A familiar name on a brand new vehicle
Activity at Mitsubishi dealerships is somewhat subdued these days with just three vehicle nameplates for sale. Things are about to perk up, however, as the Eclipse Cross arrives this spring.
Now part of the Renault-Nissan alliance, Mitsubishi made the right call by creating the Eclipse Cross, even though some people might find using the Eclipse name— originally applied to a sporty coupe and convertible— inappropriate. The compact utility vehicle slips between the Outlander Sport and larger Outlander in the automaker’s wagon lineup, adding to the selection of a hotly contested category.
Although the Eclipse Cross is new, the foundation has been adapted from the automaker’s other utility vehicles. That means the space between the front and rear wheels is identical for all three. For overall length, though, the Eclipse Cross is 4 inches longer than the Outlander Sport and a foot shorter than the Outlander.
The Eclipse Cross resembles the Outlander Sport in many ways, except for a flashier front-end for the Eclipse Cross that appears to be inspired by Lexus.
At the opposite end, an oddly positioned light bar extends between the tail lamps, splitting the liftgate’s glass nearly in half. Drivers following after dusk will be treated to a unique LED show (especially when the Eclipse Cross’s brakes are applied), but during the day the quasi-spoiler could prove less visually appealing.
Ultimately, the latest Mitsubishi won’t suffer from stylistic anonymity, but its sloping fastback shape reduces stowage capacity behind the rear seat and provides less volume than the Outlander Sport.
The good news is that the interior is spot-on with the times. A finger-operated track pad on the center console controls the communications and audio functions that are displayed on a 7-inch tablet-style touchscreen. Other buttons fall readily to hand on the steering wheel.
The trim on the dashboard, door panels and floor console have that satin-nickel look that nicely contrasts with darker dashtop and seats, while the optional folding head-up screen shows pertinent information such as vehicle speed and active-safety-technology status.
The standard split-folding rear seat can be adjusted fore and aft by up to 8 inches and reclines through nine positions.
The Eclipse Cross has a new turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 152 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. That’s more torque than either of the two non-turbo four-cylinders that the Outlander Sport and the Outlander run with, but it’s likely not enough to make key competitors quake in their boots. The engine is backed by a continuously variable transmission with eight built-in ratios.
Fuel economy is rated at 26 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway (frontwheel-drive model).
Front-wheel drive is standard, but the optional Super All-Wheel Control can direct a precise amount of torque to each wheel. It can also apply braking to the inside rear wheel during a turn (a version of torque vectoring or yaw control). Traction settings include Auto, Snow and Gravel.
The base front-wheel-drive Eclipse Cross ES sells for $24,300, including destination charges, which is about $1,400 less than an all-wheel-drive Outlander Sport. That gets you a reasonably equipped machine with climate control, heated outside mirrors and 16-inch alloy wheels.
The LE has 18-inch wheels and an upgraded audio system, while the SE comes with all-wheel drive, heated front seats and pushbutton start.
The loaded SEL has leather seat covers and a multi-view rear-view camera. This model is also your portal to adding a dual-pane panorama sunroof, premium Rockford-Fosgate-brand sound system and dynamic safety technologies such as emergency braking.
Had Mitsubishi’s fortunes been different, the Eclipse Cross might have been the Outlander Sport’s replacement. Going forward, it will be interesting to see what influences and advancements Renault-Nissan introduces to what will likely become an expanding Mitsubishi stable.