2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Review

The turbocharged 1.5-liter engine gives the Eclipse Cross more thrust than most rivals. The engine feels strong up until about 40 mph, when it starts running out of steam. That said, there's better passing power at highway speeds than others in the class. Its 0-60 mph time of 9.1 seconds is quicker than average.

The brake pedal stroke is short, with some initial bite and intuitive buildup as you press it. We measured a 60-0 mph panic-braking stop distance of 122 feet, which is a couple feet shorter than others in this class. The front end wiggles a bit under heavy braking, however.

The steering effort is very light and doesn't increase as you turn the wheel from center. Steering response feels natural at low speeds around town, but it is far too quick at highway speeds. Combine this highway sensitivity with its lack of effort buildup and you get a vehicle that's hard to keep tracking straight without extra concentration.

Subcompact SUVs aren't known for thrilling driving dynamics, but the Eclipse Cross fails to live up to even those modest expectations. Body roll is apparent as soon as you begin turning the wheel, and it gets progressively worse through a turn. A series of back-to-back corners can be nauseating. Slow, deliberate turns are the best way to pilot the Eclipse.

The Eclipse Cross responds quickly to your gas pedal inputs, even with the Eco Mode button pressed. As opposed to similar modes in other cars, you could drive the Eclipse Cross in the city all day in this mode. It's only when you're executing passing maneuvers on the highway that Eco mode falls short. No problem, use Normal mode instead.

The front seats are well-shaped and comfortable, though a bit narrow. The side bolsters won't keep you in place when going around corners — the cushioning gives way and the inside bolster rubs against the center console. The rear seats are high off the floor, leaving plenty of room to stretch.

The Eclipse Cross is an overly soft-riding crossover. At low speeds, any dips will cause the Eclipse to heave mightily, while bumps will rock occupants slightly. Hit a transverse dip in the road, and you might leave your seat after the suspension rebounds. At higher speeds, the Eclipse Cross feels floaty, and bumps are more pronounced.

There's no tire noise while cruising, but you'll hear small booms anytime the rubber hits a bump or rolls over broken pavement. The whoosh of turbulent air is constant at high speeds, but the engine is noisy no matter how fast you're going. At full throttle, it sounds like a broken Dyson vacuum cleaner.

On hot and moderate days, the dual-zone automatic climate control system keeps the cabin comfortable — set it and forget it. But the system has a hard time figuring out where and how much warm air to send when it's cold outside. The heated steering wheel and heated seats get only lukewarm.

Most buttons are clearly labeled and easy to reach. The only exceptions are the trip computer controls (located behind the steering wheel, on the dash) and volume adjustments (buttons on the screen, on the passenger side). The center screen is a touchscreen, or you can use the touchpad to navigate. The touchpad doesn't let the cursor move diagonally, so you almost never make a mistake. It's much better than the touchpad operation used for Lexus and Acura systems.

It's fairly easy to get into the driver's seat with the steering wheel raised and the seat fully lowered, but any other configuration would make it difficult to do so gracefully. The high-mounted rear seats and sloping roofline pose a challenge for entering and exiting the back. Ducking is required.

The Eclipse's relatively roomy cabin provides the driver with plenty fore and aft travel. That said, even with the seat in its lowest position, the driver sits up high. The seat bottom is highly adjustable, providing plenty of thigh support. The steering wheel has limited tilt and telescoping range.

The Eclipse's greatest asset is its efficient use of space. Though only a few inches longer than most competitors, its front and rear legroom is on par with what compact crossovers offer. The same goes for headroom. The front feels slightly narrow because of the wide center console.

A low hood and narrow pillars promote good forward visibility, but the high seating position and low roof might make it difficult to see stoplights without ducking. The rear pillars are thick, impeding visibility in the rear side views.

Interior plastics are an interesting mix of piano black, faux carbon, faux nickel and soft-touch. There's very little of the hard, cheap stuff. Contrast stitching on the leather seats is a nice touch. The interior is a clear step above what we usually see from Mitsubishi. Our tester had no rattles. The only downside is that the doors sound tinny and hollow when you shut them.

There's good storage space up front — the door pockets hold two water bottles each, and there's a small tray beneath the center stack and a bin under the armrest. The cupholders have an anti-tip design but aren't secure while cornering. The rear door pockets are much smaller and the cupholders are tiny.

The Eclipse has one of the largest cargo holds in the class, with 22.6 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats. The angled opening might make it difficult to store large, boxy items. The rear seats don't fold flat. Dropped down, they increase available space to 48.9 cubes, which is good for the segment.

The four LATCH anchors are exposed, making them a cinch to hook onto. The tethers are hidden beneath slits in the upholstery, about two-thirds of the way down the seatback. So they are slightly difficult to access, but at least you can reach them without removing the cargo cover.

The Rockford Fosgate audio system — part of the SEL-exclusive Touring Package — is possibly the best in its class. There are both subwoofer and bass adjustments plus an enviable surround-sound setting. Ultra-low frequencies cause some bass distortion. Onboard navigation is not offered.

A single USB port is standard, and LE models and above get an additional port, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Phone pairing is quick, though we had to unpair and re-pair our phone to download the phone's address book.

The Eclipse Cross offers a ton of driver aids, including a surround-view parking camera and lane departure warning. Like many competitors, most of these high-end features are only available on the top trim level. Most systems worked intuitively and unobtrusively.

You must read the owner's manual for a list of supported commands because there are few on-screen instructions and the system doesn't recognize natural speech. However, you can reach your connected phone's Google or Siri interface by holding down the voice button longer. Phone calls and voice command prompts sound muddled, as if the audio only uses one speaker.

Standard equipment on the ES trim includes 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, foglights, and heated side mirrors. Inside, you'll find a height-adjustable driver's seat, 60/40-split folding rear seats that slide and recline, a rearview camera, cruise control, automatic climate control, a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, Bluetooth, a USB port, and a four-speaker sound system. Stepping up to the ES S-AWC adds all-wheel drive.

Next up is the LE S-AWC. It adds black exterior trim pieces with black 18-inch alloy wheels. The infotainment system is upgraded to a 7-inch screen with a remote touchpad controller mounted near the shift lever. This system also gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio, a second USB port and voice controls.

Our favorite of the mix is the SE S-AWC. It gets a bunch of upgrades such as proximity entry with push-button start, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, illuminated vanity mirrors, heated front seats, upgraded fabric upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a six-speaker stereo system, dual-zone climate control and a rear-seat center armrest. The SE also comes with Mitsubishi Connect, a subscription that adds an SOS and emergency roadside assistance button and a remote tracker. It also provides the ability to remotely control climate settings, door locks, horn, lights, vehicle settings, and parental controls from a cellphone.

The range-topping SEL S-AWC adds full LED headlights, leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver's seat, a head-up display, and a surround-view parking camera system. The Touring package, exclusively available for the SEL trim, includes a panoramic sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a premium Rockford Fosgate nine-speaker stereo system, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats,automatic high beams, and extra safety features such as lane departure warning, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control.

A towing package is available for all trim levels, which adds a tow hitch and a wiring harness.