Why Drivers Pick the Eclipse Cross Compact SUV

Parking lots keep shrinking, gas prices keep moving around, and the urge to sit a little taller than a sedan keeps growing. That tug-of-war is exactly where the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross lives. It sits a few inches taller than a hatchback, fits in tight downtown spots, hauls a weekend’s worth of luggage, and brings standard all-wheel drive without pushing the price into mid-size SUV territory.

• Every trim runs a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder, making 152 horsepower, with all-wheel drive standard.
• Seven trims starting at $27,695 give buyers room to pick a setup from basic to fully loaded.
• A 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty backs the lineup, which is rare in the small SUV class.

A Size That Works Where Big SUVs Don’t

The Eclipse Cross measures 179 inches long, 71.1 inches wide, and rides on a 105.1-inch wheelbase. Those numbers make it noticeably shorter than full-size three-row SUVs and small enough to feel at home in narrow garages, drive-throughs, and parallel parking spots. Ground clearance still measures 8.5 inches, so curbs and rough roads don’t faze it.

Inside, the cabin holds five passengers with 39.5 inches of front headroom and 37.1 inches of rear legroom. Drop the 60/40 split rear seats and you get 50.1 cubic feet of cargo space, which fits a road bike, a folded stroller, or a Saturday hardware store run.

One Engine, Seven Trims, Plenty of Pull

Mitsubishi keeps things simple under the hood. Every Eclipse Cross runs a 1.5-liter MIVEC turbocharged four-cylinder making 152 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque between 2,000 and 3,500 rpm. An 8-speed CVT with Sport Mode handles shifts, and all-wheel drive is standard on every trim. The top SEL Touring upgrades that to S-AWC (Super All-Wheel Control), which adds Active Yaw Control for sharper cornering in mixed conditions.

EPA-rated fuel economy lands at 25 city, 28 highway, and 26 combined on the ES, while the rest of the lineup posts 25/26/25.

Features by Trim, at a Glance

Standard Safety Across the Board

Every Eclipse Cross arrives with Forward Collision Mitigation with pedestrian detection, Lane Departure Warning, Active Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, and seven airbags. LED headlights, daytime running lights, taillights, and fog lights are standard from the ES on up. Adaptive cruise, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert show up starting at SE.

Warranty Coverage That Sticks Around

Mitsubishi’s warranty stretches farther than most in this class. A 5-year, 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty pairs with a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty for the original owner. Two years or 30,000 miles of free maintenance covers oil changes, tire rotations, and multi-point inspections too. That’s a package few compact SUVs can match.

Picking the Right Trim for Your Driveway

For shoppers who want AWD at the lowest price, the ES checks the box. If you want a hands-free liftgate, blind-spot, and adaptive cruise without going all the way up, SE is the sweet spot. RALLIART and Black Edition layer on sportier visual touches for buyers who care about looks. The SEL brings leather and a 360-degree camera, and the SEL Touring S-AWC adds the panoramic roof, heated rear seats, head-up display, and the more capable S-AWC drivetrain.

See the Eclipse Cross at Ray Skillman

At Ray Skillman Auto Group, we’ve watched the small SUV segment grow for years, and the Eclipse Cross stays a favorite for shoppers who want AWD on a tight budget. Stop by Ray Skillman Southside Mitsubishi to walk around all seven trims, sit in the leather-equipped SEL Touring, and run the numbers with our team. Test drives are free, and we’ll walk you through how Mitsubishi’s 10-year powertrain warranty changes the long-term ownership picture compared to other compact SUVs on the lot.