Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
FIRST UK DRIVE We hit British roads to see if mid-size SUV can cut it in competitive market
Is new mid-size SUV a contender? First UK drive reveals all
THERE’S plenty of optimism at Mitsubishi these days. The Japanese brand is now part of the same Alliance as Renault and Nissan, potentially allowing it to develop new models more easily. And then there’s the fact that more and more customers are turning towards SUVS – exactly the type of vehicle that Mitsubishi has traditionally specialised in.
Enter the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, then, a model that sits between the smaller ASX and the Outlander, as a rival for the likes of the SEAT Ateca, Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage.
The Eclipse Cross really is still a Mitsubishi production. The car’s platform can be traced to that of the Outlander. Its petrol engine is a 1.5-litre unit of the brand’s own creation. And you won’t find Qashqai or Mégane switchgear in there, either; it’s a blend of new tech, such as the impressively crisp infotainment screen mounted on the top of the dash, with elements that could best be described as ‘well proven’.
There’s just that 1.5 petrol for now, with 161bhp and 250Nm of torque. But the transmission options are more varied; depending on trim level, you can have front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox, or an eight-speed ‘stepped’ CVT automatic in combination with front-drive or all-wheel drive.
We’re trying the front-drive manual in ‘First Edition’ form, which is based on the range-topping 4 spec, but with natty red paint and some floor mats.
And it’s a wholly decent thing. The petrol engine’s punch kicks in at around 1,800rpm, and while you can rev it through to 4,500rpm, there really isn’t the need, because you’ll make perfectly smooth, rapid progress if you shift up at 3,000rpm. That’s probably advisable anyway, because this is roughly the point where the four-cylinder motor’s thrum switches from being characterful to something approaching thrashy.
In the most part, though, it’s a hard engine to pick apart. At a motorway cruise it’s pulling about 2,100rpm in sixth, and you’d be hard pushed to hear it at all. Road noise becomes the biggest culprit at speed, in fact – thank
the 18-inch alloys for that – plus some wind noise from the sizeable side mirrors. But on the whole, the Eclipse Cross is a pretty accomplished companion.
The chassis helps here, too, because while it’s undeniably firm, it’s also just about comfortable enough for UK roads. There isn’t a great deal of involvement from the Eclipse Cross’s steering, but it’s quick to respond to inputs and the car stays flat when you’re cornering.
The rest of the package is hit and miss, but less patchy than we can remember a Mitsubishi being for a long time. While the cabin has hard plastics on show, they’re at least well textured, and everything feels nicely built.
The infotainment set-up includes Apple Carplay and Android Auto, neatly swerving around the fact that navigation isn’t offered, even as an option.
In the rear of the Eclipse Cross, things are a little more compact than you’ll find in some rivals, but the hatch’s big glass area makes it seem airy. You can also slide the back seats fore and aft to prioritise cabin space or boot capacity (it switches from 341 litres to 448 litres).
“Our First Edition is based on range-topping 4 spec, but with natty red paint and floor mats”