Mitsubishi may have paid more attention to the Southeast Asian market with cars like the Xforce and Destinator, but evidently it hasn’t forgotten about Europe with the reveal of the second-generation Eclipse Cross – and it’s an EV, too.
Except rather than it being an in-house-designed product as per the previous model, the car you see here is actually a rebadged Renault Scenic E-Tech. The Japanese carmaker has had form here with models like the ASX (based on the Captur) Colt (the outgoing Clio) and Grandis (Symbioz), all derived from its French parent. The Eclipse Cross is the first EV of the lot and Mitsubishi’s first in Europe since the i-MiEV kei car.
Using the Scenic as a base does at least ensure that the car is broadly competitive, launching in long range form with an 87 kWh battery that delivers an impressive 600 km of range on the WLTP cycle; a “mid range” option will be offered next year. A single motor on the front produces 218 PS (160 kW) and 330 Nm of torque, getting from zero to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds. You also get support for up to 150 kW of DC fast charging and 22 kW of AC charging.
The Eclipse Cross may be still look obviously like a Renault from the outside, but Mitsubishi has at least bothered to differentiate the styling this time around, adopting a “Smart Armour” design language. The front end features the firm’s signature Dynamic Shield look, with silver D-shaped bumper corners “pinching” the closed-off grille and housing linear daytime running lights.
Along the side, the chrome window trim runs along the lower edge and up the C-pillar – instead of being on the upper edge as per the Scenic – while the inverted L-shaped rocker panel is also unique to the Mitsubishi. At the rear, the taillights receive the same linear graphics as the DRLs, joined by a black strip that runs across the tailgate, plus a different blacked-out rear bumper design.
Unfortunately, the distinguishing features mostly end on the inside, although Mitsubishi has seen fit to add its own steering wheel airbag boss and quilted leather upholstery in place of the Scenic’s recycled fabric. Just like its twin, the Eclipse Cross comes with an L-shaped dashboard housing the 12.3-inch instrument and infotainment displays, the latter a portrait panel with Google services built-in.
Also taken from the Scenic is a electrochromic panoramic glass roof, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 15-watt Qi wireless charger and a ten-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Safety-wise, the Eclipse Cross comes with Renault’s Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system rebranded as Mi-Pilot, as well as a My Safety Perso feature that allows users to quickly set their preferred level of driver assistance.
Production will kick off in the fourth quarter of the year at Renault’s plant in Douai, France, alongside the Scenic and the Grandis/Symbioz. Aside from the Eclipse Cross for Europe, Mitsubishi has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Foxconn subsidiary Foxtron to bring an EV to Australia and New Zealand.
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