I was particularly looking forward to the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross test. This model caught my attention already at the presentation of its XR-PHEV II concept at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2015. Its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show two years later showed that the essential design elements of the concept were preserved, which can be evaluated positively.
View from outside
The first look at the aggressively shaped front end says clearly: "I'm not a car for young ladies". The distinctive chrome radiator grille flows smoothly into the large, sharply cut headlights. The decorative shiny strip typical of new models of the brand passes through the direction and fog lights in an arc and goes to the sides to the lower part of the bumper, which optically widens the car. The effectively curved bumper protrudes into the space and is finished with a decorative red line at the bottom. Chrome details, despite their quantity, do not look cheesy and tastefully contribute to the "cloudy" expression of the front part of the car.
Protruding front fenders perfectly filled with tasteful 18" wheels progress into high side doors, which are softened by two moldings. The lower molding flows smoothly into the rear bumper, and the upper one rises dynamically over the door handles to the high-mounted rear lights. The tapering roof of the vehicle suggests a coupé shape. The doors and fenders are plasticized, while a silver strip runs along the lower part of the door.
The back part corresponds to the front part in its complexity. A massive spoiler hides the top-mounted rear window wiper. The light panel forms a sharp edge dividing the rear window into two parts. The lower part of the fifth door is probably the only rounded element of the car. The black plastic bumper is finished with chrome accessories and imitation chassis protection.
The car gives a powerful impression, especially from close quarters, which is due to its height of 1,685 mm. When viewed from the side, despite its length of 4,405 mm, it appears compact due to its short overhangs.
Eclipse Cross in this color attracts attention. Red currently rules the automotive industry, but Mitsubishi fits in and accentuates its edges and overhangs. With the new design style, Mitsubishi managed to hit the mark. With its angularity, perhaps apart from Lexus, it can distinguish itself from the mass of other SUVs of this category and guarantees its unequivocal belonging to the brand. One can only hope that the successors to the ASX and Outlander models will follow this design style.
Inside
After opening the massive doors, I am pleased to discover that the creators thought about the cleanliness of our pants and did not forget to cover the sills, which are also extremely narrow, making it easier to get into the vehicle.
A quick glance at the interior evokes a feeling of quality. The upper part of the dashboard is made of massive black softened plastic, which protrudes into the space and creates an unusual wedge, under which runs a silver strip smoothly connecting to the center console. The center console is shaped similarly, but in my opinion, it hides the air conditioning controls a little impractically at the bottom. Another "floor below" is the hidden ECO MODE button, which, due to its location and especially its function, made driving really unpleasant for me, but more on that later.
Practically located in the area of the automatic transmission lever are: the 4×4 drive mode switch, the touchpad for controlling infotainment and the handbrake controller with the Auto Hold function.
I like that the dashboard is horizontal divided in the style of information at the top / control at the bottom. The display of the multimedia system is large enough and easy to read even on a sunny day. At the bottom left are the single-purpose buttons for the assistance systems, the head-up display controller and the Start-Stop switch.
The inner side of the door is filled with pleasant, softly softened material. I praise the leather-upholstered, soft and sufficiently long armrest. The large door handle, on the other hand, forces the driver to perform gymnastic elements when trying to control the side windows.
In my opinion, the steering wheel could be adjusted to a greater extent, especially taller figures would definitely need to pull it closer to the body. It is multifunctional, with a pleasantly thick rim and does not obstruct the view of the instrument panel. It consists of two clear classic "alarm clocks" and a TFT display in the middle full of various information about consumption, range, fuel tank status, coolant temperature, 4×4 system status, assistance systems, etc. Switching between individual screens is unfortunately provided by buttons under the instrument panel. Mitsubishi, for some reason unknown to me, still sticks to this concept. However, this is probably the only offense against the ergonomics of the dashboard that I have come across and that I am not used to. And while I'm criticizing, I can't help pointing out the unfortunate use of piano lacquer in places where it naturally comes into contact with the driver's hands, such as the area around the automatic transmission lever and especially on the steering wheel.
I will also mention the relatively large head-up display showing the speed, warnings and reports of assistance systems. If it bothers someone, it can be permanently lowered, it suited me.
The dashboard as a whole left a good impression on me, as a whole, except for a few details, the design and ergonomics are excellently mastered, made of high-quality materials.
Driving
I had an excellent feeling from the front seats. They are relatively wide, with significant lateral guidance, long enough seats and incredibly comfortable. Despite the lack of adjustment, the lumbar support supports the back in the correct position.
The seats are upholstered in high-quality, thick leather, unfortunately non-perforated, which is not the most pleasant on hot summer days. I regularly got out of the car with a wet spot on my back. The leather is softened by impressive orange stitching not only on the seats, but also on the armrests.
The seat is higher, but natural with pleasant pedal reach. The armrest between the seats is generously sized and comfortably soft. The interior space in the shoulder area is sufficient, despite its width, the center console did not restrict me in any way. There is enough headroom in the front, a little less in the back seats, which can be solved by folding them down. They are also sliding and provide sufficient comfort even on longer journeys. When I sit "behind myself", at my height of 185 cm, there is still about 5 cm of space left in front of my knees. Parents will be pleased with the easy installation of the child seat thanks to the visible IsoFix mounts.
The view from the car is problem-free thanks to the rich glazing and huge rear-view mirrors. The division of the rear window spoils this impression a little, and that is probably why Mitsubishi offers a rear camera from the second equipment (out of four). The tested piece in the top Instyle equipment even has four cameras, which not only facilitates parking, but also helps when driving off-road.
Ride
The car is powered by an all-new 1499cc turbocharged petrol engine with 120kw at 5500rpm and 250Nm of torque delivered between 1800-4500rpm. After starting, the engine is very refined, quiet and does not cause any vibrations. Its appearance is reminiscent of naturally aspirated engines that are not afraid of higher revs.
It is coupled with a CVT transmission, which Mitsubishi is rightly proud of. When gently pressing the accelerator, it behaves like a regular continuously variable transmission, when the speed does not increase when the speed increases. On the other hand, when it is pressed harder, the eight preset steps are "activated" and the transmission starts to behave like a very fast HDM automatic. I had to get used to this behavior for a while, but in a short time I came to like it and I consider this solution to be almost ideal. Why early? Because ECO. When trying to save fuel, you reach for the ECO mode button hidden in the lower part of the center console, and suddenly almost nothing happens when you press the gas pedal. Only when it is "stomped into the floor" does the car shoot forward without warning. I gently slow down, the car slows down. It is difficult to find the position of the throttle so that the car drives smoothly at a constant speed. I understand that in the interest of reducing fuel consumption, it is necessary to avoid sharp accelerations, but in ECO mode the car works in a zero/full style.
Another problem is the location of the aforementioned saving button. If the ECO mode also worked without problems, i.e. it would only soften the natural reactions of the engine to the accelerator, I would welcome its location within quick reach of the driver without the need to search for it, which distracts from the actual driving. I see the ideal place on the steering wheel or on the center console.
It doesn't matter. I turn off the ECO mode and enjoy the perfect match between the engine and the gearbox. The engine's response to the throttle is quick and the turbo lag is not felt at all. The gearbox shifts smoothly and with sensitivity. Engine power is sufficient both on the highway and off-road. Its small volume can be felt even beyond the limit of 160 km/h, which I admittedly tried only theoretically ?
Of course, there is the possibility of manual steering using levers under the steering wheel. I tried it, they work, but due to the quick reactions of the gearbox, I didn't need to use them anymore.
Driving on city roads is very pleasant thanks to the compact dimensions of the vehicle and the view from it. It is very agile and handling it in narrow streets is not difficult due to the turning radius of only 5.3 m. On the not-so-most rugged roads of our capital, the well-tuned chassis will show itself in full glory. It can provide a great level of comfort and filter out all common road irregularities. All in the sense of transferring the impact from the chassis to the driver's body. The worst, especially transverse bumps, are accompanied by a muffled thump.
When driving on district roads, the chassis will gratefully demonstrate its sporty characteristics. Sporty among SUVs, the higher structure is especially noticeable in the corners, where the vehicle leans gently, but stubbornly holds the track. Signs of understeer only come relatively late, when they are imperceptibly tamed by the stabilization system. I managed to get the car into a gentle skid only in the rain in SNOW mode, when I could feel the transfer of the torque to the rear axle and pushing the car to the inside of the corner. At this moment, I did not notice the blinking of the stabilization system light, so I attribute this "help" to the 4×4 system.
The highway driving of the Mitsubishi will also fit. The engine turns at exactly 2400 revolutions at the prescribed speed of 130 km/h and is still relatively quiet. Both the chassis and the engine are excellently soundproofed, aerodynamic noise is noticeable from the side windows even at speeds exceeding 130 km/h.
The steering has a degressive effect and is pleasantly stiff on the highway, on the contrary, it is very easy when maneuvering in the city. At higher speeds, it is not necessary to correct the direction and the power steering provides the same resistance in every position of the steering wheel. Steering is natural in all driving modes and does not seem artificial.
I had no problems with the brakes, they can be dosed nicely and have a gradual onset.
Normally, SUVs of this category do not get off-road, but it would be a shame not to try it in this position as well. It manages an ordinary country road with an overview, which is nothing special. In the field, the perfect rigidity of the body was confirmed, which did not make any unexpected sound when driving slowly through pits of various depths. The car did not hesitate for a second when trying to move with two wheels (either front or on one side) in the mud. Likewise, going up a steep hill in some places with a slippery surface in SNOW or GRAVEL mode did not cause any problems for the car, while the transmission of the torque could be monitored on the display on the dashboard. The CVT transmission also proved itself in off-road mode, especially when trying to gently move over an obstacle. As I already indicated, the car had three driving modes (AUTO, SNOW, GRAVEL), which can be switched between on the center panel and which change the way the 4×4 system works, which Mitsubishi calls S-AWC on the tested model. Depending on the selected mode, the system can transfer the torque between the wheels of the front and rear axle as follows: AUTO – from 80:20 to 55:45%, SNOW from 80:20 to 45:55% and GRAVEL (gravel) from 70:30 to 40:60%.
If I had to summarize the driving characteristics of the Mitsubishi Eclipse cross in a few sentences, I would call them above average in the medium-sized SUV category. The chassis has dynamic and sporty capabilities, yet provides a great level of comfort. It is supported by a rev-loving engine perfectly matched with an automatic transmission.
However, so that everything is not ideal, there is one BUT and that is the fuel consumption. The declared figure of 7 liters in combined mode can only be achieved with a light foot on district roads. In the city, in normal weekday traffic, the car's appetite climbs slightly over 10 liters, and on the highway, every 100 km from the 60-liter tank, 8-9 liters were lost, depending on the direction and intensity of the wind. In combination, according to the on-board computer, I consumed 8.6 liters of gasoline per 100 km with a gentle effort to drive economically.
A lot or a little? Consumption is influenced by many factors, aerodynamics, weight (specifically 1,625 kg), type of transmission, the engine itself. Since it also drives with similar consumption, e.g. Subaru Outback with an atmospheric 2.5 liter engine with a CVT transmission and similar dynamics, the question is whether, despite all its good features, a small supercharged gasoline engine is even suitable for an SUV.
The diesel engine is to be added to the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross offer later this year. I hope that I will be able to test it and compare the consumption with an otherwise excellent gasoline four-cylinder.
Practical side, assistance systems, infotainment
When testing the vehicle, I did not neglect its practicality either. The range of storage spaces and their size is more than sufficient. The space in the front door, under the armrest and in the box in front of the passenger will satisfy even demanding drivers. The luggage space is sufficient considering the length of the vehicle and can be adjusted by moving the rear seats in the range of 341-448 liters, while it can be increased up to 531 liters with the original kit from the manufacturer.
The tested equipment probably did not lack any currently common assistance system. The adaptive cruise control worked (except for ECO mode) without any problems until it stopped, which is not yet standard for other brands. I have reservations about the manually adjustable screen of the rearview mirror, the automatic closing of the side windows only for the driver and the simpler lane keeping assistant, which only has an acoustic and visual warning and does not interfere with the steering.
The infotainment setup is confusing at first glance, but after scrolling through all its items, I got used to its logic and used it without any problems. But most importantly, it provides strong support for Apple Car play and Android Auto. The display is touch-sensitive, but using the touchpad on the center console will serve a similar purpose without distracting from driving.
I appreciate the excellent reception of the car radio and the dynamic and clear sound of the Rockford Fosgate audio system. On the contrary, I was not satisfied with the quality of the telephone connection via bluetooth.
Conclusion
Who is the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross intended for? In my opinion, for anyone who is willing to pay the set price of €29,990 for this model. With its practical focus, it will certainly serve as a full-fledged family car. The same goes for people who want to attract attention and like an exceptional design. Even for those who appreciate excellent driving characteristics on the road and off-road capabilities. I personally got used to the car and it was hard for me to say goodbye to it.
Except for small things and with the tested engine a little higher consumption, Eclipse Cross is, in my opinion, an excellent car that will certainly make life difficult for the competition. I look forward to the arrival of similarly tuned models from this traditional Japanese car manufacturer.
