We can already see folks in the background with their pitchforks out. See, the Mitsubishi Eclipse most people group up with was a cool, sporty coupe that grabbed attention everywhere it went. It was discontinued in 2011, but the company repurposed the name for something completely different.
Fast forward to 2018 and Mitsubishi added the word ‘Cross’ at the end of it. Now called the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, it became a subcompact crossover that battled the likes of the Honda HR-V and Toyota Yaris Cross…the Japanese versions, of course.
The use of the Eclipse name on a small crossover caused some, er, concern from Mitsubishi’s fans. Still, it sold well enough to warrant an all-new generation.
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Unfortunately, it won’t signal the return of the swoopy coupe. It will still be a subcompact crossover, but now as an electric vehicle. It’s not exactly the result Eclipse fans were hoping for. Given Mitsubishi’s current status, though, there really isn’t room for a niche sports coupe at the moment.
Oh, and here’s another dagger to the heart of Mitsubishi Eclipse fans. The next-generation Eclipse Cross won’t even be a pure Mitsubishi product. Instead, it will be a rebadged version of the Renault Scenic e-Tech. Mind you, this isn’t the first Mitsubishi-badged Renault as the revived Colt is actually a Clio, the new ASX is really a Captur, and the upcoming Grandis is a Symbol under the skin.
There are no full specs yet, but it’s a good bet that it will be similar to the Renault Scenic. If so, there could be a standard and long range variant with either a 60kWh or 87kWh battery pack, respectively. Based on the Renault’s data sheet, the 60kWh model makes 168hp with a range of 420km, while the 87kWh version puts out 215hp and a range of 620km.
Mitsubishi is busy building up its EV portfolio, especially for the European market. That its explains its heavy reliance on Renault to make it happen. Outside of Asia and Oceania, the company hasn’t exactly been in the best of health, but it is making an effort to turn the tide.
But while Mitsubishi’s European operations are looking more and more French, it’s buzzing with activity in our region. We’re anticipating the launch of the production version of the DST Concept shown at PIMS 2024, as well as the next-generation Montero Sport and Xpander. We’re pretty sure those models won’t be rebadged Renaults.
