Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 1.5T GLS Exceed (2023) Review

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was quite the departure for the brand when it was first released and seemingly failed to capture the attention of the buying public. Mitsubishi went back to the drawing board and reshaped the Cross into what it is today and now there is a freshly updated model and we got to spend some time with it.

Interior & Space

Crossing lines

As far as brand equity is concerned one could be excused for thinking “Is Mitsubishi still in the country?” The brand that was once famous for its offroad racing prowess and road racing technology from the 90’s has lost quite some market share to larger brands like Toyota and the onslaught of the Chinese makers, but the same can be said for many well-established brands such as Mazda and Honda. Mitsubishi is not all lost though as they still have the fantastic Triton double cab and will soon have a new Outlander model.

The focus of today’s review though is the updated Eclipse Cross, in its new flagship 1.5 turbo petrol guise and refreshed looks. We spent a few days trundling around suburbia with this edgy crossover and this is what we found.

Styling 

When we first drove the Eclipse Cross back in 2019, we were a little less than enthused with the oddball rear-end styling and lackluster performance of the drive, We are happy to report though that Mitsubishi has addressed those issues, and the vehicle now not only looks a whole lot better but also drives a treat, but more on that later.

The Eclipse Cross received its life cycle facelift earlier this year and we can honestly say that the changes are welcome. The front end is updated with the dynamic shield front face and flanked with oval headlights and a trapezoidal-shaped grille and embellished with chrome accents. Further down you will see a skid plate under the front bumper, new fog lamps and DRL’s complete the front-end revamp along with colour-coded bumpers and heated door mirrors.

At the rear, the oddball split rear window has been updated with a single pane of glass that sets off the sharp lines and triangular-shaped tail lights. The large chrome lettering and Mitsubishi emblem are a nice touch but it is down the side that it all comes together. The sharp hip line that runs from the taillights to the middle of the driver’s door parallels the pinch line that runs from the rear wheel arch giving the Eclipse Cross an aggressive and sporty look that along with the 18-inch alloy wheels that we really like.

Space & Interior 

Although the interior of the Eclipse Cross trails behind other brands in the segment it is still very well bolted together with high-quality materials. Only a few interior pieces have been updated with the 8″ infotainment screen moved to a better location in the new dashboard and updated with Apple Car Play and Android Auto as standard.

The leather-clad seats are now electronically adjustable for both driver and passengers and are heated for those frosty winter mornings. The boot is now bigger at 473l and can be expanded if you play round with the 60/40 split rear seat, increasing packing space up 1037l.

Comfort & Convenience 

The Eclipse Cross has a very spacious interior with plenty of room for 5 adults, with shoulder and leg room for all. Automatic climate control keeps everyone comfortable and their devices can be charged through multiple USB and 12v outlets.

Performance 

Previously, the Eclipse Cross range was topped by a 2.0 naturally aspirated engine but with the new update, the range-topping model is a 1.5l turbo petrol engine, mated to an 8 “speed” CVT transmission.

This new engine option delivers 110kW and 250Nm and coupled with the CVT transmission delivers a comfortable yet engaging drive. The welcome addition of a Sports Mode allows one to control the shift points with a set of paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

The suspension is soft but not wallowy yet firm when cornering and on the whole a very comfortable drive whether i neth city or tackling a gravel road.

Fuel Economy 

Mitsubishi claims a low 7l/100km for the new 1.5l petrol but real-world combined cycle testing returned 9.8l/100km. We estimated a return of just over 700km from the 63l tank making the Eclipse Cross very livable.

Safety 

This is the area of greatest improvement for the diamond triangle brand. The new Eclipse Cross gets a raft of new safety items starting with MiTec (Mitsubishi Motors Intuitive Technology) which is an integrated system of innovative technology designed to guide, protect, alert, connect, and entertain and includes the Head-Up Display which offers critical information in the driver’s field of view. There is also a new Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation System which is an intuitive technology reducing the chance and severity of hitting obstacles 4 meters in front or behind should a driver mistakenly press the accelerator when stationary or when traveling at speeds below 10km/h.

The normal lineup of ABS, TSC, Blind Spot Monitoring, ISOFix, 7 airbags and Hill Start Assist are in play to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Price 

Pricing on the new flagship model is in line with similar models in the segment.

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Competitors 

The Eclipse Cross does play within a very crowded segment with the likes of Hyundai’s Kona, Mazda’s CX-30 and Kia’s Seltos as well as the aforementioned Chinese brands such as teh new Omoda and Chry Tiggo Pro series.

Verdict 

The Eclipse does nothing wrong but also struggles to attract attention in a crowded room. It has a fantastic drive, offers everything a family needs but fails to capture the imagination in the same way that its multitude of competitors does. This is not necessarily a bad thing as there is a certain contingent of buyers out there that are looking for exactly that. We do advise at least giving the Eclipse Cross a chance as you may just find yourself falling for its unique charm.

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