Prototypes of the facelifted Mitsubishi
Eclipse Cross have been spotted testing ever since earlier this year, and now
the Japanese automaker has started the teasing game. Set to debut in the fiscal
year 2020, which ends on March 31, 2021, the compact crossover coupe will
feature revised styling, inspired by the 2017 e-Evolution Concept, with
“radically changed front and rear design”, according to the car firm.
Spy shots have indicated the presence of a
new front bumper, refreshed grille and fog lamps, while at the back, the
tailgate adopts cleaner-looking styling and appears to have dropped the split
window. The taillights are part of the update, and so are the bumper,
roof-mounted wing and perhaps the side skirts, considering that they were
wrapped up on test prototypes.
Visual changes aside, the 2021 Eclipse
Cross will join the likes of the Outlander PHEV as the brand’s second plug-in
hybrid SUV. Details surrounding the powertrain have yet to be released, but
Mitsubishi said it will launch in select markets.
Elsewhere, the engine lineup of the
current iteration should be retained, with Europe getting the 1.5-liter turbo
petrol and (possibly) the 2.2-liter turbo diesel. In North America, the
facelifted Eclipse Cross should launch with the same 1.5-liter gasoline unit
that produces 152 HP and 250 Nm of torque.
