2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Best, when we heard the rumor that Mitsubishi was bringing back the eclipse; worst, when we found out that wasn’t quite the case, as they’d be using that sporty name on yet another compact crossover. Let’s see if driving the new eclipse cross will put an end to our Dickensian dilemma.
Just when we weren’t too sure about what exactly was going on at Mitsubishi, now that they have aligned themselves with Nissan and Renault, we get word of this new compact crossover, the 2018 Eclipse Cross. Size-wise, it slides in between the Outlander and Outlander Sport in their lineup.
Much like the Honda CRV it would love to steal some sales from, the Eclipse Cross is tiny-turbo-powered with a 1.5-liter I4 rated at 152-horsepower, well short of the CR-Vs 190. There’s more torque, however; 184 lb-ft., compared to Honda’s 179.
Like the CR-V, the Eclipse Cross is CVT tranny only, and base ES trim is the only one available with front-wheel-drive. All other trims come with Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control all-wheel-drive.
Those kind of power numbers didn’t exactly peak our anticipation for test track results. Still, the Eclipse Cross doesn’t feel underpowered by any means. It’s a little lazy at launch, but then graceful amounts of power begin pouring on, ushering you to 60 in a respectable 8.6-seconds.
The CVT has simulated shifts that help things sound a little less frantic working your way down the track. That all comes to an end in 16.7-seconds at 79 miles-per-hour.
Mitsubishi had to expect some backlash, choosing to resurrect the Eclipse sport coupe’s name on a ute; so they made an earnest attempt to make corner handling worthy of the name.
But a lot of the agility comes from the all-wheel-drive system, which uses selective braking to minimize understeer. Otherwise, we’d call it firmly average; betrayed by safe and slow steering and a fair amount of body roll.
The Eclipse Cross does have all of the features you expect in the modern day compact crossover. Meaning a color multi-information display, steering wheel controls, naturally a backup camera, plus automatic climate; they’re all standard.
Our mid-level SE was outfitted quite nicely, similar to many brand’s top trim levels; and adds a host of comfort and convenience features like heated seats, push button start, and Mitsubishi Connect.
Unexpected features for this class like head-up display and multi-view camera are also available. Our SE also added advanced safety features like Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic alert.
The 7-inch infotainment screen shoots out of the dash, and is controlled by a square touchpad controller on the console. There’s a definite learning curve to figure it out, and even once you do, it can be frustrating.
The Eclipse Cross launches a new Mitsubishi Connect subscription service that, in addition to the usual safety notifications, gives you remote access to your car with a cell phone app; allowing you to unlock the doors, change vehicle settings, and even set parental controls.
Seats are sufficiently comfortable, and the general pleasantness of the interior has you wanting to spend plenty of time in the cabin.
The exterior is among its best features; being rather dramatic looking for this usually appliance-like segment.
The front bares a strong resemblance to the Outlander family, and in profile the appearance favors a wedge, but yet a bit more coupish and sporty than most compact crossover rivals.
The rear is tall, with a split-glass hatch that brings to mind the Pontiac Aztec and the original Honda Insight. While you do see more outside, the split is quite distracting through the rear view mirror.
Under the hatch, is a good 22.6 cubic-ft. of cargo space; expanding to 48.9 cubic-ft. with rear seats folded.
All-wheel-drive Eclipse Cross’ have Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 25-City, 26-Highway, and 25-Combined, which we matched almost perfectly with an average of 24.9 miles-per-gallon. Earning an average Energy Impact Score, with the use of 13.2-barrels of oil yearly while emitting 5.7-tons of CO2.
The front-drive Eclipse Cross starts at $24,290, all other trims come with all-wheel-drive and top out with the SEL Touring for $31,390.
While the brand has been on a roller coaster ride here in the U.S., becoming the junior member of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance has added tremendous stability. And, given that Mitsubishi has a global history of building rugged, dependable, SUVs, we think 2018 Eclipse Cross has a real chance to succeed.
True, by bringing back the Eclipse name, Mitsubishi is clearly aiming to cash in on the Eclipse Coupe’s reputation as a stylish, compact performer that delivers a lot of bang for the buck. We can see many of those same words applying to the Eclipse Cross. So, it might just be exactly what Mitsubishi needs to stay relevant, as they continue to rebuild the brand here and around the world.
Specifications
- Horsepower: 152
- Torque: 184 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 8.6 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 16.7 seconds @79 mph
- EPA: 25 mpg city / 26 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 13.2 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 5.7 tons/yr
2025 Infiniti QX80
Infiniti’s Flagship SUV Sets A Course For Extravagance
This full-size Infiniti QX80 started out as the QX56, a hastily rebadged version of Nissan’s truck-based Armada full-size utility. That was in the early 2000s when the luxury SUV craze was exploding. It wasn’t as much as a game-changer, as it was “try to keep upper”. Now, this new QX80, Infiniti is promising to “Reimagine the luxury SUV”. Let’s see if Infiniti has turned their imaginations into reality.
Well, if over the top is what Infiniti was shooting for in the all-new 2025 QX80, mission accomplished. There’s an overall feeling of extravagance here that we haven’t experienced from Infiniti in quite some time.
It’s not just the open pore ash wood trim with aluminum inlays, 24-speaker audio, and plush quilted leather seating; there’s also nicely integrated ambient lighting, a massive glass roof, plenty of tech, lots of active driving assistance, and even chilled center console storage. Forward of that is a dual touchscreen setup; the top 14.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment sits next to the digital gauge display in a single housing; while just below, there’s a 9-inch one for climate controls.
You are reminded this is still a body-on-frame utility the moment you have to climb up into the cockpit, but there’s also the commanding view of the road that comes with that. Captain’s chairs are standard for the second row, but a three-place bench is optional with all trims except for top Autograph which comes exclusively with these climate-controlled massaging chairs, along with a touchscreen control panel. The third-row experience is great, too, with heated leather seating, and adult size room for three.
Now, there is a whole new experience coming from under the hood. The last gen’s V8 has been replaced with a new twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 rated at 450 horsepower, 50 over the V8. More notably, torque is up by more than 100 lb-ft to 516. Transmission is a nine-speed automatic, two more gears than last year, with rear-wheel drive standard, four-wheel drive an option. Max tow rating is 8,500-lbs.
And at the test track, it did pull strongly off the line, getting up to speed in a hurry with the 0-60 sprint taking just 6.3 seconds. There is roughly 3 tons of weight to push through the quarter-mile, but that twin-turbo does it well, finishing in 14.7 seconds at 95 mph. Gear changes are incredibly smooth, while not hindering acceleration in any way.
It's an impressive looking utility from any angle.
In panic braking runs, there was some fade and a considerable amount of nosedive, but our average stopping distance of 115 feet is not bad for a vehicle as big and heavy as the QX80. Last gen, the QX80 moved from the Titan truck platform to the global Patrol SUV chassis, which shifted the vibe from budget Escalade to Lexus LX fighter. The attending improvement in ride and handling was the real bonus, and that largely continues for this gen with air suspension and Dynamic Digital Dampers on all but base QX80s. While we could certainly feel all that weight through our cone course, body roll was well-controlled and without significant oversteer or understeer.
It’s an impressive looking utility from any angle, starting right up front with the big “bamboo forest” grille. The overall shape is boxy, but all body panels are smooth; and for better or worse, Infiniti joins the flush door handle fad. Look for its “Artistry In Motion” design theme to work its way down through the rest of the Infiniti lineup. All QX80s ride on 22-inch wheels except for base Pure trim which makes do with 20s.
A full power play includes standard motion-activated rear liftgate and power operation of both second and third row seats, expanding cargo capacity from 22 cu-ft behind the third row to 59 behind the second, and a max of 101.0 cu-ft with both rows folded.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings with four-wheel-drive are not great: 16 city, 19 highway and 17 combined. We averaged 18.6 mpg of premium. That’s a much worse than average Energy Impact Score, using 17.5 barrels of oil annually, with 8.6 tons of CO2 emissions.
Driving such a PUREly LUXEurious SENSORY overload, you’ll probably be expecting people to want your AUTOGRAPH, which we’re guessing is how Infiniti came up with their grade structure; pricing starts with Pure at $84,445 and climbs to $112,590 for Autograph.
The 2025 Infiniti QX80 is a massive SUV that delivers massive amounts of power and luxury. They aimed for the moon here and have clearly blasted themselves into a much more competitive orbit in the big buck, big hauler, sport-utility galaxy.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6
- Transmission: 9-speed automatic
- Horsepower: 450
- Torque: 516 lb-ft.
- EPA: 16 City | 19 Highway | 17 Combined
- 0-60 mph: 6.3 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 14.7 seconds at 95 mph
- Braking, 60-0 (avg.): 115 feet
- MW Fuel Economy: 18.6 mpg (Premium)
