Tokyo 2017: Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross – The Compact Outlander

Unveiled in February at Geneva, Mitsubishi’s latest compact crossover – the Eclipse Cross made its Japanese debut at the Tokyo Motor Show last week.

Measuring 4,405 mm long, 1,805 mm wide and 1,685 mm tall with a wheelbase length of 2,670 mm, the compact SUV is slightly bigger than the ASX in case you’re wondering how big it is.

It is 110 mm longer, 35 mm wider and 60 mm taller than the ASX, but wheelbase length is the same for both.

Inspired by the XR-PHEV concept, the Eclipse Cross’ exterior design; especially the front fascia and the lines of the side remind us of the Outlander SUV, if not the new Pajero Sport not currently offered in Malaysia.

While exterior features of the Eclipse Cross includes LED headlamps, 18-inch alloy wheels, full-width LED light bar in the rear, and LED high-mount stop on the exterior, goodies in the cabin include a folding head-up display, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a touch pad controller, paddle shifters, 60:40 split folding seats, as well as sonar parking sensors among others.

On the safety front, Mitsubishi has equipped the compact SUV with Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Warning system (BSW) with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, 360-degree camera, and Automatic High Beam (AHB).

Mitsubishi is offering two engine options for the Eclipse Cross - One is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 163 PS and 250 Nm of torque, while the other is a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine developing 150 PS and 400 Nm of torque.

The petrol engine sends the drive to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission (2WD) or a CVT (4WD). The diesel model on the other hand has an 8-speed automatic transmission and a four-wheel drive system as standard.  

Produced in Mitsubishi’s plant in Nagoya, Japan, the Eclipse Cross’ sales is expected to begin next month.