The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross received a modernization, which mainly affected its external appearance and brought a plug-in hybrid powertrain "under its hood". So this compact SUV coupe received slightly altered contours supporting its dynamic cut and improved drivetrain from the Outlander model . This plug-in hybrid then combines a pair of electric motors with a classic MIVEC naturally aspirated gasoline engine.
External appearance
The front part of the modernized Eclipse Cross now has even more distinctive features than before. However, the architecture of this part remains preserved and retains the contours that form a pair of distinctly broken chrome elements in the shape of the letter "C".
However, the designers played around with the placement of the front lights. The main headlights have been moved to the lower part and have also received a new shape. The LED headlights in the upper part then became significantly narrower, giving the car a more dynamic and aggressive appearance.
The side part of the car then remained faithful to its solution before the current modernization, and towards the rear part it gains significantly more power. This part is further enlivened and softened by a pair of elegant moldings.
The rear part of the car is also newly designed. It lost the split rear window and the rather unsightly bulges that the rear fenders had. Although this part of the car lost its original concept, on the other hand it successfully got rid of the advertised "bumps".
Interior
In the interior, the innovation was signed by the new on-board infotainment display, which will now offer a diagonal of 8″. Its environment and graphics are a step further, but it is still quite a small step in the context of what the competition offers today.
The overall graphic treatment of the interior controls has been bothering me for a long time on the cars of this automaker. The variety of individual controls and different fonts simply do not look good in an otherwise well-designed interior.
The interior of the Eclipse Cross continues to be very spacious and has a decent finish. The dashboard of the car is clear and its upper part is equipped with softened plastic.
The on-board infotainment display is followed by the classic vents of the air conditioning and its controls. Furthermore, within the central tunnel, the driving direction selector with recuperation function, the controller for activating the SAVE/CHARGE function and purely electric driving, the driving mode selector, the electronic handbrake and the auto-hold system.
The instrument panel in front of the driver is a pair of analog indicators, which is complemented by a central digital display. The classic speed indicator is supplemented here with a force meter, which is combined with a tachometer. It is therefore nice to see to what extent the electric motors are used and when the combustion drive unit is connected.
The space on the front and rear seats is sufficient, the rear seats are also movable by approx. 20 cm and thus allow the backrests to be folded down more. The basic volume of the luggage compartment is slightly smaller in the case of the PHEV version and has 359 liters of volume.
Plug-in hybrid
The powertrain of the modernized and thus plug-in hybrid Eclipse Cross consists of a proven gear taken from the Outlander model. It is based on a 2.4-liter MIVEC atmospheric gasoline that works with a pair of electric motors and a single-speed automatic with a fixed gear.
In the case of the Eclipse, the gasoline engine is tuned to 72 kW of power, the front electric motor offers 60 kW, the rear 70 kW of power. The total combined power of this hybrid system is therefore 138 kW. The plug-in hybrid drivetrain also cooperates with a battery with a capacity of 13.8 kWh, and the purely electric range indicated by the manufacturer reaches a value of 45 km.
The car is actually more of an electric car with a pair of electric motors, which carries an internal combustion engine and a generator to supply the electric motors with electricity. This concept, due to the absence of a direct connection between the engine and the wheels via a classic gearbox, brings certain advantages. The first advantage is that the combustion engine works in the ideal speed range and thus uses the Atkynson cycle, another advantage is the absence of a classic gearbox.
Eclipse Cross works in three driving modes. The first is the classic purely electric mode. The second and third modes are hybrid. In the second, serial mode, the internal combustion engine is used only to generate electricity, while the vehicle is powered by electric motors. In the third, parallel mode (at higher speeds and e.g. when overtaking), the car is powered by an internal combustion engine with the assistance of electric motors.
Let's go back to the SAVE/CHRG and EV controls. The first two buttons mentioned allow you to predict your driving and possibly influence its future style. CHRG (CHARGE) button, here the vehicle tries to recharge the batteries as soon as possible while driving using the internal combustion engine and generator. Useful if, for example, you know that you will drive the last part of the journey through the city. After that, you can easily drive (jump through the columns) purely on electricity, without using an internal combustion engine. For a change, the SAVE button will maintain the current state of the batteries, which was at the time of activation of this function, so the internal combustion engine is mainly used for propulsion. When the EV mode is activated, a purely electric drive occurs.
Thanks to a pair of electric motors, the Eclipse Cross is also a four-wheeler designated as S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control). Thanks to the pre-set and selectable driving modes (NORMAL, SNOW, GRAVEL and TARMAC), it is able to influence the stability and driving characteristics of the car by optimally distributing the driving and braking power of all four wheels.
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV can be recharged using fast charging (ChaDeMo terminal) to 80% in 25 minutes. You can charge the car from a standard 230 V (10 A) socket in about 6 hours. We must also mention the V2H technology and the 1500 W on-board socket, from which you can power electrical devices and appliances from the car outside the reach of the distribution network. And since the Eclipse Cross can generate its own electricity from fuel, it can function as a certain accumulator powering other appliances.
In practice, the plug-in hybrid Eclipse is best in urban traffic, where its strengths stand out the most. That means quiet, comfortable and emission-free operation. The pair of electric motors gives it enough power to behave like a "pure" electric car. In most situations, only electric motors will take care of driving the car without the help of an internal combustion engine. In this environment, the car's consumption drops to 2.0 liters per 100 km, and the consumption of electricity is around a respectable 17kWh per 100 km. If the battery is sufficiently charged, the Eclipse Cross is able to run purely on electric energy up to a speed of 135 km/h.
Only sharp acceleration and the pedal "hitting the floor" activates the gasoline engine into action. It connects very smoothly and its sound is very well insulated towards the cabin. When the battery charge is low, the car behaves like a hybrid. The internal combustion engine is logically more permanent and its consumption rises to around 7 liters per 100 km.
The electrified Eclipse Cross is tuned more for a calmer and thoughtful driver, calm and prudent driving will reward you with economical operation with this plug-in.
In conclusion
The modernized Eclipse Cross will offer three levels of equipment. You can purchase the basic INTENSE+ at a promotional price starting at CZK 949,950 including tax. The next level of INSTYLE is available from 1,119,950 CZK, and the top of the range is the equipment level INSTYLE +, which starts at 1,179,950 CZK including VAT.
The Czech dealership also comes with a limited edition CHARGE EDITION, which is available from CZK 1,139,950 including VAT. The car is fairly well equipped and has, for example, assistants BSW, RCTA, LCA, a retractable head-up display, a 360-degree camera, a charging cable with a bag and a charging card for 100 free recharges.
We also have the option of personalizing the car using ready-made packages. The offer includes Sport (CZK 30,990), Elegance (CZK 30,990), Utility (CZK 19,990), Protection (CZK 10,990) and Light (CZK 12,990) packages.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross continues to be a handsome car with imaginative shapes, and its sporty expression, including dynamic styling, has been preserved as part of the modernization.
The current electrification has enriched it with an original and proven gearbox, which gives the car comfortable driving characteristics and economical operation. Unfortunately, its weak point is the graphic treatment of the interior itself, which deserves modernization far more than the exterior of the car itself.
Source: Author's text
Image source: Author's own photos
