SHARP STYLE, DULL DRIVE
it The Eclipse doesn’t look like an SUV but the dynamics are old-school
The rise and rise of the SUV has led to some brands almost abandoning those old-hat conveyances — you know, hatchbacks, sedans and coupes.
Mitsubishi once had a wide range in Australia and made a great local model, the Magna, in Adelaide from 1985-2005. It’s now a predominantly SUV outfit, plus the Triton onetonner, the cheap and cheerful Mirage and the Lancer, a relic from the Cretaceous period.
The new Eclipse Cross slots into Mitsubishi’s SUV portfolio between the compact ASX and mid-size Outlander.
All three grades are powered by a 1.5-litre turbo turning the continuously variable transmission.
The front-wheel drive LS starts at $30,500. We’re in the mid-spec Exceed, at $36,000; it’s also available with all-wheel drive, at $38,500.
VALUE
Exceed specification covers most of a family‘s wagon requirements, with such bonus luxe as a double-sized sunroof, dual zone aircon and front seats that are heated and power adjustable.
Fake carbon-fibre and high gloss black plastic, framed by sweeping silver trim, adorn a twin cockpit-style dash with conventional instruments. The Eclipse is made in Japan, so fit and finish are excellent.
Infotainment includes a seven-inch touchscreen, plus a touchpad on the centre console.
Once you get the hang of how far and how hard to swipe, the touchpad works well, so you don’t often have to reach for the screen. Standard are Apple Carplay/Android Auto connectivity and digital radio but there’s no navigation — you need to use your phone for that.
Voice control is an adventure. The nice lady who runs things doesn’t like it if you speak loudly and tells you so in quite a stern tone. You have two chances to hit her preferred volume before she gets annoyed and refuses to listen to you, so you have to restart voice and try again.
When you ask her — softly and tenderly -— to make a call, she takes you through a long, convoluted process and seems reluctant to just get on with it and dial the flaming number. I think she must have had a loud boyfriend and phone bill trauma at some stage in her life.
COMFORT
Or maybe she’s just uncomfortable. Rugged in town, the ride jolts on sharp bumps and concrete joins, which generate excessive thump and bump as well.
It improves at highway speeds but the oversprung Eclipse lacks the compliance and comfort expected in a family vehicle.
You perch on a flat, short cushion, with good upper body support from a properly contoured, well-bolstered backrest. The wheel could use more reach adjustment to allow for long legs.
A strut in the middle of the tailgate window doesn’t seriously impede rearward vision. Big side mirrors, parking sensors and camera views (360/180 degrees plus kerbside) allow you to see what’s happening all around.
Firm and supportive, the rear bench has 200mm of travel, plus adjustable backrest angle, so legroom is generous, though the tapered roofline will test headroom for tall passengers.
The absence of vents plus the clumsy middle seat belt configuration reduce the Eclipse’s kid carrier appeal; on the credit side, access is easy and kids will like the high seating position.
The design-driven coupe-style rear end looks sharp but seriously compromises boot space — most rivals have more. In 60-40 split fold extended mode, the floor isn’t flat, either.
SAFETY
You get the lot in the Exceed, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.
DRIVING
On the strength of its performance or dynamics, the Eclipse is not going to win any class comparisons.
The 1.5-litre turbo is laggy at low revs and, from rest, the go pedal needs a serious poke to get a response, especially in Eco mode. Once the CVT wakes up and engages meaningfully with the engine, midrange performance is strong and the pedal is more responsive.
It cruises easily and quietly on the highway, returning 7-8L/100km on regular unleaded, which isn’t spectacularly frugal. Around town, despite the absence of auto stop-start, you can achieve single figures, though in Normal mode you’ll get respectable performance but consumption can increase to 10-12L/100km.
The CVT also has paddles, which mimic an eight-speed automatic.
Just like an old school SUV, the Eclipse gives you loud, clear “back off or bad things might happen” signals at very low dynamic limits.
Sloppy handling is characterised by exaggerated body roll in corners, deep, early understeer and less than disciplined roadholding, typical of oversprung/ underdamped suspension. The steering itself is rubbery and vague, while the brakes are only adequate.
HEART SAYS
I love the rakish, coupe shape. At last, an SUV that doesn’t look like an SUV.
HEAD SAYS
I get A-grade connectivity, safety and made-inJapan quality. It’s also the right size — most other SUVs at this price are smaller or bigger than I need. I’ll wait for the inevitable Mitsubishi discount deal.
ALTERNATIVES
No ball of fire either, with a naturally aspirated 114kW 2.0-litre/six-speed auto, but a superior drive to the Eclipse and better fuel economy too. Comparable safety, minus adaptive cruise. Pick of the class, with a punchy, frugal 110kW 1.4-litre turbo/six-speed auto/front-wheel drive, great handling, comfortable ride and much more load space. Auto emergency braking standard.