Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross review
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is a stylish and distinctive family SUV that offers great value for money and a generous amount of standard equipment.
Author: The Cazoo editorial team
7th Jan 2026 – 8 mins read
In a world full of similar-looking family SUVs, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is a car that dares to be different. Launched in 2017, it brought a dose of bold, coupe-like styling to the crossover market, with a striking front end and a unique wraparound rear light bar. It’s a car for those who want to stand out from the crowd without sacrificing the high driving position and practical feel of an SUV. Mitsubishi is a brand known for its tough 4x4s, and while the Eclipse Cross is more focused on road comfort, it still feels robust and well-built. It’s also packed with a generous amount of standard equipment, making it feel like great value for money. While it might not be the most spacious or efficient car in its class, its distinctive looks and strong reliability record make it a compelling and often overlooked choice.
Pros
- Funky, eye-catching styling that stands out
- A generous amount of standard equipment on all models
- Easy and comfortable to drive around town
Cons
- The CVT automatic gearbox can feel unresponsive
- It's not as spacious as more conventionally styled rivals
- The petrol engine isn't very fuel-efficient
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The cabin of the Eclipse Cross is a pleasant surprise, feeling more upmarket than some of Mitsubishi’s other models. The dashboard design is modern, with a tablet-style infotainment screen sitting neatly on top, and gloss black trim pieces that lift the overall feel. A cool feature on some models is a touchpad controller, similar to what you might find in a laptop, which you can use to navigate the screen’s functions.
Standard equipment is a real strong point. All models get a media system with smartphone connectivity through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a reversing camera. Higher-spec models add niceties like a head-up display, which projects key information onto the windscreen so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road.
Comfort
The Eclipse Cross is a very easy and comfortable car to drive, particularly around town. The high driving position gives you a commanding view of the road, visibility is good, and it’s quiet and refined when cruising.
The ride comfort can be a bit mixed. On models with the smaller 16-inch wheels, it’s perfectly comfortable, but on the larger 18-inch wheels that most versions come with, the ride can feel a bit firm and unsettled over bumps. It’s not a deal-breaker, but something to be aware of.
Quality
The interior feels solid and well put together, with a higher-quality look and feel than you might expect. While there are some harder plastics to be found, which is common in this class, everything feels durable and built to withstand the demands of family life. It’s a cabin that feels robust and dependable.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
The stylish, sloping roofline of the Eclipse Cross does have a slight impact on practicality. While there’s plenty of legroom for passengers in the back, headroom for taller adults can be a bit tight compared to more boxy-shaped rivals.
However, a clever feature is the sliding rear seats. You can slide them forwards or backwards to either maximise rear legroom or increase the size of the boot, which is a really useful touch that adds a good dose of flexibility.
Boot space
With the rear seats slid all the way back, the boot offers 341 litres of space. That’s smaller than what you’d find in many family hatchbacks and rivals like the Nissan Qashqai. However, if you slide the rear seats forward, this expands to a much more useful 448 litres, which is plenty for a big weekly shop or luggage for a family trip.
Versatility
The Eclipse Cross is a versatile family car that’s well-suited to everyday life. Its compact dimensions make it easy to park, while the sliding rear seats offer a degree of flexibility that’s genuinely useful. For extra all-weather confidence, high-spec models are available with a capable four-wheel-drive system, making it a great choice if you live in a rural area or often face tricky road conditions.
Driving
Driving experience
The Eclipse Cross is an easy and relaxing car to drive. It’s not designed to be sporty, so you’ll notice a fair amount of body lean if you go into corners too quickly. It’s much happier at a relaxed pace, where its light steering and quiet cruising ability make for a stress-free journey.
If you can, we’d recommend the six-speed manual gearbox. The optional CVT automatic can make the engine feel noisy and unresponsive when you accelerate hard, which can spoil the otherwise calm driving experience.
Performance
The engine choice is very simple: all models come with a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 161bhp. It’s a smooth and reasonably punchy engine that provides enough performance for everyday driving. It can get from 0-60mph in a respectable 9.5 seconds. While Mitsubishi initially planned to add a diesel engine, this never happened, so petrol is your only option.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
With only a single petrol engine available and no hybrid or diesel options, the Eclipse Cross isn't the most frugal car in its class. In its most efficient form, it has an official fuel economy figure of 37.7mpg. Models with the CVT automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive are even thirstier, dropping to around 32.5mpg. This means it will be more expensive to run than many of its rivals, especially for high-mileage drivers.
Value for money
This is where the Eclipse Cross really shines. It was competitively priced when new, often undercutting rivals while offering more standard equipment. On the used market, it’s an even bigger bargain. It tends to depreciate quite heavily, which is great news for used buyers as you can get a stylish, well-equipped, and relatively new family SUV for a very attractive price.
Reliability & Warranty
Mitsubishi has a good reputation for building reliable cars, and the Eclipse Cross should be a dependable choice. From new, it came with a five-year, 62,500-mile warranty. This is longer than the three-year warranties offered by many rivals and means that even used examples could have some manufacturer cover remaining, providing excellent peace of mind.
Safety
Safety features
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is a very safe car. It was awarded the maximum five-star safety rating when it was crash-tested by the experts at Euro NCAP, with a particularly impressive 97% score for adult occupant protection.
All models come with a generous amount of standard safety kit, including autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, and high-beam assist. Higher-spec Exceed models add even more advanced features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, and a 360-degree camera to make parking a breeze.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The Eclipse Cross was available in a few different trim levels, all of which are well-equipped.
- Verve: The entry-level model, but still comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera, smartphone connectivity, and climate control.
- Design SE: Adds larger and more stylish 18-inch alloy wheels.
- Dynamic: A high-spec version that brings heated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, and a head-up display.
- Exceed: The top-of-the-range model, packed with features like LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, a premium sound system, and a full suite of advanced safety aids.
Engines
The engine choice is simple, as all models of the Eclipse Cross use the same 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which produces 161bhp. This is available with either a six-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. While most models are front-wheel-drive, a capable four-wheel-drive system is available on the higher-spec Dynamic and Exceed models, which always come with the automatic gearbox.