Mitsubishi is debuting its first all-new model in several years, but the company has mined its past for the new small crossover’s name: Eclipse Cross. No, it doesn’t share anything beyond the badge with the long-running Eclipse sports coupe that, at times, bolstered Mitsubishi’s reputation for performance before disappearing in 2012. Instead, the Eclipse Cross is a decidedly non-performance-oriented small SUV sized similarly to the new Jeep Compass and the Subaru Crosstrek.
The Eclipse Cross shares its 105.1-inch wheelbase with both the current Outlander Sport and Outlander crossovers, although the new model’s 173.4-inch length fits neatly between the two. Mitsubishi says that the next Sport will shrink a bit and the next Outlander will grow, better spacing out the three, but for now there’s plenty of overlap among the models.Unless you need the Outlander’s third-row seat, the Eclipse Cross appears to be the pick of the Mitsubishi litter thanks to its mostly attractive design, its upgraded interior, and its new turbocharged inline-four. The direct-injected 1.5-liter will be the only engine option in the United States (Europeans get a diesel as well), mated to a standard continuously variable automatic transmission with either front- or all-wheel drive. Horsepower and torque numbers aren’t available yet, but Mitsubishi has said that it will be more powerful than the current 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder that makes 166 horsepower in the Outlander. So no, it won’t be a revival of the Eclipse GSX you remember from the 1990s.
The Eclipse Cross uses the company’s “dynamic shield” grille design; it reminds us a bit of a slightly toned-down Lexus NX. A wedge-shaped profile features a character line that rises to the distinctive rear end. Back there, the styling is less successful, with the bisected rear window and chunky aesthetic evoking memories of the much-maligned Pontiac Aztek’s design.
Backsound credit by bensound.com
Смотреть в источнике
Нет Ответов