Mitsubishi has properly taken care of the Eclipse Cross. A new front, multiple changes at the rear and underneath the skin, the well-known...
PHEV-technology from the Outlander. Because it's a facelift however, I'll start with the changes at the front.
These are the daylights, because the regular lights and high beam are over here now.
It's got a different grille, a different bumper, different skidplates, those are the biggest changes at the front.
But the biggest news is found at the back. It's a completely different car now. Before the facelift, the Eclipse Cross had a split rear window.
You liked it or you really didn't, with its small rear lights. Now they're bigger, just like the tailgate. That's bigger as well,
so there's more luggage space as well. That has now grown to 471 litres.
And I already mentioned it, it now has the PHEV-drivetrain, as seen on the bootlid. It's the same drivetrain as in the Outlander.
But what makes the Eclipse Cross with PHEV-technology so special? Well, for example, you've got a 220V/240V-port in the back,
which lets you charge stuff. However, a Mitsubishi PHEV-drivetrain is bi-directional. That means you can transfer electricity...
from the car to your house, if you have the right wallbox. In Japan, they often use that technology in emergency situations.
A plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi or a fully electric Mitsubishi can act as an electricity-supplier for emergency aggregrates.
But that's not everything. A Mitsubishi plug-in hybrid is eligible to quickcharge. Up to 80 percent charge in 25 minutes.
Sure, you can ask yourself the question how much you're going to use that in an PHEV, but it is possible.
The Eclipse Cross was released in 2017, but Mitsubishi hasn't really taken the effort to update the interior.
They have improved the central screen however, which has moved further into the interior. It now has a touchscreen, which replaces the touchpad-controls.
Before the facelift, you had a touchpad which you had to operate with your finger. Like in a Lexus, and just like in the Lexus,
it didn't work. Also, they could've fixed the steering column if you ask me. I can't pull it further towards me, so the seating position isn't nice.
Anyway, that's not something that's usually updated in a facelift. What's typically Mitsubishi as well is the flappy paddles behind the steering wheel.
With them, you can choose the amount of regenerative braking. Something I really like when I'm driving in fully-electric mode.
Not every manufacturer has that. Volvo for example only applies it to heavier plug-in hybrids.
I really think that's a good addition.
Right. Mitsubishi has done a lot of work underneath the hood. Before the facelift, you could only choose a turbocharged 1.5-litre 4-cylinder...
with either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. Now however, you can only have the 2.4-litre 4-cylinder from the Outlander.
It's not entirely the same, because the 2.4-litre has been tweaked differently. It complies with new emission regulations as well.
This version produces a power output of 188, whilst the Outlander PHEV produces 240 horsepower.
Right, it's got a combustion engine in the front and two electric motors. One on each axle.
Also, there's a 13,8 kWh-battery pack, which you charge with a plug and which is supposed to take it 43 kilometres on a single charge.
Just like in the Outlander, there's no direct connection between the combustion engine and the front wheels.
At first, it's always driving electrically up to 60 km/h. If there's not enough electricity available, the 2.4-litre kicks in.
It will then start to produce a set amount of revs, which powers the generator. Through that, it drives the front wheels. So there's no gearbox.
When it comes to driving, the Eclipse Cross is typically middle of the road. There aren't a lot of things to complain about really.
The chassis does what it needs to do. It's not sparkly or anything. The steering is very numb around the middle.
There's just not a lot of feeling in the steering, but that is very fitting with the car.
What did it have before the facelift then? Well, it used to be powered by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder, with a choice between...
front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The new Eclipse Cross, with its only drivetrain available, costs about as much as the...
turbocharged 1.5-litre with four-wheel drive. That means it costs €37.990.
When we first saw pictures of this facelift, it caused a little bit of a stir. This was supposed to be the final new Mitsubishi for Europe.
The manufacturer would cease to exist in Europe after this facelift. Even importers were caught off guard by that news.
Three weeks ago however, there was some good news. Because of the Renault-Nissan-alliance, new Mitsubishi's would be shipped to...
Europe. Good news for Mitsubishi and good news for loyal customers. This won't be the last Mitsubishi in Europe.
The current Outlander PHEV then? It costs about the same and despite being more spacious in the back, it's got an outdated design.
At the end of the year, it will be removed from price lists in Europe. After that, it's unknown if the new Outlander will find its way...
to Europe. As it stands today, it doesn't look that way, but who knows. I mean, this was supposed to be the final Mitsubishi until three weeks ago.