Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross launching in India in 2020-21

In Mitsubishi’s product portfolio, the Eclipse will slot under the Outlander and will take on the likes of the Jeep Compass and the Hyundai Tucson

Mitsubishi has been out of action for a while now but now things are about to change. The Japanese car maker recently introduced the Outlander in India, albeit a few years after the global launch. At the launch event yesterday, the company announced future products for India. Managing Director Uttam Bose revealed that the company is planning to bring in the Eclipse Cross to Indian shores in the next two years.

The Eclipse Cross is already on sale in the global market. It is based on a modified version of the Outlander platform. The mid-sized SUV will be larger in terms of dimensions than the Hyundai Creta and the Jeep Compass. As far as design is concerned, the Eclipse Cross will share the same design language as the Outlander and has a generous dose of chrome up front. It gets a two-slat chrome grille and C-shaped chrome accents on the face. The coupe-esque roofline concludes smoothly into the split tailgate to give it a unique persona.

Unlike the Outlander, the Eclipse will be a five-seater. Expect the seats and the steering to be draped in leather. Other features include a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system paired with a Rockford Fosgate music system. The Eclipse will also come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The international spec model comes with high-end features like 360-degree camera, head-up display and more – these features are not likely to be seen on the India-spec model.

Globally, the Eclipse comes with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol. The 163bhp 250Nm motor is paired with a CVT. India is expected to get the same petrol motor, a diesel may be offered at a later date. The petrol-powered Eclipse is naturally front-wheel driven but the top-spec model is All-wheel drive. The diesel, on the other hand, will only be all-wheel drive. Expect the Eclipse to be high on safety tech – the international model has secured a perfect score in the Euro NCAP crash tests. When the Eclipse gets launched in India, it will be priced around the same as the Jeep Compass.

Mitsubishi isn’t just looking at expanding their product portfolio. As part of their immediate expansion plans, the company intends to increase their customer touchpoints from 38 to 45 by the end of 2018.