Review and test of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV: unusual and fuel-saving

The Japanese brand Mitsubishi is one of the best when it comes to technology and performance in plug-in hybrid vehicles, with its flagship, the Outlander PHEV, as the finest example. Now that technology arrives in a different model, its coupé-bodied SUV, aiming to make it sporty and fuel-saving at the same time.

We took the wheel of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV, a plug-in hybrid that delivers a total output of 188 CV and an electric range of 50 km.

Design: eye-catching coupé exterior

This PHEV version gets an exterior tuning that suits this Eclipse Cross very well. At the front, the new headlights stand out, following the brand’s DNA with a very striking design and outstanding lighting quality.

At the rear, it features a new light design with LED technology that frames the tailgate glass. All of this is combined with a coupé design and a ground clearance slightly higher than that of a passenger car (in fact, although it may not look it, it is tall, and this shows in the access and driving position).

The interior of this Eclipse Cross reminds us of other models from the brand. It is more traditional in design, with good finishes, but it is not as eye-catching as the interiors of Korean or European models and needs an update. That said, the build quality and fit are correct.

The driving position is elevated, with good visibility and comfort, and electric adjustment for the driver’s seat. The rear seats are relatively spacious, considering the coupé design and its dimensions; the Japanese have managed to make the most of the space for both legs and head.

The boot has a capacity of 404 litres, clearly reduced by the space taken up by the batteries. This raises the loading lip and greatly reduces the usable boot space (especially below the roller parcel shelf).

Overall the interior is correct, standing out for its finishes and fit (there are no strange noises, and the materials are of good quality), but it loses out on image, the main screen seems small and the menu design is outdated compared with its Japanese and Korean rivals.

Engine and performance: 2.4 with 98 CV

Before collecting this Eclipse Cross I was reviewing the specification sheet, and one figure caught my attention: the combustion engine used is the same as the Outlander’s, but with less power. It is a four-cylinder unit with a large displacement, yet it gets the job done.

It works well in terms of smoothness, consumption and performance. Combined with its two electric motors, the total output is 188 CV, and at the wheel it feels like a car of around 150 CV (it has no turbo, and you notice it), but it responds when we need it.

Hybrid system: two electric motors and a 13.8 kWh battery

The hybrid system consists of the combustion engine, two electric motors (one on each axle, which also power all four wheels) and a battery with an estimated usable capacity of 12 kWh.

The homologated (WLTP) electric range is 45 km, but according to our tests we can reach up to 50 km in fully electric mode. The key is using the paddles, which select among five levels of regenerative braking, allowing us to optimise either consumption or energy recovery.

Another strong point of this PHEV is that it offers fast charging (practically no plug-in hybrid on the market has fast charging). With two charging ports, we can charge through the standard socket or CHAdeMO at 22 kW.

As a result, charging times range from 25 minutes from 0 to 80% on CHAdeMO, four hours on a Mennekes connector (charging at 3.7 kW), or six hours on a conventional socket.

Handling: a real fan of TARMAC mode

Besides being a fuel-saving vehicle, in terms of handling we were surprised by how versatile this Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross can be, since it can get us out of trouble off-tarmac thanks to all-wheel drive (with snow mode among the driving options), or offer a more fun character with TARMAC mode.

You may not even recognise that mode, but behind that name lies the brand’s sporty side. The chassis of this Eclipse Cross is ready for more power than it has, so adding the immediacy and thrust of the electric system gives us a very entertaining car on short bends with constant weight transfer, since it comes out of corners very quickly and unexpectedly for this type of vehicle.

Overall it is a composed car, with some positive surprises on the sporty side and a chassis that is ready for demanding roads. At the same time, with good tyres we can get out of trouble off-road using the all-wheel drive provided by the two electric motors. That said, it is not an off-roader, and it does not pretend to be.

Consumption

Depending on the charge level, we will get lower or higher consumption in the daily use of this Mitsubishi. With the battery charged, for the first 100 km it has a consumption of 2 litres per 100 km.

On the road without battery, it averages around 6 litres per 100 km, while on the motorway without charge, average consumption is 7 litres per 100 km.

Equipment

The equipment on our Kaiteki unit is quite complete, with several driver assistance systems (autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping, tyre pressure sensor…) as well as keyless entry and start, and full LED front headlights.

Particularly noteworthy is the quality of the standard audio system, outstanding for standard equipment and not branded by any specific audio company. And as already analysed in the interior section, the screen handling the multimedia system urgently needs an update because, although it offers a lot of information, its design is outdated.

Opinion and price of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV

If we add Mitsubishi’s experience in designing plug-in hybrid vehicles to the coupé design of this SUV, we get a striking and different end result, that genuinely saves fuel. In its favour, it has a very well-designed plug-in hybrid system with excellent energy management, few models on the market offer these features. If we have to point out one drawback, it is perhaps its sober interior, which lacks the eye-catching presentation of other current German or Korean models. That said, it delivers on build quality and fit.

Photos | Test team