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2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Looks Even Better Up Close And Personal

An amalgam of angles and contrasting colors. That’s what the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is all about, and compared to the press photos released in advance of the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, it looks much better in person.
2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse 14 photos
Photo: Guido ten Brink / SB-Medien
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At 1,805 millimeters in width, is almost as wide as a Nissan Qashqai, but the front-end styling does give the impression of a wider, more hunkered down SUV. Regarding length, the Eclipse Cross trumps its segment rival with 4,405 millimeters compared to 4,377 millimeters. But when all is said and done, it’s the proportions and the little details that entice the beholder.

An area where Mitsubishi’s designers ran out of puff is the cabin. Here, the Eclipse Cross greets you with a handful of granulations for the not-exactly-black-nor-grey plastic, satin metal-like trim that’s actually plastic, and shiny black plastic around the air vents, HVAC unit, and infotainment system. In the latter’s case, the touchpad controller is arguably its biggest downside.

In the Eclipse Cross’ defense, the infotainment system knows how to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice commands included. Visibility is good, and the trunk is adequately sized for this segment too. Under the skin, though, the newcomer doesn’t have anything remotely sporty to offer.

On the one hand, the Eclipse Cross is available with a 1.5-liter four-banger turbo connected to a continuously variable transmission. And as you might also know, the CVT is the perfect recipe to ruin any trace of sportiness in a given car. The only other engine European customers can choose is a 2.2-liter turbo diesel, which I’ve tested on both the ASX and the Outlander. It’s the type of mill that pulls nicely and steadily in an unhurried manner, albeit it’s a bit on the noisy side and it doesn’t boast great fuel economy numbers.

The 2.2 DI-D is matched with an eight-speed transmission Mitsubishi labels as new. On that note, the Japanese automaker has yet to detail the output and performance figures of these two powertrains. What Mitsubishi did say, though, is that European sales will commence in the fall, with the UK and U.S. expected to receive the Eclipse Cross early next year.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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