Road test review: Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV

Sunday, 15 August 2021

MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS PHEV VRX
Base price: $57,990 (special offer at time of writing)
Powertrain and economy: 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol with 94kW/199Nm and twin (60kW/70kW) electric motors, continuously variable transmission, AWD, combined economy 2.0 litres per 100km, CO2 46g/km (source: RightCar).

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV is broadly identical to the combustion-powered model.

Vital statistics: 4545mm long, 1805mm wide, 1685mm high, 2670mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 405 litres, 18-inch alloy wheels.
We like: Best of both worlds powertrain, electric motors negate CVT negatives, great quality and specification
We don't like: Last-gen had a nicer rear end, price, somehow heavier than Outlander PHEV

It's smaller than the Outlander but, somehow, it weighs more.

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross finally has a plug-in variant. If you like the idea of the Outlander PHEV but don’t want something quite as big, this is something you’ll want to look at.

So what are the new electrics like?

It’s a straight lift from the Outlander PHEV. That means twin electric motors, 60kW up front and 70kW on the rear, a small battery with enough capacity for around 55km of electric range, and a 2.4-litre petrol engine paired with a CVT transmission.

The large chrome PHEV badge is about the only exterior difference between the models.

* Mitsubishi details Eclipse Cross PHEV

The cabin is well-appointed and comfortable.

* What EV for me?

But, weirdly, official Mitsubishi specs say that the Eclipse PHEV weighs more than the Outlander, despite it being smaller. Only by 15kg, sure, but you sort of expect a smaller vehicle to weigh less, right?

The plug-in hybrid power train shared with the Outlander PHEV in all its glory.

Thankfully, it doesn’t feel like it weighs 1895kg. The instant torque of the electric motors really helps in this regard, pushing the Eclipse off the line nice and quickly. There is a CVT transmission to deal with, but the electric motors negate the initial sluggishness and this isn’t a hugely sporty car.

A drive mode selector lets you either drain the battery as usual, set the system to keep the battery at a constant state of charge (which uses the engine to generate electricity as needed) or have the engine constantly running to top up the battery.

I can’t help but wonder how good the powertrain would be with the punchy 1.5-litre turbo found in the non-electrified Eclipse Cross, though…

Is there anything else different?

Not really. This is the VRX model, which means leather and nicer plastics, as well as a logical layout to the interior. The starter button is still annoyingly behind the steering wheel, but the stereo is decent and there are plenty of creature comforts.

Figure on keyless entry and start, dual zone climate control, automatic LED headlights and taillights, rain sensing wipers, 18-inch alloy wheels, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 8 speakers, electrically-adjustable heated front seats, dual sunroofs, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and forward collision mitigation.

It retains the styling of the combustion-only Eclipse Cross, including the nicer front end but less interesting rear, which ditched the reflectorised strip running between the rear window and vertical lower glass section of the rear hatch in favour of a new body-colour tab that looks like the bit of cardboard you use to seal a cereal box. It is better for rearward vision, to be fair.

The PHEV also adds big chrome badges on each flank to prove to passers-by that it is indeed a plug-in hybrid. Probably a bit unnecessary, but Mitsubishi is clearly proud of its little plug-in SUV, and it’s okay to show off a bit.

What about driving?

Well, city driving is about as uneventful as you might imagine with a plug-in hybrid, which is to say it’s totally fine. Roughly 55km of electric range is enough for most daily driving and range anxiety isn’t a thing because you have a tank of petrol waiting to be used as well.

The electricals are appreciated on the open road too, keeping fuel consumption low while offering decent acceleration for overtakes. You'd still want to give yourself room though, as the motors are designed for low-speed torque rather than 80-120kmh bursts.

The suspension is definitely geared for soaking up bumps in the city, although it is still pretty good through faster corners. It’s soft, so it loads up the outside tyres quickly but with smooth inputs and the standard all-wheel drive, the Eclipse Cross PHEV can be quite a bit of fun to drive hard. Just don’t think it’s a new Lancer Evolution, despite its Gravel drive mode.

So this or the Outlander PHEV?

That depends on if you need the extra space offered by the Outlander. Both have seating for five but the Outlander PHEV has 463L of storage space with the rear seats up versus 359L in the Eclipse Cross PHEV. The Outlander also has more headroom in both rows, so if you’re part of a taller crowd, that may change things for you.

But both have the same powertrain and perform roughly the same as well. Interestingly, despite having 15kg between the two in terms of kerb weight, the gross vehicle weight (the weight of a vehicle with everything in it such as passengers, luggage and other cargo) of the Outlander is about 60kg less than the Eclipse Cross PHEV. Weird.

What’s even weirder is that the Outlander PHEV and the Eclipse Cross PHEV are essentially the same price, with the larger of the two asking $2k for the extra room. Does that make the Outlander a value proposition or does it mean the Eclipse Cross PHEV VRX is overpriced? That’s up to you, but it’s hard not to see the latter as a bit too expensive, although there is an XLS Eclipse Cross PHEV with the same powertrian that starts the range at $49,990, but loses a lot of the VRX’s kit.

Any other cars I should consider?

If you’re looking at a medium SUV with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, you could consider the Peugeot 3008 GT Hybrid4, which asks a quite a lot more than the Mitsubishi twins at $89,900 but brings European sophistication and a lot more power to the table. Peugeot New Zealand has confirmed a cheaper lower-spec version is coming, however.

Otherwise, there’s the Kia Niro PHEV and the Ford Escape PHEV, both starting at the $60k mark, and the Tesla Model Y, though that’s a year or two away yet, and we haven’t seen final pricing.

Then, of course, there is the newly-arrived MG HS PHEV that lands here at $52,990 and is eligible for the rebate. We’ve yet to drive it, but initial reports sound promising, so that would definitely be one worth checking out.