Used Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2018-present review

You’ve got to have the look to stand out in a crowded place. Take the family SUV sector, for example. It seems every single car manufacturer has something to offer here, so in order to make any headway, you need to be a little bit bolder. And perhaps that's why the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross looks the way it does.

However, distinctive looks are not enough to sway us at What Car?. We look behind the superficial stuff to make sure you’re buying the best car for your money. We’ve already given our nod to cars such as the Peugeot 3008, Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq, but how does the Eclipse Cross stack up against this competition?

On the engine front: not brilliantly. There’s only one engine at the moment, whereas many of the this car’s rivals at least give you the choice of petrol or diesel. However, the turbocharged 161bhp 1.5-litre petrol unit in the Eclipse Cross does at least make it quite nippy. The accelerator pedal response is rather sharp, mind you, making it tricky to perform a smooth pull-away, while the engine can be quite rowdy when accelerating.

To drive, the Eclipse Cross feels every bit a tall SUV. Body lean is pronounced in corners, and the vague, slow steering offers little confidence or feel of what the front wheels are doing. It is, at the very least, nice and light when parking.

The Eclipse Cross's interior is one of Mitsubishi's best in years. However, while it will stand up well to lots of use, it still features plenty of hard, scratchy plastics that don’t look particularly nice. The infotainment system is an improvement. Because the touchscreen is positioned quite far away from the driver, a touchpad has been provided on the centre console to control it. Unfortunately, unless you’re a patient person, you’ll probably just revert back to interacting with the screen instead, because the pad is too sensitive.

The Eclipse Cross is good value as a new car, but there’s still a useful amount to be saved by going for a used example. An entry-level 2 model that has done less than 5000 miles could be yours for £16,000. Spend more than £17,000 and you can get a better equipped, mid-range 3. And if you like your luxuries, £18,500 is what you’ll need to spend to purchase a leather-lined 4.

Check the value of a used Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross with What Car? Valuations

While the Eclipse Cross is cheap to buy, its turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine isn’t the most fuel efficient unit in the family SUV class. Its official (NEDC) economy figure of 42.8mpg isn’t that impressive, and you’ll most likely achieve less than that in the real world. Yearly road tax will be £140 per year.

Mitsubishi offers a fixed-price service plan of up to three years that is transferable to the next owner, so look out for this when searching for a used Eclipse Cross. Insurance costs will be reasonable for the class.

There’s only one engine, so that decision is taken care of. However, we’d suggest sticking with a manual car, because the CVT will cause the engine to hold onto high revs when accelerating, and since it’s not the most refined engine at the best of times, this isn’t the gearbox you’d want to go for.

We’d suggest that 3 trim offers the best value for money, as it provides front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and a head-up display to the impressive amount of standard equipment without adding an awful lot to the price.

Our favourite Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross: 1.5 3

The Peugeot 3008 drives much more like a car than the Eclipse Cross. Its 1.2-litre petrol engine is a fine unit, and there are some strong diesels that are nice and efficient for long journeys. Its interior isn’t quite are well finished as some, such as the Skoda Karoq's, but the fantastic design more than makes up for some cheap plastics on the lower portion of the dashboard and doors.

If you want a plush interior, look at the Skoda Karoq. It might look a bit dull, but you can’t knock the quality and it gets plenty of kit as standard. You’ll be treated to a comfortable ride with light steering, and no matter which engine you go for, it’ll be efficient and willing.

The Seat Ateca is a fun SUV to drive, and if you go for the turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine, it’s quite fast, too. If you go for an FR model, you’ll get lots of equipment, including LED headlights, a larger infotainment screen and a rear-view camera.

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