Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Review (2018-2020)

Pretty much every carmaker offers a compact SUV these days. They’re hugely popular with buyers, but the flipside is that it’s hard for manufacturers to stand out in this increasingly saturated market. The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross arguably does so thanks to its styling, with a sporty, sloping back end and dramatic crease lines running down the side.

Even the name is a reference to the original Mitsubishi Eclipse, a sporty little coupé that appeared in the first Fast and Furious film. So does that mean that the Eclipse Cross delivers a sporty drive? Er, no. It’s one of Mitsubishi’s more competent SUVs on road, but it still lags behind the best in this fiercely competitive class. Practicality isn’t outstanding, either, so keen pricing and decent equipment levels are the main appeal.

That’s particularly true in the second hand market, where the Eclipse Cross now finds itself. Mitsubishi wound down its new car sales in the UK in 2021, but dealers continue to offer aftersales care, warranty cover and servicing for existing cars.

Mitsubishi’s SUVs have traditionally sold on their rugged, practical nature. They weren’t necessarily the most stylish or the best to drive, but they had space and simplicity on their side. The Eclipse Cross, however, stumbles somewhat at this very important hurdle.

Legroom in the rear seats is sufficient for adults, as long as the sliding rear bench is all the way back on its runners. However, that leaves just 341 litres of boot space. That's very poor when you consider the Kia Sportage has a capacity of 520 litres. You can find more room by moving the Mitsubishi's rear bench forwards, but then legroom is tight. Even with the seats all the way forwards, the boot capacity lags behind many of its competitors. Headroom is also pretty tight in the back, especially if the car has the panoramic sunroof fitted.

From the driver's seat, the Eclipse Cross handles neatly without being the kind of car that really gets under your skin. The steering is sharp, and body movements are kept firmly in check at high speeds, but if you are looking for a rewarding drive from a compact SUV, there are plenty of more polished alternatives, such as the Seat Ateca and the Peugeot 3008. At low speeds the ride is firm and sharp bumps are felt with a whack.

The automatic gearbox may be a CVT, but Mitsubishi has designed it to work more like a conventional automatic. So there are eight fixed ratios instead of continually variable gearing. Gearshifts are smooth, in fact we prefer the auto to the clunky shift of the 6-speed manual gearbox.

As for engine options, diesel's decline in popularity was already well underway when Mitsubishi launched the Eclipse Cross back in 2018. This was reflected in the decision to offer the Eclipse Cross with petrol power only. A 2.2-litre diesel was considered, but never arrived.

There's just the one petrol engine, a 161bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder. It's a free-revving engine and very quiet once cruising, although some drivers will miss the mid-range punch of a good turbodiesel. Adding some extra muscle would make the Eclipse Cross feel more sporty.

Inside, the Eclipse Cross has a more upmarket feel than many Mitsubishis. It's certainly better finished than the smaller ASX, for example.

From launch, the car was offered in 2, 3, and 4 specifications, along with the limited run First Edition. Just 250 of these were made, fully loaded with kit. Following a facelift in 2020, these models were replaced with the Verve, Dynamic and Exceed trim specs.

Even the most basic of these three has lots of equipment, with 16-inch alloy wheels, a 7.0-inch infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a reversing camera, cruise control and climate control. To call it the entry-level model is to do it an injustice, and the long list of standard kit goes a long way to explaining why the Eclipse Cross appears to be more expensive than some of its rivals.

Dynamic spec adds a head-up display, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and more. Exceed cars have black leather upholstery, a powerful nine-speaker stereo, a powered panoramic sunroof and a 360-degree camera system. Unusually, no Eclipse Cross has satellite navigation: Mitsubishi works on the basis that drivers will use their smartphone through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. In fairness, these apps do generally work a lot better than the in-built systems anyway.

We can understand why Mitsubishi decided against adding a 2.2-litre diesel to the range, but this does mean high-mileage drivers in particular will have higher running costs than if a diesel engine had been made available. And despite Mitsubishi being well known for plug-in hybrid technology in the Outlander PHEV SUV, this kind of powertrain has never been offered in the Eclipse Cross. So your choice is not which engine to choose, but whether to choose manual or automatic, and whether the automatic should be front- or four-wheel-drive.

For lowest costs, the 1.5 turbo manual should be first choice. It achieves 36.2-37.7mpg on the combined cycle. These are WLTP figures, so should be more accurate than mpg tested to the old and outdated NEDC standard. Switching to the CVT auto means slightly worse fuel economy. The combined figure for this model is 34.4mpg. As you'd expect, the 4WD auto has the worst economy. The official figures suggest you can expect 32.5mpg.

How does that compare with the Mitsubishi's rivals? Well, the Skoda Karoq 1.5 TSI Evo of the same era has an official combined figure of 39.2-44.8mpg as a manual, while the DSG auto returns 39.8-44.1mpg (there's no Karoq 4x4 with this engine). So it's fair to say there are more fuel-efficient compact SUVs than the Eclipse Cross, even if you only compare it to other petrol crossovers.

Insurance for the current line-up ranges from group 18 for the Verve to group 20 for the Exceed automatic. So premiums shouldn't be too steep whichever model you choose.

The Eclipse Cross was launched in January 2018, which means that all models will now come under the same £165 flat rate system for Vehicle Excise Duty. Overall, though, the Eclipse Cross is relatively expensive to run compared with its rivals, especially those which offer a broader choice of engines and powertrain technologies.

Mitsubishi has a reputation for building tough and reliable cars. There's no sign that the Eclipse Cross is going to change that.

The split rear screen hampers visibility when reversing, so check over any used buy carefully for any scuffs from parking. We'd also have a careful look at the alloy wheels for signs of kerbing, especially the higher-spec models riding on 18-inch alloys.

Mitsubishi is quite a popular brand with caravanners, so check if any used Eclipse Cross has a tow ball fitted. That shouldn't necessarily put you off, so long as there's no sign of a slipping clutch on the test drive.

The Eclipse Cross has been the subject of a safety recall for faulty software in the stability control and autonomous emergency braking systems. Either fault can lead to these systems failing to work as they should, increasing the risk of a collision. This applies to model year 2018 vehicles made before May 2018.

If you are thinking of buying a nearly new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, it may still have some of its five-year/62,500-mile warranty remaining. That's longer than the standard cover on most rivals, although the mileage allowance is greater if you choose a Hyundai, Kia, or Toyota. Despite pulling out of the new car market, Mitsubishi will still honour this warranty through its UK dealerships.