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Mitsubishi has incorporated strong styling into the 2022 Eclipse Cross redesign.
The front and the back of the $23,400 Eclipse received a redo, and come together to provide an engaging and unique experience.
The headlights ride low and include the LED technology that has become standard in the industry. The housing is a mix of black and chrome, which gives it an attractive presence out of the box. That combines with a signature grille that includes the iconic tri-diamond badge that Mitsubishi sports. The hood also has some styling, with a ridge on each side that connects at the window frame, giving it some height on the top before it meets with the window.
The 18-inch wheels include some nice details that continue the flat black and aluminum, which is machined to give it a rugged and sporty race car feel that I really like. That is framed in a flat black fender with an eyebrow-like line just above it.
This type of line continues along the top and bottom of the side framing and into the hatchback, which has a jewel box type design at the point where the rear window glass meets the base. All this styling gives the 2022 Eclipse Cross an autonomy that feels right, making it feel like one designer had the final say on the overall look.
The compact SUV comes standard with a 152-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter, four-cylinder turbo engine that delivers 26 miles per gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon on the highway. I like the mileage, which is competitive with other compact SUVs in the segment. The Mitsubishi 2022 also comes in both two-wheel drive and what Mitsubishi calls its all wheel control, which is its version of all-wheel drive.
The ride in this four-door vehicle is smooth, a relief on South Florida roads which always seem to be under construction.
Inside the cabin, you get plenty of room and a nice, big steering wheel with a big version of Mitsubishi’s tri-diamond badging, which always is important. I like the stitching on the armrest as well as the continuation of the silver styling throughout the interior. It helps to tie the whole car together.
The eight-inch infotainment system has both a digital screen and knobs, which I also like and it is closer to the driver. So there is no difficulty in making changes while you are driving. In some new cars, everything including the volume is digital, so you have to wrestle with the interface to get your music at just the right level. Mitsubishi made it easy here with the knobs. You also get standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so it is easily integrated with all your mobile technology.
In the back of the car, the Mitsubishi 2022 Eclipse Cross has lots of room for groceries, fertilizer and maybe a mountain bike, if you push the back seats down. This is a great relief because car manufacturers sometimes sacrifice cargo space for design. In this case, the eyebrow you see on the outside over the wheel translates to more room on the inside, giving you the extra space for more stuff whether you are shopping at the mall or at Home Depot. The car also is longer, which provides the added benefit of offering that extra room in the cargo area.
All of this combines to give you great choices and design that produce a smooth and reliable ride. For me, Mitsubishi’s redesign on the 2022 Eclipse Cross hits all the right marks, making it a solid SUV for those looking for a great compact SUV that also gets great mileage.
