Touch and feel matter when it comes to cars. Every time you open a door, sit in a driver’s seat, reach for the dashboard, put your elbow on the armrest – you’re gathering impressions about the quality of a vehicle. No matter what the spec sheet says, no matter what the sticker price is, no matter what the experts tell you, it’s these impressions that hit your gut. Could I be happy with this car? Does it inspire confidence? Is it worth my hard-earned money? These are all questions I had to answer while evaluating the 2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SEL recently.
They’re harder questions than usual with the Eclipse Cross, which was a new compact crossover SUV added to the Mitsubishi lineup in 2018. On paper, Eclipse Cross offers an impressive amount of technology and features for a good price. My test vehicle, a top-of-the-line SEL trim-level example, came with a starting price of $28,195 ($32,310 as tested, including $295 Peral White Paint, $2,500 Touring Package, $190 Accessory Tonneau Cover, $135 Carpeted Floor Mats, and $995 Destination and Handling Fee). At this price, the level of standard equipment is impressive. It includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, taillights and daytime running lights, fog lamps, an LCD color multi-information display, 8-way power driver’s seat, leather seats, reclining rear seat, a 7.0-inch infotainment display with touchpad controller, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Mitsubishi Connect Telematics (subscription required), a head-up display, cruise control, and more. My test car’s Touring Package added a 710-watt Rockford Fosgate premium audio system with nine speakers, Forward Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic High Beams, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, and roof rails. The list is extensive, and represents a real value for the price.
Cars are more than a collection of features and benefits, though. People buy the cars that give them the right feelings. They want to feel that their car is solid, dependable and well-built. They want to feel that their car is stylish and good-looking. They want to feel like their car is responsive and handles well.
Eclipse Cross gets two out of three right. It is stylish and good-looking – though it blends in a little too much with the other vehicles in its class. It is responsive, and handles well. This is something that Mitsubishi has always done well, and one way in which the Eclipse Cross carries the weight of its brand heritage name forward.
Where Eclipse Cross falls down on the job is the “solid” part. There’s a flimsy feel to the vehicle’s doors that does not inspire confidence, and that feeling continues to the touch points inside the vehicle. To be fair, Eclipse Cross has received a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for 2019, so these impressions are emotional, not an indication of capability. But feelings matter when it comes time to pick a ride.
