Mitsubishi have pulled the covers off the all-new
Eclipse Cross, ahead of its international premiere at the 2017 Geneva Motor
Show.
The
Eclipse Cross is the production version of the XR-PHEV concept. While the front
has a familiar Mitsubishi face, the new model comes with what
you could call a Toyota C-HR flair, with stretched LED lamps that divide the
rear window. Contributing to its sporty stance is a sloped roofline and a more
dynamic profile.
Mitsubishi say "the horizontal dashboard, silver metal frames and black/silver
monotone color scheme create a refined interior that is both dynamic and
sporty". The crossover model gets a head-up display, tablet-like
infotainment system, and Smartphone Link Display Audio system with Apple
CarPlay support, which can be accessed using the center console-mounted
touchpad controller.
Positioned between the ASX (called Outlander Sport
in North America) and the bigger seven-seater Outlander, the new Eclipse Cross
will go up against the Nissan Qashqai, which is marketed as the Rogue Sport in
America and Canada.
Powering the company's all-new compact SUV is a
fresh-off-the-grid 1.5-liter direct-injected turbocharged petrol engine, which
works in conjunction with a CVT that has an 8-speed Sport Mode manual override.
There is also a 2.2-liter common rail direct-injected turbocharged diesel unit,
which is said to have been modified specifically for the Eclipse Cross, and
fitted with a new 8-speed automatic gearbox.
The Eclipse Cross comes with an
electronically-controlled four-wheel drive system, which feeds the necessary
amount of torque to the rear wheels, depending on each situation and road
surface. Moreover, the integrated Super All-Wheel Control vehicle dynamics
system incorporates the Active Yaw Control, which uses steering angle, yaw
rate, drive torque, brake force and wheel speed info to determine the driver
operation and car behavior, managing the torque feed and brake force at the
rear axle to "behave as the driver intends".
The Eclipse Cross has increased
body rigidity courtesy of a 3-point strut tower brace at the front and
structural bonding at the rear, which ensure improved handling and overall
stability.
The 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross will go on sale in
Europe this fall, before rolling out in Japan, North America, Australia and
other regions, with pricing and specification to be announced close to that
date.