What is it?
What you’re looking at is almost certainly the final car to be designed, engineered and assembled in-house by Mitsubishi. But before you panic, know that the company behind a dozen Dakar victories is not folding. Rather, it was recently subsumed into the Renault-Nissan alliance, so we can expect platform and powertrain sharing galore from now on.
The Eclipse Cross is significant for another reason. Slotting into the void between the capable but forgettable Mitsubishi ASX crossover and the full-sized Outlander, whose architecture it shares, it finally plugs a potentially very lucrative mid-sized-crossover hole in its maker’s line-up. Prices start aggressively low, at a shade over £21,000 (rising to just under £28,000) and that’s important because a four-and-a-half-metre footprint and moderately raised ride height mean this car’s rivals are numerous.
Part of Mitsubishi’s attack plan has been to deploy the sharply detailed design elements of its motorshow concepts. The chromed tusks of the front bumper are a bit chintzy but the Eclipse Cross is handsome in the metal, and when the designers say they wanted the car to seem as though it had been carved from a single block of aluminium, you’ll know what they meant. The rear glass is also split in the manner of a Toyota Toyota Prius, providing not only the opportunity for Mitsubishi to install a light bar across its width, but also good visibility.
Front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox underpin the range, though most will opt for four-wheel drive with the automatic gearbox. Those four-wheel-drive models use Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel-Control setup, which defaults to a significantly front-biased torque split but can go near enough to 50:50 if conditions demand it. Along with a new Mitsubishi Shogun Sport due later this year, it reinforces Mitsubishi’s position as a specialist in more utilitarian offerings.
Inside there’s a dash-mounted touchscreen – compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay – that can also be controlled with a Lexus-esque touchpad. It’s worth knowning that Mitsubishi doesn’t offer any form of satellite navigation, so you’ll be relying on those smartphone connections to use apps such as Google Maps.
These cars nevertheless come decently equipped, with the entry-level Eclipse Cross ‘2’ (we’ve no idea what happened to ‘1’) featuring a rear-view camera, automatic high beams, DAB radio, LED daytime running lights, climate control, privacy glass and colour-coded bits and pieces. Upgrading to ‘3’ costs around £1300 and adds 18in alloys, heated front seats, parking sensors and keyless entry, while ‘4’ asks an additional £2400 of you and brings leather trim, a panoramic roof, LED headlamps, and a sound system from American firm Rockford Fosgate. By this point the Eclipse Cross is nudging £28,000.
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Missing the Outlander
16 months ago the wife flogged her 3 year old front wheel drive 68,000 kl Outlander for slightly more than she actually paid for when new :-)) Ahh the luxury of living in Russia and the vagaries of the currency here. It was replaced by a red top black bottom Kia Soul which has already piled on 35,000 kl (all private mileage) in 16 months. Have to say, the little imp drives easier, seats more comfortable, uses a tad less fuel, but has lots of nice goodies such as tow bar (read on) heated steering wheel (godsend in this clinate) and more storrage space than you thought possible. It has carried so much in the back (Huge Oak tree trunks, marble slags (all stuff for the dacha garden). But...we missed the overall length for swallowing timber over 2.5m (it can just manage 2.1m) so later this year it will have to be replaced and maybe with this odd looking sod. Meanwhile we have acquired a trailer and it joyfully sings along with over a ton pulled behind. But lets be honest - trailors and caravans are naff !!! BIG beast wanted
Sports first
Yeah, 5 foot high and yet so sporty, bet it rides and handles really really well, must get one of these SUV'S soon, so much space and style....and all that unsprung mass means it's just a great ride too.
3 stars about right
£25.5k, no Sat Nav, drinks petrol, CVT, low torque till 4200, not that quick. VW T-Roc pretty much beats it tyres down.