Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2018 Review

The small SUV category is becoming a crowded market place, but it's no wonder Mitsubishi is now touting yet another SUV at its stall, the Eclipse Cross.

In 2013, there were 17 models in the small SUV under $40K category that together made 69,215 sales for the year. The segment accounted for 6.1 per cent of total vehicle sales.

In 2017, buyers could choose from 28 models and the segment racked up 104,730 sales and took an 8.8 per cent slice of the total market. It's fast becoming the segment to be in.

Despite the growing numbers, it might still appear a fool's errand for the 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross to join an existing Mitsubishi product, the ASX, but Mitsubishi is keen to point out that its new SUV is bigger.

Mitsubishi isn't the first brand to offer two models of slightly different sizes in the same SUV segment; Nissan has done exactly that with QASHQAI, which is nestled between the small JUKE and medium X-TRAIL.

Sizing up
Drill down into its dimensions and the Eclipse Cross is 25mm higher and 40mm longer (but 5mm narrower) than ASX. The pair share wheelbase and track dimensions, which is no surprise given they are both based on Mitsubishi's GS platform.

Inside, the Eclipse Cross's bigger size story is not as convincing. For example, while showing small increases in front leg and hip room (17mm and 22mm respectively), its rear seat head and shoulder room measurements are 24mm and 10mm down respectively.

Cargo space is also 52 litres down on ASX -- but with the 200mm-travel sliding rear seat set at its most forward position, the Eclipse Cross cargo area is 59mm longer than ASX and has a larger capacity by 54 litres.

The Eclipse Cross incorporates a crisp interpretation of the corporate Mitsubishi nose and the rest of the exterior design — especially at the rear, with the vertical-split rear window — is distinctive without the out-there 'look at me' visuals of Toyota's CH-R.

What's inside
The cabin also looks fresh without being overdone, and fit and finish is on par too. Noise, vibration and harshness levels are pleasingly low, too.

The controls and instruments are all simple to use, except the trip computer menu buttons. They're on the dash just to the right of the steering column and are not easy to find without looking for them.

The 7.0-inch infotainment screen is set high on the dash and its touch screen is simple to operate.

Exceed models also have a touchpad controller on the centre console to navigate the infotainment screen, but it's not the easiest controller to work with -- the touchpad seems too sensitive. Perhaps it's something that becomes easier with familiarity.

The main issue with the infotainment system is that Mitsubishi doesn't offer an incorporated sat-nav system in any Eclipse Cross.

While you can still access maps and navigation via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you have to burn mobile data to do so and face cellular network signal drop-outs. On Bruny Island, for example, a patchy Vodafone coverage left us without guidance on occasion.

There are two USB ports at the front of the centre console and a 12V/120W outlet at the back of the console for rear-seat passengers. There are no face-level air-vents for those sitting in the back though.

While the front-seat side bolsters hold you in, the seat bases are a little flat although good under-thigh support and plenty of (electric) adjustment is available.

The split rear glass takes a bit to get used to looking through the rear-vision mirror.

The rear seat is flat and its base a bit firm. There's ample leg room, 200mm of adjustment and plenty of headroom even for six footers. Three tether points three-quarters down the seat back are easy to access for top-tether child seats.

What's in store?
There are good but not great storage options in the Eclipse Cross, with a two-segment glovebox, a small open tray at the front of the console and a deep lidded bin further back between the seats.

Storage for front doors include an opening for large drinks plus a deep, wide pocket and two smaller drink holders behind the transmission selector.

In the back, there are two seat pockets, a small drink holder in each door and two small drink holders in the fold-down centre armrest.

The cargo area is wide but looks a bit shallow and has a relatively high loading lip. There's a rather cheap-looking cargo blind, a small light in the left cargo wall and a tie-down point in each corner of the cargo area. A T155/80D17 temporary spare tyre on a steel rim sits under the cargo floor.

Under the bonnet
The 4B40 1.5-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol four mostly has a good spread of power and torque and is smooth, only getting noisy up near its redline.

Under load at around 2500-3500rpm, if you back off and re-apply throttle the engine does stutter slightly -- not unusual for a turbo engine going from no boost to peak boost.

However, speed can be hard to modulate sometimes in the midrange. The engine seems to spool up more suddenly at around 2500rpm-3000rpm under load.

No matter how we tried, we couldn't get anywhere near the claimed 7.3L/100km combined average fuel consumption. An easy cruise at 100km/h saw the trip computer display ease down to around 8.0L/100km, but the average over about 230km of driving settled at 9.7L/100km.

In its defence, the examples we drove we factory-fresh, with about 50km showing on the odo when the drive started. Hopefully with more kays clocked up (and using a tank-to-tank fill to glean consumption figures rather than relying on the trip computer) the Eclipse Cross may prove more economical.

The constantly variable transmission is an acquired taste. Most drivers won't really know or care what it is — all they will be interested in is that they don't have to change gears themselves.

In most respects, it's just like any other CVT; it's unremarkable until you plant the accelerator and it allows the engine revs to flare to the upper reaches of the tacho and hold it there. Thankfully there is a stepped manual mode, and with the paddle shifts you can keep the revs where you want them.

Behind the wheel
This is a firm-riding SUV that somehow manages not to cross the line into harshness over even large potholes. Corrugations didn't set up nasty resonances in the cabin or unsettle the Eclipse Cross either.

That suspension firmness allows the Eclipse Cross to be punted along with a fair bit of vigour, the steering firming up nicely, too, once past its overly light parking-speed demeanour.

This Mitsubishi isn't really all that involving to drive on a twisty road, but at least it feels stable and confidence-inspiring if you're threading through a bunch of corners in a hurry.

The Eclipse Cross joins an intensely competitive and increasingly crowded small SUV class and while the category is growing, Mitsubishi is going to have its work cut out to get recognition for its new SUV.

In its favour though, this SUV brings to the segment great refinement, a spacious cabin and an accomplished ride and handling balance.

2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Exceed 2WD pricing and specifications:
Price: $36,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 7.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 165g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP