112 | AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE
T
he Eclipse Cross slots into
Mitsubishi’s SUV portfolio
between the compact ASX and
midsize Outlander.
A three-model range, powered
by a 1.5-litre turbo/continuously
variable transmission (CVT),
opens with the front-wheel drive
ES at $29,990. LS is $31,990.
We’re testing the mid-spec
Exceed, at $36,000; it’s also
available with all-wheel drive,
at $38,500.
Exceed specifi cation covers
most of what a family needs and
wants in a wagon; it also adds
bonus luxe, such as a double-
sized sunroof, heated, leather-
faced, power-adjustable front
seats and dual-zone air.
Fake carbon and high-
gloss black plastic, framed by
sweeping silver trim, adorn a
twin cockpit-style dash with
conventional instruments.
Eclipse is made in Japan, so fi t
and fi nish are excellent.
Infotainment includes a
seven-inch touchscreen, plus a
touchpad on the centre console.
Once you get the hang of how far
and hard to swipe, the touchpad
works well, so you don’t often
have to reach for the screen.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
connectivity, plus digital radio,
are also standard, but there’s
no navigation — you need to use
your phone for that.
Rugged in town, the ride jolts on
sharp bumps and concrete joins,
which generate excessive thump
and bump. It improves at highway
speeds, but the oversprung Eclipse
lacks the compliance and comfort
expected in a family wagon.
You perch on a fl at, short
cushion, with good upper-body
support from a properly contoured,
well-bolstered backrest. The wheel
could use more reach adjustment
to accommodate long legs.
A strut in the middle of
the tailgate window doesn’t
seriously impede vision; big side
mirrors, parking sensors and
360/180-degree, plus kerbside,
camera views allow you to
clearly see what’s happening all
around the car.
A fi rm, supportive rear bench
has 200mm of travel, plus
adjustable backrest angle, so
legroom is generous, though
the tapered roofl ine will testheadroom for tall passengers.
The absence of vents, and
a clumsy middle seatbelt
confi guration, reduces Eclipse’s
kid-carrier appeal; on the credit
side, access is easy and kids will
like the high seating position.
The designer-driven coupe-
style rear end looks sharp, but
seriously compromises boot
space. Most rivals have more. In
60/40 split-fold extended mode,
the fl oor isn’t fl at, either.
Exceed ticks all the safety
boxes, with automatic emergency
braking, adaptive cruise, lane
departure warning, blind spot
monitoring and rear cross traffi c
alert all standard.
The 1.5-litre turbo is laggy
at low revs and, from rest, the
go pedal needs a serious poke
to get a response, especially in
Eco mode. Once the CVT wakes
up and engages meaningfully
with the engine, midrange
performance is strong and the
pedal is more responsive. It
cruises easily and quietly on the
highway, returning 7-8L/100km
on regular unleaded, which isn’t
spectacularly frugal.Around town, despite the
absence of auto stop/start,
you can achieve single fi gures,
though in Normal mode — where
respectable performance lies
— consumption can increase to
10-12L/100km.
The CVT also has paddles, which
mimic an eight-speed automatic.
Sloppy handling is
characterised by exaggerated
body roll in corners, deep, early
understeer and less-than-
disciplined roadholding, typical
of oversprung/underdamped
suspension. The steering itself
is rubbery and vague, while the
brakes are only adequate.
Eclipse doesn’t drive as good
as it looks. It’s got the family-
friendly feature list, infotainment
and blue chip safety, but on the
road it feels like yeste rday’s SUV
compared with Mazda’s CX-5,
VW’s Tiguan, Subaru Forester
and the Ford Escape.MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS FROM $29,990
compare with ...
Holden Equinox, Ford Escape,
Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5,
Subaru Forester, VW TiguanS
THINGS WE LIKE
Loaded with safety features
Generous occupant space
Long warranty
Turbo runs on regular unleaded
Made-in-Japan qualityTHINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
Turbolag and CVT make for sluggish
response from rest
A bit thirsty
Feels like a barge in corners
Harsh ride
Infotainment voice control can be hit
and miss
Small bootSPEX
Made in Japan
1.5-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol/
CVT/front-wheel drive
110kW of power at 5500rpm/250Nm
of torque from 2000-3500rpm
0-100km/h N/A
6.2L/100km highway; 9.2L/100km
city; regular unleaded; CO2
emissions are 165gkm. Fuel tank is
63 litres
Warranty: Five years/100,000km
Standard: Seven airbags, stability
control, automatic emergency
braking, blind spot monitoring, rear
cross traffi c alert, lane departure
warning, surround cameras, parking
sensors, seven-inch touchscreen,
Bluetooth, voice control, digital
radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto,
leather-faced heated front seats, dual
sunroof, 18-inch alloys.
Redbook future values: 3yr: 45%; 5yr:
31%Safety
ANCAP
PerformanceHandlingQuality and reliabilityComfort and refi nementValue for moneyOverallSTARS