2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross facelift arrives in Japan, gets new PHEV powertrain

KUALA LUMPUR: After New Zealand and Australia, it’s now time for Japan to enjoy the facelifted Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. Available in two variants, one gasoline-powered and other a plug-in hybrid option, its price range starts from 2,531,100 yen and goes up to 4.477 million yen (RM 98,741 to RM 174,731). Included in the price are 8-year/160,000 km warranty and capacity guarantee for the hybrid battery.

Powering the regular petrol Eclipse Cross is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo engine pumping out a maximum power of 150 PS at 5,500 rpm along with a peak torque of 240 Nm at 2,000 to 3,500 rpm. On the transmission side is present an INVEC-III CVT with eight virtual speeds system that depending on the variant offers front or all-wheel drive. It offers a mileage of 13.4kmpl with front-wheel drive and 12.4 kmpl with all-wheel drive.

The Eclipse Cross PHEV option, on the other hand, offers 16.4 kmpl of fuel economy. Further, it has a 100V AC outlet onboard that makes 1,500 watts of energy to power the appliances and electronics, and comes in handy when you are on a camping trip or similar. There is also a battery save mode that when activated maintains the charge level until the car reaches the destination. What’s new and exciting is the Bi-directional charging that allows for vehicle-to-home functionality. It means in case of a disaster when the power supply fails, owners can power their home through the SUVs CHAeMO port.

When put on the weighing scale, the 1.5L 2WD weighed between 1,450 to 1,480 kg, while the scale moved a bit higher in case of the all-wheel-drive version, i.e., between 1,520 to 1,550 kg. However, it was the PHEV variant that came out to the heaviest at 1,900 to 1,920 kg.

2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross standard equipment list includes -

• LED lighting units all-around
• 16- and 18-inch wheels
• Analogue gauges with a multi-info display
• Automatic air-con system
• Drive mode selector
• Head-up display
• Powered front seats
• Eight speakers
• Fabric, combination suede and synthetic leather, or genuine leather upholstery

As expected, the 2021 Eclipse Cross features a strong safety kit part of which are many active and passive components like - seven airbags, ABS with EBD and BA, traction control, Active Stability Control, and hill start assist. What’s best is that the SUV comes with the brand’s e-Assist suite of technologies and that too as a standard fitment. Part of this pack is autonomous emergency braking, automatic high beam, lane departure warning, and false start suppression.

Also Read: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is now available in Thailand