2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Pros vs Cons

The compact crossover SUV has gotten more popular as consumers have shifted their requirements. They want to travel in something that's more exciting than a minivan. Yet, they don't want to do it in a large SUV.

Hence, the reason why vehicles like the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross are part of consumers' lists new crossovers to consider. Introduced in 2018, the Eclipse Cross is one of the newer compact SUVs on the market. But is it one to put at the top or bottom of the consideration list?

What's New for 2020?

Unfortunately, all-wheel-drive (AWD) is no longer standard on most trim levels. However, it is available as an option. In other trim news, the SE is now equipped with advanced safety features.

Ten Reasons You May Like the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross – The Pros

1. Peppy Turbocharged Engine

One of the rules that should be added to the crossover compact SUV guidelines concerns engine performance. With its size, the vehicle must have a comparatively peppy engine to help urban adventurers drive across the tough metropolitan terrains. When they do add this rule, they need to provide the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross as an example.

All trims come with the same engine. It's a 4-cylinder 1.5L turbocharged powertrain with the Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system (MIVEC) -- their version of variable valve timing (VVT). No matter the name, the component helps to maintain an equal amount of open and closed valves to increase fuel efficiency.

Overall, this engine produces a horsepower maximum of 152 as well as 184 pound-feet of torque. Tied to an eight-speed transmission, the Eclipse Cross smoothly shifts gears during acceleration.

2. All-Wheel-Control Still an Option

Though it doesn't come as a standard choice anymore, all trims of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross still have All-wheel-control (AWC) as an option. This is the term the company uses for four-wheel-drive (4WD). Though it does cost more, it may be a good choice for consumers who want to take the SUV off-road at some point.

3. Lower Base Price

Lower prices are good, especially when considering an SUV. The 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross offers this as an enticement for consumers to move away from their former favorites.

Of the four trims, the SE is the least expensive. It has a starting MSRP of $23,000 for FWD and $25,000 with 4WD. The top trim, the SEL, is between $2,000 and $3,000 higher depending on the drivetrain. For consumers, such a small difference between prices might mean a shift to the upper trim.

4. Good Fuel Economy for its Category

On average, the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is on par or above in its fuel efficiency. In FWD mode, it gets 26 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway. When purchased with 4WD, the overall miles per gallon go down a mile or two. This is good news, because customers won't feel they're getting cheated on efficiency if they go with AWC.

5. Handsome and Comfortable Interior

For a crossover SUV with a low base price, the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross does a good job with its interior design. It has a pleasant feel that isn't too rugged. Upgrades to enhance the cabin's style include leather upholstery and a power-adjusted driver's seat with an optional heating element. A leather-wrapped heated steering wheel is also an available upgrade.

6. Heated Side Mirrors

This might not seem like a major point to some consumers. However, they probably don't live areas where side-view mirrors get iced up. If they did, they would be grateful that the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross comes standard with heated driver and passenger side mirrors. Along with this, the Eclipse Cross has a rear-window defroster that can be set on a timer.

7. Easy to use Infotainment System

Having a simple-to-use infotainment system for navigation, making calls, and using apps is important to the safety of the driver and passengers. More complicated units cause the driver to get distracted, thus potentially causing an accident.

The infotainment system on the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has been refined so it's much easier to use than previous versions. Granted, customers still need to connect their Bluetooth prior to driving. But once this is done, other items can be integrated. This includes access to various smartphone apps via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

8. Maneuverability in Tight Spaces

A compact vehicle, be it a sedan or crossover SUV, should be nimble enough to get itself through tight spaces. Luckily, the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross can do this pretty well. This is thanks to its svelte design and firm steering. In turn, drivers can get through spaces and find parking slots that bigger vehicles have a hard time finding.

9. Standard Driver Aids on SE and SEL Trims

Since the SE and SEL trims of the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross do cost more, they should have several driver aids as standards. What they do come with is blind zone and lane assist alerts, rear cross traffic warnings, and forward collision mitigation. All of these are required to ensure the Eclipse Cross reaches a point of zero accidents with people or other vehicles.

10. Top Line Warranty

The 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is protected by an extensive warranty covering numerous years and/or miles. This doesn't mean the vehicle is prone to problems. Like health insurance, it's an extra layer of protection for the vehicle and its passengers.

The limited warranty covering the entire vehicle is 5 years or 60,000 miles, much more than a standard 3-year/36,000 mile version. The powertrain gets 10-year/100,000-mile coverage. The warranty also comes with five years roadside assistance with unlimited mileage.

Reasons You May Not Like the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross – The Cons

1. Storage is Below Other Manufacturers

When the second-row seat is folded down, the Eclipse Cross can store up to 44 cubic feet of material. This is well below what other crossover SUVs can store. In addition, when all rows are up, the space behind the liftgate is even more cramped, preventing the storage of multiple carry-on bags.

2. Poor Suspension

One of the benefits of SUVs in general is they can handle rough terrains thanks to their suspension packages. The 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross doesn't have this. Therefore, even on regular road surfaces, the ride is not only soft but also quite bouncy. In turn, it makes for an uncomfortable ride on pothole-strewn city roads or graded highways.

3. Increased Leaning on Curves

Handling is another important factor in an SUV. It the wheels and steering don't match up, or the handling is subpar, then the vehicle doesn't deal well with even the smallest curves. This is what consumers may feel when they test drive the Eclipse Cross. The vehicle does a good deal of leaning to one side or the other on curves, so mountain passes can be treacherous.

4. Loss of Standard 4WD

The reason Mitsubishi decided to drop four-wheel-drive as a standard remains a mystery. The possible explanation is the company wanted to focus the sale of this vehicle on urban adventurers rather than those who do their treks off-road. The other option is they wanted to increase their revenue.

5. Driver Aids Not Available in Lower Trims

The aids that keep drivers and passengers of the SE and SEL trims safe are not even considered optional upgrades for the ES and LE versions. While they do get items like HD rear-view cameras and traction control, they don't help them see anything in their blind spots.

How It Stacks Up to the Competition

There are several crossover compact SUVs on the market that can be compared to the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. Unfortunately, they have better features. For instance, when faced against the popular Toyota RAV4, the Eclipse Cross is no competition when it comes to redesign and personality. When linked with its in-company cousin, the Outlander Sport, The Eclipse Cross' exterior does look better and it has a slightly better engine.

Another popular small SUV, The Subaru Forester, loses in price against the Eclipse Cross. However, the extra $1,650 paid by consumers gives them more passenger and cargo room, standard safety aids across all trims, and built-in AWD instead of it being an option.

Conclusion

The 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is an okay crossover SUV for the price consumers pay. It engine is fast and powerful enough to satisfy some customers. The easy-to-use infotainment system safety aids in the upper trims may also draw people to the vehicle.

However, after that, there's not much to enjoy on the Eclipse Cross. Both handling and suspension are below-average. This results in a bumpy ride where everyone is pushed to one side while driving curved roads. The loss of standard AWC and the lack of driver assist aids in the lower trims is also a black mark on the vehicle.

In the end, there are better crossover SUVs that cost about the same but have more power, technology, and driving capabilities than the Eclipse Cross. However, consumers won't truly know about this until they take a test drive on their own.