The Eclipse Cross is a compact SUV that will go head to head with the Jeep Compass in India.
Mitsubishi hasn’t really been at the top of its game when it comes to the Indian market. The country has booming SUV segments, something which Mitsubishi hasn’t been able to cash-in on. But it has renewed strategy and hopes in place and after introducing the new Outlander recently, the company is now planning to bring its Eclipse Cross compact SUV to India.
The said model is already on sale in the international markets and provides the company with decent volumes. It has a sharp looking front with sleek headlights and large fog lamps. Chrome has been used in abundance. The design of the rear is a hit or miss with a dual glass bootlid flanked by a strip of LEDs running across it. The side profile looks good with those well-designed wheels.
The interiors too are well laid out and are majorly all black with silver accents in some places like the centre console and door handles. Feature list includes a 7-inch touch infotainment system, head-up display, dual-zone climate control and Rockford Fosgate music system among others.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is currently powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged, petrol engine good for 163 HP and 250 Nm of peak torque. It is paired with a CVT gearbox but the company is also said to be working on a 2.2-litre diesel engine that should make it to the Indian market when the compact SUV comes here in 2020. All-wheel-drive system too will be provided with it as it will be going head to head with the Jeep Compass.
Mitsubishi has already begun working on an India-spec Eclipse Cross and is especially working on incorporating On-Board Diagnostics-II (OBD-II) in it. This system provides access to data from the engine control unit (ECU) and offers a valuable source of information when troubleshooting problems inside a vehicle. A speed alert system and seat belt reminder will also be installed. Emission and other safety norms aren’t an issue as the engines are BS6 ready and the car has a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP.
The safety rating is thanks to the seven airbags, active stability control (ASC), forward collision mitigation system, lane departure warning system and blind spot warning with rear cross traffic alert and lane change assist. Going by Mitsubishi’s claim of not worrying about the safety norms, we are hopeful that some of these if not all, will be present in the India-spec Eclipse Cross. The company is also looking to manufacture it in the Chennai plant of its 34 percent stakeholder Nissan. The plant is together used by the Renault-Nissan alliance and the Eclipse Cross happens to be the first product from this arrangement. Producing it in an already set up plant will also reduce costs considerably.
Not only is the Eclipse Cross under consideration for India but Mitsubishi’s 7-seater SUV, the Xpander also is. It has more of an in-your-face design but India launch is still not confirmed as it’s not yet BS6 emission norms ready.
The Mitsubishi Xpander, if launched in India, will be positioned to compete with the likes of the Maruti Ertiga and Mahindra Marazzo. Globally, the MPV is available with a 1.5-litre MIVEC petrol engine but we cannot rule out the possibility of the vehicle getting a BS6 diesel engine for the Indian market.
Mitsubishi Eclipse India Launch
– The Eclipse Cross will be introduced in India in the year 2020
– It will be placed against the Jeep Compass
– The Mitsubishi Xpander is also being considered for an India launch
Source – MoneyControl.com
