2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

A turbocharged 1.5L, inline-4 unit brings the Eclipse Cross to life. This engine is further mated to a CVT gearbox. With a starting price of $23,595, it is one of the more expensive vehicles of the lot. The Eclipse Cross is contested by the Subaru Crosstrek, the Mazda CX-3, and the Chevrolet Trax. All cars are powered by 4-cylinder motors and produce relatively the same amount of power but the Eclipse Cross is the only car to be turbocharged. Let’s move ahead and see how the story unfolds.

The Eclipse Cross comes in four variants – ES, LE, SE, SEL. While all of these trims are coupled with the all-wheel-drive system only, the base trim "ES" flaunts an optional front-wheel-drive too. Under the hood, all of them are powered by the same 1.5L, turbocharged engine and are mated to a CVT gearbox.

We’d Recommend

One of the few selling points of the Eclipse Cross is that it’s loaded well with features for its price. It does not really excel in driving dynamics and for that, you have several other cars to ponder upon. However, if your heart is still stuck on the Eclipse Cross anyway, we’d recommend you buy the top SEL trim which comes loaded with a plethora of features and certainly adds value to your car.

“Make no mistake, the Eclipse Cross's 152-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder isn't going to set anyone's heart aflame. However, it motivates this crossover with subtle determination.” – Car and Driver

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is powered by a 1.5L, inline-4 cylinder turbocharged engine. It produces 152 hp of power at 5,500 rpm and throws 184 ft-lbs of force on the crank at 2,000 rpm. While the numbers are decent enough for the car, the Eclipse seems to struggle for quite a bit while attempting overtakes. Also, the engine lacks refinement and makes a lot of unpleasant noise.

The CVT gearbox works seamlessly but it isn't complemented by the underpowered engine. The gear ratios are nicely spaced and the gearbox remains smooth for most times. The Eclipse is a good cruiser but it does not like to be pushed hard.

All cars are quite evenly matched except for the Chevy Trax which is a little low on power. The Mitsubishi Eclipse's torque figures are class-leading by quite a margin. All cars use a CVT gearbox whereas the Chevrolet Trax uses a 6-speed Torque Converter.

Acceleration

The Eclipse's 0 to 60MPH sprint comes up in 8.6 seconds which is excellent for its segment. If you keep going for the quarter-mile mark, you'll get there in a staggering 16.3 seconds.

As seen here, the Eclipse is one of the fastest vehicles of the lot, of course with some compromise on engine refinement.

The Mitsubishi Eclipse's sprint from 0 to 60 mph stacks up head-to-head with the Mazda CX-3 which also takes the same time. The Mazda CX-3, however, takes the lead in the quarter-mile timings. Clearly, Mazda's larger engine shows its true colors here. That said, the other two vehicles are left for the last with the Chevrolet Trax just inching ahead of the Subaru in the quarter-mile drag.

Ride and Handling

The Eclipse Cross has very soft suspension settings. While that delivers a good ride quality it really compromises with the handling. There is good amount of body roll around the corners. A slightly stiffer setting would have really helped the car. For people who are familiar with the name "Eclipse", do not get carried away. The former was a coupe, it was meant to be slammed hard around the twisties. This one, however, is nothing like it. Throw the Eclipse Cross into a corner and you'll soon regret it. Come to the straight line and the heavyweight of the Eclipse Cross comes in handy here. The car is rock-stable and feels sure-footed even at triple-digit speeds.

The steering is also very light and numb. There is very little feedback from the front wheels. The steering is quite dead about its mean position and little steering inputs in either way do not bring about any direction change. Some more weight and preciseness in the steering would have sweetened the deal further.

Braking

The Eclipse is one of the heaviest vehicles of the lot. This will certainly depreciate the braking efficiency of the vehicle. However, the 125 ft taken by the Eclipse to come to a halt from 60 MPH is just commendable. If not the best, it certainly lines up with the competition in this department.

Under hard braking applications, the front end of the Eclipse takes a scary dive. But that's only when you go brutal on them. If you are a calm and composed driver, we believe you'll be just fine with the braking performance of the Eclipse Cross.

As impressive as it might be, the Eclipse gets overpowered by the rivals when pitted against them. Being the heaviest of the lot, it also flaunts the biggest brakes out of the competition. That said, we do not have the exact braking figures for the rest of the competition which is why we really cannot comment on the nature of the other three vehicles.

With a vehicle weighing over 3,000 lbs and a capability of breaching the 60 MPH in under 9 seconds with a puny 1.5 L engine, compromises had to be made somewhere. That's right, the Eclipse Cross has the worst fuel economy in the segment. It gulps a gallon of fuel to cover 25 miles in the city and this number escalates to 27 MPG when on the highway. With a combined mileage of 26 MPG, the Eclipse Cross sits at the bottom of the comparison here.

The Mazda CX-3 is the winner here, hands down. In spite of a bigger engine, the CX-3 is the most efficient contender in this face-off. The Crosstrek comes in at the second position and the Chevy's Trax just tails it narrowly.

“The interior of the Eclipse Cross is a pleasant surprise given the price point. We were impressed by the absence of cheap materials—nothing feels particularly inexpensive or looks out of place.” – Car and Driver

Design

The interiors of the Eclipse Cross are also well laid out. The all-back interiors have been garnished with silver and piano black trims all around. A 7-inch infotainment screen takes center stage from where the dashboard swoops down to the AC vents. The climate controls are stacked below it. The overall design looks pleasing and aesthetic. The fit and finish of materials are also up to the mark.

The instrument cluster has analog dials for the tachometer and the speedometer and a small digital screen in between them for various vehicle information. We would have liked a bigger screen though. There’s also a retractable heads up display screen on the dashboard. What’s really annoying is that there is no volume knob. You have to use the touch screen or buttons on the steering wheel. We feel that the touchscreen volume control might act as a deviation more than a convenience.

Seating

In spite of having the maximum wheelbase, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross does not seem to have the maximum space inside. However, there is still plenty of space to seat five people comfortably.

The seats themselves are quite comfortable. They come wrapped in leather and are heated as well. There is contrast orange stitching in the trim and even the rear seats can be heated in the top trim. Long drives are fairly encouraged and the body roll is also contained up to a fair extent, thanks to the cleverly placed bolsters.

When pitted against the competition, the Subaru Crosstrek and the Chevrolet Trax sit above the Eclipse cross. Though marginal, the Eclipse still gets overshadowed by them clearly. The only consolation for the Mitsubishi is the Mazda CX-3 which is the least spacious vehicle of the lot.

Infotainment System

The infotainment system in the Eclipse Cross is fairly good enough. The unit is a touchscreen and there is also a mouse pad to navigate through the system just beside the gear lever. There are some physical short cut buttons along with the mouse pad and some more along with the screen as well. This touchscreen infotainment is further mated to a conventional 4-speaker system. However, the top-trim features a more premium system. It comes with a 710-watt, 9-speaker Rockford Fosgate Punch Audio system which certainly takes things up a notch. 

While the system is decent enough and the graphics are good, the response time is somewhat delayed and it could get frustrating at times. Also, using the mouse pad is quite cumbersome and you’d find yourself using the touch screen more often. Some features integrated within the infotainment system include:

• Android Auto
• Apple CarPlay
• Sirius XM Sattelite navigation service with a 3-month subscription
• Bluetooth audio streaming

Interior Features

• LCD Color Multi-information display with S-AWC distribution array
• High Contrast Meters
• 8-way powered adjustable driver’s seat
• Heated Front Seats
• Rear seat slide and recline function
• Rear seat center armrest with cup holders
• Heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
• Gloss-black window switch panels
• Soft-touch door trim inserts
• Remote hood and fuel door release lever
• 7-inch infotainment screen with touchpad controller
• Steering wheel audio and phone controls
• Heads up display
• Multi-view camera system
• Automatic Climate Control
• Cruise Control

Cargo Area

The Eclipse shines the best here. It flaunts a cargo capacity of 22.6 cu.ft which is the best in the segment. And if you still need some more space, just fold the rear row down and you would be surprised with a massive space of 48.9 cu.ft. - again, one of the best in the segment. The angled doors could throw some tantrums at you while loading/unloading. However, the low-slung boot takes extra marks here making the hassle convenient up to quite an extent.

The Eclipse is the clear crown-bearer here. However, with the rear seats folded, the Subaru Crosstrek inches ahead of the Eclipse. The Chevy Trax trails the Eclipse marginally, leaving the Mazda at the end.

“The Eclipse Cross has an exterior that could be a breath of fresh air among small crossovers, but ultimately its execution takes some of the wind out of its sails.” – The Car Connection

Design and Styling

The Eclipse Cross is a handsome looking SUV. The headlamps are sleek and look smart with the LED DRLs. The grille is large and bold, looks much like a Lexus's. There are chrome accents under the headlamps that go around the grille to make the fog lamp housings and it looks rather cool. The various cuts and creases on the front fascia give it a very distinctive look.

Come over to sides and the cuts and creases continue. There is a sharp line extending from the tail lamps all the way to the front door that gives the side a distinct contour. Another line starts from behind the front wheels and goes over the rear wheel arches and to further ice-the-cake, the 18-inch wheels are very stylish indeed. It’s an SUV and there are black body claddings all around emphasizing the same.

Move over to the rear and all that personality that was built from the front and sides just disappears. The sloping rear window is cut by an awkwardly positioned band of LED lights which are part of the tail lamps. The rear window drops vertically from that point and then bulges a little more to make the tailgate. The rear takes away the "SUV" feel and rather imitates a hatchback. It could have been a great looking SUV but for the weirdly sculpted rear.

Exterior Dimensions

Mitsubishi seems to have not left any stone unturned in making this car as practical and comfortable as possible. Treading on the same belief, the Eclipse is one of the most spacious vehicles in the segment. With a wheelbase of 105.1 inches, it shuts up its rivals completely here. And not just the wheelbase, be it any dimension, width, length, height or even the ground clearance, the Eclipse Cross just overpowers the competition clearly.

As mentioned earlier, the Eclipse Cross sits atop the rivals here. The Subaru Crosstrek offers a better wheelbase and a ground clearance but gets overshadowed in other parameters. The Mazda and the Chevrolet stack up head-to-head against each other.

Exterior Features

• LED Headlamps
• LED rear combination tail lamps
• Color-keyed front and rear bumpers
• Chrome Upper Grille
• Chrome Side window surround trim
• Wheel arch moldings
• Black Lower door trim with silver accent
• Roof Spoiler and roof rails
• 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels

The 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has not been tested by either NHTSA or IIHS and we cannot offer you their ratings yet. However, the Eclipse Cross is well loaded with quite a lot of safety features and that is quite reassuring. Even the base trim comes with standard features such as Traction Control System, Active Stability Control and Anti-lock Braking System.

Standard safety features include:

• Traction Control System
• Active Stability Control
• Anti-lock Braking System
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Blind Spot Warning with Lane Change Assist
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Multiple Airbags

Automatic High Beam Headlights, Forward Collision Mitigation and Lane Departure Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control are some more optional features.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vs Mazda CX-3

The Mazda CX-3 is one of the best SUVs in the segment. It has very good handling capabilities and is actually a fun car to drive whereas the Eclipse is really not so much. It’s best as a comfortable cruiser. The CX-3 is a smart-looking urban SUV, well more of a grown hatchback. It has good interiors but Android Auto and Apple CarPlay do not come as standard. Also, the rear seats are quite cramped in the CX-3. It also packs some good performance and is, in fact, cheaper than the Eclipse Cross. The CX-3 is quite easily the better car over the Eclipse Cross.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vs Subaru Crosstrek

The Subaru Crosstrek is a much larger SUV than any of these compact SUVs. It has good off-road capabilities for a sub-compact SUV and it has an equally good ride quality as well. It has very roomy interiors, something that is not so generous in this class. It looks very generic though and could easily blend in the crowd. The interiors are also generic but is still well-appointed. The Eclipse looks better, however. On the downside, the acceleration isn’t very good and handling is not so good either. But neither is the Eclipse’s. It is around $2,000 less expensive than the Eclipse and hence makes the better deal.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vs Chevrolet Trax

The Chevrolet Trax has the smallest engine and is quite low on power as well. Its acceleration is sloppy and the ride isn’t good either. Performance and handling is not what this car can bank on. It also looks quite dull for 2020 and Chevy designers were just being lazy. Where the Trax redeems itself is that it carries a lot of standard safety features packed in its still generic interiors. Yes, the Eclipse isn’t a great performer either but it does it better than the Chevy. Also, the Eclipse has a real sense of style in spite of that polarizing tailgate. It’s around $2,000 more expensive but it seems worth the money.

If you are familiar with this name from Mitsubishi, you’d be disappointed with what this car has now become. It has gone complete opposite directions from its sporty character to be a grown-up SUV. Yes, it looks stylish and it has really nice interiors which are very well appointed indeed.

However, it is more expensive than its rivals and yet they offer much better performance along with feature-loaded interiors and stylish looks. We’d suggest you look into other compact SUVs in the segment before considering the Eclipse Cross.