It could well be that the facelifted Eclipse Cross is the last new Mitsubishi to hit the market in our country. Apart from that, the SUV coupé is now also available as a plug-in hybrid. A test of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross with the PHEV powertrain.
Facelifts usually look like this: some make-up on the front in the form of LED lighting, a refreshed interior with a new multimedia system, different colors and ditto wheels. Mitsubishi has also finished that list with the refresh of the Eclipse Cross, but the designers have gone a big step further. The SUV coupé has not only been facelifted, it has actually undergone surgery.
The Eclipse Cross is now 4.55 meters long and therefore no less than 14 centimeters longer than before. From next spring it will be at the dealer, as mentioned also as a plug-in hybrid. A logical choice, because this made the Outlander a success, albeit largely thanks to subsidies. It seems unlikely that the Eclipse Cross can now repeat that trick, but the car is nevertheless making a brave attempt.
The model has been given a more dynamic design at the front and at the rear the split rear window is a thing of the past. The car looks more elegant than before, but getting into the back is still not a party. That is a matter of withdrawing your head and twisting yourself in all kinds of directions. The Eclipse Cross that we are on the road with is another prototype. As a result, it could be that some fine grinding will take place left and right. Hopefully the belts in the back will no longer rattle against the plastic that covers the C-pillars. However, the hard plastic covering of the boot will remain. A shame, because it is quite scratch-sensitive stuff. And while we are still grumbling: the storage compartment in the center console is too small for a large smartphone.
POWER SUPPLIER
But to be fair, this is not a premium segment car, to use that awful word again. This car has other strengths. Like the fact that it is always equipped with four-wheel drive, because it not only has a 2.4-liter petrol engine with 98 hp, but also two electric motors. On the front axle, the power is 82 hp, the rear one delivers 95 hp, which equates to a system power of 188 hp. And the electric range is in practice 61 kilometers. In terms of loading, there are two options, which clearly show the know-how of Mitsubishi in plug-in technology. You can fully charge the battery in four to six hours via a normal socket, and at the fast charging station you can charge the battery to 80 percent full in 25 minutes. And now it gets really interesting because we’re talking bi-directional charging here. If you charge your Mitsubishi with solar energy at home and have the right wallbox, you can get power from the car at night.
This makes the Eclipse Cross a real family friend. All the more because there is nothing to criticize about the handling and suspension comfort. You also get a lot of bang for your buck. The starting price is € 37,900 for the Intense. It comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, two-zone automatic climate control, cruise control and Smartphone-link Display Audio (SDA). The Eclipse Cross offers interesting technology in a beautiful package. The fact that he can serve as a power supplier at home is a nice bonus.