Awaiting The Trickle-Down: The 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 1.5T S-AWC

Mitsubishi can't be rebuilt in a day. The review of the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander 2.5 S-AWC I wrote in July was pretty much a rave, yes---but that's the opening volley of a new product offensive from Mitsu, newly revived through a partnership with Nissan.

The smaller 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is back from its gap year of 2021 with refreshed styling inside and out, but you shouldn't mistake it for all-new, or, for that matter, a major improvement over the 2020 Eclipse Cross.

Among the unchanged: The 1.5-liter, 152 horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a continually variable transmission. Getting to 60 from a standing start will take you about eight and a half seconds and make a fair amount of noise in the process.
 
 If you're hoping that patience in getting to five miles an hour below freeway speeds will pay off at the gas pump---well, not so much. The EPA fuel economy estimate for the 2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 1.5T is 25 miles per gallon city/26 highway.

Changes to the front and rear styling have resulted in a vehicle that is five and a half inches longer. Cargo space is 8/10ths of a cubic foot larger and, should you fold down the second row of seats, 1.2 cubic feet more than the 2020 model.

The interior has had a freshening as well, with a finicky touchpad for the infotainment system ditched for good old-fashioned knobs. We approve.

The base price for the 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 1.5T is $28,995. And that price brings a fairly comprehensive list of standard features (see the window sticker at the end of this review).

But to get one as nicely equipped as our tester---that costs money. An extra $4,480 in optional equipment, including $595 for the Red Diamond paint. That sends the bottom line of the window sticker, with $1,195 destination and handling, to $34,670---which is right in the zone for a fully loaded Honda Civic Touring and only a bit below a Toyota RAV4 Limited---both of which are a full size class larger compact SUVs with (slightly) better performance and much better fuel economy---especially on the highway.

Cars take time and money, and Mitsubishi has only had so much time of having a bit of money (thanks again, Nissan!). The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross will very likely someday be as compelling a small crossover as its sibling the Outlander is a larger one. We're just not there yet.