Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross LS 2018 review

Driving in an Eclipse Cross is good, as in, it gets the job done and you can drive safely from A to B without any concerns, but it’s not spectacular. I can feel the tug of the steering wheel when I’m doing three-point turns, it’s not as light as it should be. I can hear the engine loudly when I take off, so it’s not as quiet as it could be. I can feel a bit of heaviness on the drive.

Despite these minor things, the Eclipse Cross feels solid. I feel safe because of the size, and for some reason the heaviness also contributes to this. It’s got a 1.5-litre turbo engine so it gets me up big hills perfectly fine and has enough power to get me around on my usual suburban route. I would also feel confident enough to take this car on a long road trip.

Parking is relatively easy, firstly because it’s not a huge car, so is easier to fit into small spaces than a bigger SUV (you can zip in and out of parks), and secondly because of the reverse parking camera. Whatever did we do before reverse parking cameras?

It’s low enough off the ground for small children to easily climb in, which is a definite bonus with kids at this age (four and six). The boot is also a good height off the ground so you’re not bending down to hoist groceries up off the ground, nor are you lifting them too high so you’re less likely to hurt a sensitive back.

There are two cupholders in the front and two in the back, with a small spot to throw your keys and phone, plus a good sized centre storage bin.

One thing I did notice was the manual adjustment on the driver’s seat can turn into a bit of an arm workout, so if you are swapping driver responsibilities between you and your tall husband, like I was, the change in driving positions can get super tedious.

There are also no air vents in the back, which is standard across small SUVs. But this isn’t a small SUV, so I would have thought they’d be added. However, I was easily able to cool the cabin down on a very hot day and my usually very blustery four-year-old didn’t complain about the heat one bit. She was actually cool. So there is enough breeze from the air con to go around the car.

The Eclipse Cross comes equipped with Apple Carplay and Android Auto as standard across the range, so you’re able to plug in and be instantly connected to your phone’s main apps - things like maps and Spotify. Carplay will also read your texts aloud to you while you’re driving. Handy.

There’s also a digital radio and the multimedia system is Bluetooth equipped so you can connect your phone. Two USB outlets are also provided.

For a car that’s not really big, it looks quite large. And that could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your preference. It’s got a sporty front and a rather butch behind. But it’s a decent looking car from the outside and I feel fine driving it.

Inside, the bubble finish dash makes things fairly basic, but it’s lifted with the shiny black centre console which really makes a big difference to these interiors. The whole effect is stylish and well designed because of the black shine.

There is a leather-trimmed steering wheel, but it’s not the best quality leather, while the fabric seats are exactly that - fabric seats. It’s one of those cars you buy because it covers all the basics and is what you need while looking good enough, nothing more.

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross LS comes in at $30,500. Claimed fuel efficiency is 7.3L/100km on the combined cycle and it will take 91RON standard unleaded petrol, so you won’t have to buy 95. There is a five year/100,000 km warranty offered, with services at 12 month or 15,000km intervals.