Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross: Practically fun car for young achievers

Twenty years in the rearview mirror, the Eclipse badge once adorned Mitsubishi vehicles tailored for ardent petrolheads. In fact, the Eclipse gained fame by making an appearance in the original Fast and Furious film in 2001.

However, Mitsubishi took a surprising turn when, in 2015, it brought the curtains down on its iconic Evolution series, followed by the unexpected debut of the Eclipse Cross in 2017. This transition from a beloved 2-door coupe to a spacious cross left fans and enthusiasts around the world bewildered.

Times have changed and Gen Z now prefers cars which have a high seating position and good ground clearance. Hence, despite depressing the fanboys of the original Eclipse, the Eclipse Cross turned out to be one of the best-selling models of Mitsubishi globally, ever since the launch.

Executives at Mitsubishi claim that the newest Eclipse, despite not being a 2-door sports car anymore, is catered towards "young achievers" looking for a fun and practical car. Team members at Wheels weren't too sure about it at first look. To have a better understanding of it, however, we decided to borrow the Eclipse Cross from Mitsubishi Motors Bangladesh and take it out for a spin to review it for this week's issue of Wheels.

When viewed head-on, the Eclipse Cross may not immediately strike observers as a car designed for a younger demographic, partially due to the presence of chrome accents on the front bumper. However, upon closer inspection, the Eclipse Cross reveals itself as one of the most boldly angularest vehicles in Mitsubishi's current lineup.

Much like several other Mitsubishi models, the Eclipse Cross relocates the daytime running lights and indicators to the spot typically reserved for headlights. Meanwhile, the substantial dual projection units are positioned lower, a departure from the conventional placement of fog lights. This design choice not only lends the car a broader appearance from the front, but also ensures effective illumination without impeding the visibility of oncoming drivers.

Being a crossover, the front and the rear bumper come with metallic scuff plates in the bumper, which make the car look rugged and bold. At the sides, however, the fender arches are kept at a minimum, along with 18-inch rims as standard, because obviously, it's meant to be youthful after all.

At the rear, the current Eclipse Cross gets rid of the long lightbar of the pre-facelift model, which connected the taillights and looked fabulous in person. The LED taillights in this one, however, are placed to flex the wide stance of the car, and it does that perfectly well while fitting to the angular theme of the car. The rear is however a bit rounded and more mature looking, unlike the playful look of the rest of the car.

It was surprising how premium the driver seat looked and felt. Being a Japan manufactured vehicle, the Eclipse Cross has a quality interior that looks premium and sporty at the same time.

All the seats are wrapped in leather and apart from the central rear seat, all come with a heating facility. The front seats have a sporty look to them and yet it is very comfortable for the passengers. The rear seats, on the other hand, offer ample legroom and headroom and can be adjusted in nine steps as per the user's preference. It can also be fully folded to make more cargo space. The sunroof and the moonroof split in the centre make the interior look bigger and more premium at the same time.

The interior is a nice place to be in. The leather seats, the panoramic sunroof and the central armrest are a brilliant combination for rear passengers ensuring a cosy and upscaled experience.

The interior panels are a mix of piano black and silver trims with the regular controls mostly being buttons and easy to use unlike most cars of 2023, which are moving towards baffling dashboard designs in the name of minimalism.

The 8-inch infotainment system supports Bluetooth connectivity paired to a Mitsubishi Powered Sound System consisting of four door speakers and two tweeters, resulting in decent sound quality. There are two USB ports under the control buttons along with a regular 12-volt socket for charging cars.

The USB ports can be used to get access to Smartphone Link Audio, which allows any phone to be used on the infotainment screen for music, calls and even to use maps. Other than that, it comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

Powering the Eclipse Cross is a 1500cc turbocharged MIVEC engine paired with a continuously variable transmission. Given the dimensions of the car, I was a little sceptical about its power delivery after I got to know about the tiny engine it's packing. That's until I got behind the wheels of the Eclipse Cross!

During the test drive, the engine was quick to respond and despite having a continuously variable transmission, it didn't feel sluggish at any time.

Turns out, the Eclipse Cross makes about 148 brake horsepower and a commendable 250 Nm of torque. The power delivery can instantly be noticed the moment it's switched to the 8-speed tiptronic mode, which lets the Eclipse Cross reveal its split personality.

The turbo is quick to spool and both me and my photographer appreciated the torque produced by the engine. Pressing the accelerator in this mode stiffens up the steering wheel, which helps to minimise body roll.

As expected from the looks of the Eclipse Cross, there's a noticeable degree of body roll due to its elevated ground clearance, but the chassis maintains sufficient rigidity to keep this manageable. The four-wheel disc brakes inspire confidence and stand out as one of the better braking systems in Mitsubishi's current lineup. It strikes a perfect balance between fun and practicality, making it suitable for daily commuting throughout the week and offering an enjoyable driving experience on open roads during weekends.

Mitsubishi has a storied history of crafting exceptional turbocharged sports cars like the Galant, Eclipse, and the iconic Lancer Evolutions. However, at present, the majority of Mitsubishi's lineup is dominated by crossovers and SUVs, with the Attrage being one of the few exceptions. Nevertheless, Mitsubishi hasn't forgotten how to infuse excitement into passenger cars, as demonstrated by the Eclipse Cross.

Team Wheels took the Eclipse Cross out to find out whether the sports car turned crossover was actually meant for young drivers looking for a fun and practical car.

Given the industry standard luxury features, upscaled interior experience and the serendipitous sporty performance it had to offer, we conclude by saying that the Eclipse Cross offers enough bells and whistles to prove that point.

Specification:

Engine: 1500cc turbocharged MIVEC

Transmission: CVT with 8-speed tiptronic

Power: 148 bhp

Torque: 250 Nm