2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Review
By Phil Shuyler
Something fresh and new from Mitsubishi has arrived. The Eclipse Cross is a new model for 2018 and Mitsubishi hopes its size, styling and features bring people to the brand that would have otherwise looked elsewhere.
Exterior
At first look, the Eclipse Cross has sharp lines and a tapering roof design that make for a good looking crossover. The overall styling is something most people should find attractive. The only real problem people have with the outside is once they sit in the driver’s seat and look in the rearview mirror. There’s a large bar that crosses through your view of the road behind you, which at first is a bit alarming and you may feel as though it’s blocking too much. However once you spend a little time behind the wheel, you’ll find it’s easy to get used to and it really doesn’t block as much as you might think.
Interior
Inside you’ll find comfortable seating for 5, with a sliding, reclining, and folding second row. Leather is available, as are heated front and rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. You have big paddle shifters to control the 8 simulated speeds of the CVT (continuously variable transmission).
All trims include a 7” infotainment screen, however upgraded trims also include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, SiriusXM radio, and a touchpad controller. We found it difficult to navigate the infotainment screen with the touchpad, and were glad it’s also a touchscreen. On the highest trim you’ll also have a multi-view surround view camera system, which gives you a birds-eye view of your surroundings from all 4 sides of the car.
You’ll also be kept in comfort with standard automatic climate control, with dual-zone climate control as an option. And a feature you wouldn’t expect on a vehicle like the Eclipse Cross, is a head-up display, which is standard on the top trim. There’s also a Mitsubishi Connect app that allows you to remotely control your vehicle’s climate, lights, door locks and more.
On the Road
While cruising down the highway, the ride is surprisingly quiet. The peppy 1.5L 4-cylinder turbo whisks you along with 152 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is rated at 25 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, which is actually a little lower than we recorded at 28 mpg combined. Available safety features include adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert. S-AWC, or Super All-Wheel Control, is standard on all but the base trim.
Conclusion
The base Eclipse Cross ES starts at $23,295 and the top SEL trim starts at $27,895. There’s a lot to love about this new crossover, and the turbo engine gives it a spooling edge on much of the competition.