Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross LS AWD 2021 Review

Late last year, a comprehensive update for the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was announced, marking its second upgrade since the small SUV launched in Australia in early 2018.

Delivery delays have forced some buyers who placed an order for the new MY21 model to cool their heels, though we suspect this is only part of the reason behind the 2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross remaining in the shadow of its long-running Mitsubishi ASX sibling on the sales charts this year.

Pricing is obviously a key factor, with the ASX available from $23,990 plus on-road costs for the ES, while the top-spec Exceed model across the seven-variant range stands at $33,490 plus ORCs.

The Eclipse Cross, on the other hand, starts at $30,290 plus ORCs for the base front-wheel drive ES version and tops out at $40,790 for the all-wheel drive Exceed, placing it not only comfortably above the ASX but competitors from rival brands.

The latter includes the segment’s upstart – and not surprisingly the cheapest in its class by far – the MG ZS. The Chinese SUV has headed, and still engages, the once seemingly unassailable Mitsubishi ASX in the battle for segment sales leadership.

As far as the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is concerned, its very existence is all about unit profits, not outright volume, and its packaging and specification reflects this.

The latest update has brought a slight rework of the brand’s ‘dynamic shield’ front-end treatment, as well as increased length (+140mm) to give more passenger and luggage space.

At the same time, Mitsubishi designers have also completely redesigned the rear deck and done away with the Honda-style split rear window glass.

The facelift also introduces a new 8.0-inch touch-screen – located for ergonomic reasons closer to the driver – while doing away with the former console-mounted touch-pad system and adds Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity.

Pricing for the 2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is structured to offer a choice of front-wheel drive or AWD in second-rung LS and flagship Exceed form, and front-drive only at base ES and mid-spec Aspire levels.

Here, we are reviewing the LS-spec Eclipse Cross, in AWD form, which is priced before on-road costs at $35,090.

All Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross models are powered by a 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged engine not seen elsewhere in the Mitsubishi range.

In the on-demand AWD LS it drives through a continuously variable transmission to the company’s Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system which brings together stability control, ABS and active yaw control to meter-out the braking and power delivery for added stability, particularly in low-friction conditions.

The safety rollout for the AWD LS is adequate rather than exceptional, including high- and low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB), pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

Stepping up to the (FWD-only) Eclipse Cross Aspire – at $34,990 plus ORCs – brings rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, front parking sensors and added cameras at the front and sides for an all-round view of the car’s extremities.

If you want an Eclipse Cross with all these things, plus AWD, you’ll need to fork out $40,790 plus ORCs for the top-spec Exceed.

The LS’s cabin is pretty plush nonetheless with climate control (single-zone), push-button starting, auto up-down for all windows, side mirror demisters and digital radio, although you’ll need an Apple/Android smartphone if you want sat-nav.

Like many of its contemporaries, the Eclipse Cross LS lacks power front seats – which are neither heated nor cooled – LED headlights and leather-look trim. No knocking the seats, though: they are well-shaped, comfortable and supportive.

The 2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross reveals a modernity in the way it drives and handles that separates it from the much older ASX even though the chassis fundamentals –MacPherson strut front-end, multi-link rear – are the same.

It feels taut on the road, rides with a smooth-edged suppleness and is pretty quiet into the bargain.

The steering, intended to provide more linearity with the upgrade, is maybe a bit light but it’s communicative and helps make for easy parking.

The road grip provided by the combination of 225/55 tyres on 18-inch alloy rims and Mitsubishi’s on-demand AWD system finds a happy balance between tenacity and predictability.

And the 1.5-litre turbo engine, despite its relatively conservative 110kW output, is a happy mix with the small SUV’s heavy-ish 1545kg.

It feels flexible and ready to deliver a good serve of torque at low rpm (the 250Nm maximum comes in at 2000rpm) without sounding fussy unless taken to its 6000rpm redline.

The CVT transmission is a bit of a mix. Despite Mitsubishi’s good work at minimising the common CVT characteristics by introducing ‘artificial’ ratios that, in a way, mimic the stepped changes of a regular auto gearbox, the familiar fixed-rpm cacophony is only a bootful of accelerator away.

However, the engine’s torque delivery comes in low enough and strong enough that the CVT’s tendency towards over-reactivity is generally kept at bay.

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is competitively fuel-efficient. We recorded an average of 7.7L/100km over a week of driving in mixed conditions, paralleling previous experiences and matching the official claim of 7.7L/100km.

A 10-year warranty backed up by 10 years of capped-price servicing is not to be sneezed at. The condition is that to qualify for the warranty, all servicing has to be done at a Mitsubishi dealership. Fair enough.

It might come as something of a surprise, but the 2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross shares its quite-generous 2670mm wheelbase with not only the larger Mitsubishi Outlander but also the smaller ASX.

The outcome, particularly with the recent body stretch, is that the Eclipse Cross offers a pretty spacious cabin that makes room, front and back, for at least four adult occupants and doesn’t mind accepting a bit of bulky stuff in the luggage compartment with a boot that measures up to a solid 405 litres and can be stretched out to 1149L with the rear seats folded down.

Particularly in terms of cabin space and general overall presence, this is a small SUV that could almost pass for a mid-sizer.

The redesigned hatchback and rear window don’t seem to have affected rearward visibility to any great extent, the Eclipse Cross feeling generally airy and providing a good 360-degree view of the world outside.

Improvements to the dash area have helped a lot. The new 8.0-inch screen minimises familiar touch-screen foibles by being easier to operate with larger landing points that are more readily found by a wavering finger and a big, high-res image that’s particularly appreciated when using the reversing camera.

The centre console moves the shift lever to the left and does away with the previous model’s tricky, Lexus-style touch-pad system. Hear, hear!

In the end, it’s hard not to develop a fondness for the 2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. It’s easy to live with, spacious, comfortable, quiet and zippy on the road.

With current sales trends – particularly at the lower end of the spectrum – revealing that buyers really do shop around for the best financial deals, maybe the pricing is simply a representation of where many car-makers are headed (that is, upmarket), particularly in this segment that now includes more affordable but well-regarded competition from the likes of MG.

One thing’s for certain: the ‘other’ small SUV from Mitsubishi has a big job ahead of it.

How much does the 2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross LS AWD cost?
Price: $35,090 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 7.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 174g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)