a fully independent model. It is so rare in my business that when it comes up, it is typically a simple part and a drawing. I might even save-as the model and drawing of the first and reverse the features manually in the second.