VALUE EQUATION ADDS UP

VALUE

Mitsubishi trades on value for money and the Eclipse Cross compact SUV is no different. Prices for the coupe-like SUV start at $30,490 drive-away for the base ES variant and rise to $43,990 for the all-wheel drive Exceed. We are testing the fourth notch up the totem pole, the Eclipse Cross Aspire priced at $36,490. The Eclipse Cross has had a substantial midlife upgrade and comes with a very generous list of standard equipment and safety aids. All Mitsubishis come with a market leading 10year/200,000km warranty, although there is a catch: to receive the full warranty you need to have your annual service done at a Mitsubishi dealer. Otherwise it reverts to five years and 100,000km. Servicing is capped for the entire 10-year period and will set you back a reasonable $3790 over that time.

COMFORT

The cabin feels a little dated compared to slicker rivals from Toyota, Mazda and Kia but the Eclipse Cross has all the mod-cons you are likely to need or want. Front seat passengers are treated to heated faux leather and suede trimmed seats. The driver’s seat is electronically adjustable. There are plenty of soft touch plastics throughout the cabin. An eight-inch touchscreen is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a pair of USB points will keep your devices juiced. Rear seats are roomy enough, but the lack of rear air vents and USB charging points is disappointing. The boot is large, easily accommodating the weekly shop or the kids’ school and sports bags. The suspension set-up is not ideal — it leans excessively through corners and wallows after bigger bumps.

SAFETY

Mitsubishi has loaded the Eclipse Cross with standard active and passive safety.

It will slam on the brakes when it detects an imminent collision with a car or a pedestrian, while the combination of lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and lane-keep assist will keep you on the straight and narrow. The rear cross-traffic alert function works well, alerting you to approaching traffic when you’re backing out of your driveway. Seven airbags provide further peace of mind.

DRIVING

The Eclipse Cross is made for the urban commute and it performs that task admirably. Power comes from a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine making 110kW and 250Nm. That’s enough to provide easy and smooth acceleration around town but don’t expect a lot of punch off the mark. Radar cruise control and a well insulated cabin make for comfortable highway cruising. Corners aren’t the Eclipse Cross’s best friends, but that’s the price you pay for a high-riding SUV. Fuel use is a claimed 7.3L/100km, but we experienced much higher than that. Thankfully it only requires cheaper regular unleaded.