Flash Drive: 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Exterior and Interior Upgrades for a Reimagined Compact Crossover

What happens when a car company skips a model year? Mitsubishi did just that as they went from the 2020 Eclipse Cross to the highly refreshed, and improved, 2022 Eclipse Cross. With updated styling from nose to tail, the new look is much more aggressive, but some may need a few minutes to get a feel for the front headlight treatment. Out back, deleting the bifurcated rear hatch was a great decision, because, does anyone really like that design?

Mitsubishi introduced the Eclipse Cross in 2018 with a low entry price, hoping to attract value buyers in the hot compact crossover segment. Mitsubishi has freshened both the exterior and interior of the 2022 Eclipse Cross, making a compelling case for consumers to add it to their shopping list.

Clean Fleet Report spent an afternoon recently at a Mitsubishi press drive event, where we had the chance to get some limited seat time in a 2022 Eclipse Cross SEL Touring. We will give our thoughts here in the Flash Drive review, and then write a longer and more in-depth road test at a later time.

Exterior Redesign

The reimagined 2022 Eclipse Cross is sleeker, with a completely redesigned rear hatch and window. The new styling does away with the split rear window–never a driver’s favorite. Now, the rear hatch has a single window with an integrated roof spoiler, and what Mitsubishi says are “iconic three-dimensional (LED) taillights to create a wide and stable presence.”

Up front the nose and fascia are completely new. A new bumper and the “Dynamic Shield” grille are dominated by the stacked, recessed and separated headlamps. This design incorporates the DRL, headlights, turn signals and fog lamps.

From a visual standpoint the Eclipse Cross has a downward rake to it, and overall has been lengthened five inches, with most of the increase coming behind the rear wheels.

Interior Redesign

There are five trim levels for the 2022 Eclipse Cross: ES, LE, SE, SEL and SEL Touring; Clean Fleet Report drove the highly optioned SEL Touring. The front light gray leather seats with black contrasting accents were heated and power adjustable. The rear outboard seats also were heated. The heated leather steering wheel had paddle shifters and radio and telephone controls.

New for 2022 is an 8.0-inch color touchscreen with embedded navigation that thankfully had volume and channel knobs, while the center touchpad controller has been removed (Yay!). Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB ports and Bluetooth are standard, with the head-up display and power panoramic sunroof part of the SEL Touring package.

The rear seat splits 60/40 with the additional five inches of length showing-up in the rear leg room, and overall cargo area that now is 50.1-cubic inches with the rear seats folded flat.

Power and Drivability

The 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is a carry-over from the 2020 Eclipse Cross. The 152 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque was delivered through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with an eight-step Sport mode and paddle shifters. Front-wheel drive is standard with all-wheel drive available on any trim level for an additional $1,600.

The engine and transmission combination was good around town, but a bit strained during hard acceleration or passing on the highway. The paddle shifters helped a bit by holding the CVT in a power band for more pull. The EPA rates fuel economy at 25 mpg city/26 highway/25 combined.

Driving Experience: On the Road

Clean Fleet Report only drove about 40 miles in our brief time with the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SEL Touring. Mitsubishi says: because of the increased length, the suspension has been changed to include retuned shocks and springs for better ride control that addressed bounce and rebound. We felt the electric power steering was a bit light on the road, but perfect in town for parking and maneuvering at slow speeds. Stopping was straight and true with no fading from the four-wheel disc ABS with electronic brake force distribution, brake assist and active stability and traction control.

Safety

Either as standard or optional equipment, active and passive advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) include safety features of front, side, curtain and knee airbags, lane change assist, forward collision mitigation, pedestrian detection, blind spot and lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert and park assist sensors.

For a two-year introductory subscription Mitsubishi Connect gives owners a telematic system that connects them to a call center for emergencies, with certain emergencies reported automatically.

Pricing and Warranties

The 2022 Eclipse Cross comes in five models with front-wheel drive standard. Add $1,600 to these prices for all-wheel drive. Prices are MSRP and include the $1,195 destination and handling charge.

ES                         $24,590

LE                         $25,940

SE                         $27,340

SEL                       $28,590

SEL Touring           $30,630

The 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross comes with these warranties:

• Powertrain – 10 years/100,000 miles
• New Vehicle – Five years/60,000 miles
• Anti-Corrosion – Seven years/100,000 miles
• Roadside Assistance – Five years/Unlimited miles

Observations: 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

In our brief time behind the wheel of the 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, we noticed the improved handling and suspension from when we last reviewed the Eclipse Cross in 2020. The infotainment system is more driver-friendly with knobs, and we appreciated the head-up display safety feature. The performance is still so-so, but it holds its own under most driving situations. The suspension has been retuned, edging toward the side of cushy versus stiff. In our short time behind the wheel, we thought the ride was comfortable.

Mitsubishi, in the 2022 Eclipse Cross, has an entry in the compact crossover segment that should be on consumer’s shopping lists. Apparently many people are noticing Mitsubishi, as sales results for March 2021 saw an increase of 59 percent compared with March 2020. This is the best sales month for Mitsubishi in nearly two years. So get over to your local dealer and see the latest they have to offer.

We also had the chance recently to get a taste of the Eclipse Cross’ big brother, the Outlander. Check out our impressions here.

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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by Mitsubishi.

Options in the diverse compact crossover market:

Road Test: 2018 Mazda CX-5

Road Test: 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

Flash Drive: 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid

Road Test: 2020 Honda CR-V

Road Test: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV

Road Test: 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

Road Test: 2018 Toyota RAV4

Road Test: 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport

Road Test: 2019 Subaru Forester

Road Test: 2021 Buick Envision

Road Test: 2018 Kia Sportage

Flash Drive: 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid

Road Test: 2019 Chevrolet Equinox

Road Test: 2018 GMC Terrain

Flash Drive: 2020 Hyundai Nexo Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Flash Drive: 2018 Jeep Cherokee

Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.