2025 Eclipse Cross Driven: Mitsubishi’s Oddball SUV Is Still A Reliable Value Proposition

It’s easy to look at Mitsubishi Motors and accuse it of being behind everyone else in terms of technology, refinement and innovation. Sure, the Outlander is a competitive entry in its respective space, but can Mitsubishi really take on juggernauts like Honda, Toyota and Hyundai with a dated four-model lineup?

The short answer is actually, yes. Because, you see, Mitsubishi has understood that in this day and age of overly complicated and constantly more expensive automobiles, there’s more than ever a market for cheap, reliable and no-nonsense cars. The oddball Eclipse Cross is a perfect case in point. While it resides in the weird coupe SUV segment, it remains a better value than anything else in this class, to say nothing of its near-bulletproof reliability rating and generous warranty coverage. It proves once more that, at the end of the day, there will always be demand for a solid, affordable car.

2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross First Impressions: It Looks Interesting

“Interesting” is the word I like to use to describe something negatively with polite intentions. But, in reality, the Eclipse Cross isn’t unattractive per se. But it also doesn’t look great. It’s definitely bold and unique-looking, which is sort of neat in its own, quirky way. Forget the controversy surrounding its name. This has absolutely nothing in common with the 1990s sports coupe you all remember from the first Fast and the Furious movie, sadly.

Rather, the Eclipse Cross is all robotic-looking with its Gundam-like front fascia, a design theme I personally kind of like. It definitely allows this thing to distinguish itself from other coupe SUVs on the road. The side profile is more conservative than, say, a , while the rear resembles a hatchback rather than an SUV. It’s a busy design, though, one that would definitely pop more through brighter colors than my tester’s black paint. The wheel design on this SEL model, however, is meh, and reminds me of the early 2000s tuning craze.

2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Exterior Dimensions

2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross: Differences Between The U.S. And Canadian Market

The lineup for the Eclipse Cross on both sides of the border is relatively straightforward, but there’s one thing in common in both markets: the tremendous amount of value you’ll be getting from an Eclipse Cross. A base all-wheel-drive ES S-AWC model kicks off at $26,545 USD ($29,398 CAD). The lineup tops off at $30,645 USD ($38,498 CAD) for a fully loaded SEL like the one you see here (GT in Canada), which includes quite a lot of equipment for the price, like leather seats, a panoramic roof, and an eight-speaker premium audio system.

Both markets sell the Eclipse Cross equipped with standard all-wheel-drive, which is not the case for most of its rivals. And both the U.S. and Canada offer it in five different trim levels, but the names of some of these trims differ. In both markets, up to six paint colors are available, but the U.S. market offers additional packages that are not offered in Canada.

U.S. Versus Canada Lineup Breakdown And Starting MSRP (model tested in bold below)

Driving Impressions And Performance: A Linear Turbo Engine And A Quiet Ride

The Eclipse Cross’s specifications aren’t exactly exciting, and there’s only one engine option to choose from. Sure, nothing in this segment will be a pocket rocket, but most compact crossovers at least offer an additional engine offering more power or more efficiency in the form of a hybrid alternative. While Mitsubishi offers the Eclipse Cross in other markets with plug-in-hybrid technology, it’s sold in North America with a single powertrain.

There’s really nothing to set your hair on fire here, but Mitsubishi’s turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder has proven itself many times over from a reliability standpoint. It’s a rock-solid mill, one that’s also relatively easy to maintain. Mitsubishi also backs it with a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. For the Eclipse Cross, it’s good for a humble 152 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, and sends power to all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

It’s also worth mentioning Mitsubishi’s clever S-AWC all-wheel-drive system (for Super-All-Wheel Control). Thanks to its active center differential, it has the ability to lock itself into a true, full-time 4WD system. The system also incorporates active yaw control on the rear differential for improved handling. In other words, it’s a much more advanced system than the traditional reactive front-biased systems most of the competition employ, but it’s honestly hard to notice any of this all-wheel-drive wizardry when driving the Eclipse Cross on dry pavement.

There’s no shortage of grip, though, and the chassis is well-buttoned down, firm, solid and almost nimble at times. There’s just not enough power on tap to truly explore the limits of its chassis. Then again, this was never this crossover’s core mission.

2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Technical Specifications

What the Eclipse Cross lacks in power and acceleration, it makes up for by being surprisingly smooth and quiet at highway speeds. The CVT remains this drivetrain’s Achilles’ heel as it brings with it the dreaded elastic feel and droning engine sound normally associated with these transmissions. But I quickly realized that the 1.5T’s ample torque means you don’t necessarily need to floor the throttle to get the Eclipse Cross moving quickly. Rather, slowly digging into the throttle will reveal a much tamer crossover, and a wonderfully linear delivery of power.

2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Fuel Consumption

According to the EPA, there’s only a 1 MPG difference between the entry-level ES model and the rest of the Eclipse Cross lineup. The EPA also rates a mysterious front-wheel-drive model that’s not available for order on Mitsubishi’s own website. I reached out for comment from the automaker about that model, and I’ll update this article once I hear back.

Anyway, the 25 combined MPG rating is fine, but not great. Again, the Eclipse Cross is a victim of Mitsubishi’s lack of innovation. Even standard, gasoline-powered models in this space can do better. This is particularly frustrating considering the excellent plug-in-hybrid powertrain the automaker offers in the Outlander. As for me, after spending a full week in the car, I averaged the same 25 MPG combined.

EPA And As-Tested Fuel Consumption

Interior Design And Comfort: Looks And Feels Like A Vehicle From Another Era

While the Eclipse Cross is generally well-built and the cabin materials of this SEL model do help elevate the cabin to a near-premium experience, there’s no hiding the fact that this interior feels like it’s from another era. Newcomers to this space have vastly improved space optimization, storage space and onboard technology. Sadly, the Eclipse Cross lags behind in that regard, with a general dashboard layout and cabin ergonomics that are more in tune with vehicles from the last decade.

The upside to this old-school approach is that everything feels very familiar, with ergonomics that are all pretty straightforward, making operating an Eclipse Cross a relatively easy affair. Unfortunately, where it shows its age is in the lack of ample storage space; a contrast to what you’ll find in some more recent alternatives. The Eclipse Cross also wears a set of analog instrumentation in a world where basically everyone has moved to digital.

2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Interior Dimensions

At least, on the functional side of things, there’s a good amount of passenger room, front and rear, considering the way the Eclipse Cross was designed. Rear legroom is also ample, even if a tall person is sitting up front. And although this is technically a coupe, rear headroom isn’t compromised due to its design.

Technology And Ease Of Use: Dated, But Functional

Again, the technology in an Eclipse Cross feels several iterations behind what, say, Hyundai offers these days, but it’s also this simplicity that makes its infotainment system a breeze to operate. There’s not much in terms of settings or features, just a main menu with large, easy-to-grasp icons. There’s even wireless Android Auto and . So, while rudimentary in its design, the Eclipse Cross’ infotainment system remains functional and easy to use.

Cargo And Storage Space: Far Superior To Its Main Rival

Because the Eclipse Cross is technically a coupe SUV, it doesn’t quite go against the regular crop of compact crossovers. Its only real competitor, then, is the Buick Envista, which leans a bit more towards the premium side of things. For reference, the Eclipse Cross offers considerably more cargo space than the Buick (20.7 cu-ft/42.0 cu-ft).

2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Cargo Space

Humble, Reliable And Focused On Its Core Mission

The Eclipse Cross will never be the winner of SUV of the year, nor will it win a comparison match against its more modern rivals. Its fuel economy is only fine, performance is mediocre at best and its interior, while functional and well put together, is nothing to party about.

But as a good car, something reliable, attainable, and focused on its intended function of being a sensible, value-packed crossover with a sort of funky styling, the Eclipse Cross is actually rather great. If you’re in the market for a solid all-wheel-drive crossover backed by a good warranty, but you’re on a tight budget and would prefer something that looks a little different, then, yes, the 2025 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is still worth a shot.