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THE MID-SIZE SUV market is rather crowded but the sharp styling of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross does help it stand out from rivals like the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai and SEAT Ateca.
Mitsubishi’s new Eclipse Cross starts from €27,900 – higher than those rivals – but it does come well equipped with standard features including 16-inch alloy wheels, LED brake lights, voice control, a reversing camera and plenty of in-car tech.
Apart from being well kitted out, the Eclipse Cross is well designed too with practical space and cubby holes in the cabin. The 448-litre capacity boot can swell to 1,140 litres with the rear seats tumbled.
Again, it doesn’t quite hit the mark of the rivals (the Qashqai is 430 to 1,585 litres, the Tucson is 488 to 1,478 litres and the Ateca is 510 to 1,604 litres) but it does have a nice wide opening and an almost flat loading bay with the rear seats folded.
Where it does trump the competition, in my opinion, is in the style stakes. The front end looks sharp and the defined wheel arches give the car a purposeful look. The deep cut in the side draws your eye up to the lovely sloping roofline.
Thankfully, that sloping roof doesn’t impinge too much on rear head room. The rear window is bisected by a body line, much like the eighth-generation Honda Civic, but this design element doesn’t impact on rearward visibility too much.
Inside, the car has a contemporary feel and look to it with a decent amount of soft touch materials and harder, more durable plastics where they are needed. This is, after all, a family car built to last. It is so well screwed together that you get the feel that it will last for years to come. That’s what I love about Japanese cars.
Other touches that make the car practical are the large wing mirrors, doors that cover the sills so you don’t get your trousers dirty and a good high-rise driving position with a commanding view of the road ahead.
Space is also decent for all passengers even those in the back although those using the middle rear seat might feel a little squashed.
The Eclipse Cross differs from many of its SUV rivals by offering only a petrol engine. This 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder has modest levels of performance (163hp and 250Nm of torque) and features a CVT automatic that sends power to all four wheels.
As with most CVTs, if you approach driving it with a light throttle foot, then you’re in for a smooth and relatively refined ride, but the fuel consumption lags behind what you can achieve from similar diesel engines.
In keeping with its stylish looks, the Eclipse Cross does have more of a sporty setup and feel from its suspension. The ride quality is firm, though not overly so.
It does feature nice steering feel with more feedback than other rivals and along a flowing road makes it more enjoyable to drive. Out of town and on the motorway it does settle down more, with wind noise only picking up at higher speeds.
Long distances are covered in comfort and once you get the handle on the throttle input that CVT is lovely and smooth.
Overall, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is well equipped for the price but of course you can spec it up and add a whole lot of bells and whistles if you wish. It looks great inside and out and will make the school run as well as longer journeys a stylish and relaxed affair.
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Think of the amount of money to be made from ticket touting alone
The consultants hired to choose which consultants would be the best at picking consultants would be delighted.
Olympic should be every 4 years in Greece-as it was. Not bankrupting poor countries leaving empty stadiums after while people suffer.
Brilliant, every time the Greeks near getting their economy back on track they are crippled by another Olympics
Ya it could cause a country major money problems. Greece would suffer like most other countries. But what if each country had a chance to hold the Olympics? And each country had to pay an equal amount to enter ie share to cost. Then each country could aford to hold the Olympics. Also make sure when an Olympic city is but it can be used again not just left to fall apart
Exactly Gregory , build a purpose built facility in Greece were all the Olympic countries contribute to building them and the up keep too and have it there every 4 years instead of building white elephants around the world every 4 years
Croco: u missed my point. See Michael’s comnent….purpose built…
Mick, the world is full of empty stadiums after Olympics. Pure waste of resources.
Examples of abandoned stadiums…
A good piece by Julia Lynn Rubin where she poses the question, which Rio structures will join the list? Some excellent photos of abandoned Olympic sites; http://allday.com/post/666-the-abandoned-buildings-from-sochi-and-other-olympic-venues/
Hopefully we never do. Look at the trail of destruction it is leaving in its wake out in Brazil.
Ideally we would host a major European tournament, build 3 or 4 stadiums and then give them to league of Ireland teams. The biggest thing holding back LOI is the grounds in my opinion. Never gonna happen of course but sure look.
That’s the thing holding LoI clubs back? You’ve never been to a LoI match so …
Or the positively it brought to London! And sports around the UK before and after
Pat Hickey at the helm
we definitely need to make the tickets affordable
@alex – Hence PH is our only hope !
we would win the cost overrun competition
Not sure if we have the infrastructure but we defo have enough drug dealers
but are they world class..?
Brown envelopes, and lots of them
The corrupt IOC officials would be delighted to come here. The greatest safe haven for corrupt people in the world. In other countries, they might get arrested.
Transport system creaks under the pressure of a match in croker or lansdowne for one day – can you imagine it for 2 straight weeks? Plus they’d probably strike anyway because it’s ‘a change to their working conditions’
Silly sod should have worked for a bank. Only slighest of risk of getting ‘banged up’ here and even then, in his case, only years later and possibly posthumously. ‘Yez can’t get me I’m old and sick, no wait, actually, old and dead.’
Ireland couldn`t afford the Olympics huh??
Just grab Bertie Ahern, Turn him upside down and shake him,
Job sorted….
Well, there is enough drugs around to keep the vitality going, if they want to come here.
Why would you even bother.
Pat hickey and the likes would approve anyways, no chance of an arrest around here. As for a head shave, no chance.
Irish Blatter in prison, hats off to the Brazilian authorities well done.
My grandma could win gold if we pumped her up with drugs. We should have dual olympic events, one of those on drugs and the other for those who are clean.
Fun fact: apparently Dublin bid for the Games in 1936. Yes, that Olympics.
Do Cork next!
@Tweety
Very true,maybe we should consider a Munster Olympics because the cost to build anything around Dublin would be astronomical.One example,the Aviva stadium cost €410 million and the new Pairc Ui Chaoimh is costing €70 million.We have the new Events Centre to be built in Cork hopefully in the next year or two,Thomand Park in Limerick,INEC in Kerry,Tipperary could host the equestrian events,Clare the sailing,and Waterford the rest.All in,we would probably have change out of a billion.
Padraig, thanks for the laugh.
Great idea, let Munster host it and no taxpayers money from Dublin used to pay for it
Cork is an enormous net contributor to the Irish tax system
Great Idea, perhaps the rest of the country can take this stance for all the tax money going to infrastructure in Dublin that comes from the rest of the country, Primarily Munster.
The problem with hotel rooms is that Dublin wouldn’t need that many in the long run. But I reckon there’s an easy solution. Work with cruise companies to park up a few cruise ships for the time it’s on. They’re like floating hotels anyway. It brings in extra temporary rooms with no build cost.
I didn’t know the country I lived in was called Dublin, I thought it was called Ireland!!!
For anyone who is on the road for work at 6:00am every morning and is trilled to give half there salary to the social pot must be overjoyed by the constant flow of ideas and imaginative ways their hard earnings can be spent.
Ah Dublin Again.
Why dublin
Where is a Bertiebowl when you need one?
And does it have an eircode ?
At least we could blag our way out of a green swimming pool.
If we didn’t bail out Anglo Irish Bank we would have been had no problem.
Hat Pickey gettin the full banged up abroad treatment.. The greedy crook… Good enough for him..
Silly sod should have worked for a bank. Only slighest of risk of getting ‘banged up’ here and even then, in his case, only years later and possibly posthumously. ‘Yez can’t get me I’m old and sick, no wait, actually, old and dead.’
It is really not as ridiculous as it sounds the benefits to tourism would be immense!!. If we can pay €60 billion to banks then why not!!.
Our current bunch of politicians are way to wasteful with the country’s finances for Ireland to be able to afford hosting such a large event. That and there’d be a significant increase in illegal dodgy political dealings, as they’d all be jumping over themselves trying to make as much money out of it for themselves as they possibly could, regardless of laws of the land.
Who ya gonna call? PAT HICKEY!!!!!!
Is it possible to host the summer olympics in a country that doesn’t get a summer??
Perhaps the winter Olympics.
Why Dublin, the rest of the country is too far back in the 19th century, thats why!
Done deal would be run by Pat Hickey.Oh the shame
Never mind the events, just let us handle the ticketing and financial back-office. We offer low or no taxes, light regulations and, with the latest ‘tax inversion’ innovation, the ‘Irish’ Olympics don’t even have to take place here, they can be ‘sub-contracted’ to somewhere else. Anywhere with better weather, for instance. We can still watch on TV and Enda and Michael can attend and get rid of any excess tickets and stuff. ‘Anyone now for the last of the apples, pears and chocolate and 100 meter final tickets?’
Build it beside the bertie bowl oh wait …..
Hahaha can you imagine the cockup we woukd make. If the Spike is anything to go by we would never get it built in time . You can imagine all our fat cat politicians wetting themselves at the thought of all the reflected glory!
Another €bill set aside for bribes
Other than a miracle? A huge Mistake could cause it to happen. We have enough politicians, councillors, bankers etc bleeding the country dry.
No worries the Healy Reas could organise it
We’re useless at most sports so thus would be ridiculous to host.
We’re also broke for the next 30 years until we catch that can (special bailout bonds) we kicked down the road and somehow deal with it….
Ireland should bid, however, they should do it under new terms and break the nonsensical IOC mould. It is becoming apparent that the cost of the games is too high, that the facilities etc are often left as white elephants and that host cities are put under serious strain to cope with the demands of the games. What needs to happen is that a Country can bid, not just a City. Ireland 2024 is a feasible option. By spreading facilities throughout the country you give all areas an economic boost and disperse the costs associated with the games. Every region becomes part of the games so resentment towards the event diminishes and by choosing appropriate locations for events you can increase the post games benefits by giving disadvantaged areas etc access to top class facilities. What happens in the host cities is that many of the centers can be used for the same thing after the games but during the games they cannot so subsequently when the games are over one facility often becomes the preferred choice and the other stadiums are left un-used. By spreading the stadiums you can ensure all stadiums are used again. eg. top class facilities in cork, galway, limerick, dublin etc would all be used if spread properly. You can also make better use of existing facilities. It also gives smaller nations like Ireland which is about the size of L.A anyway a chance to host the event, and it would also open it up to pretty much the whole continent of Europe and several countries in asia and s.america which would be fantastic as we would no longer see the games bounce between the same 5 or 6 countries and following the games our standard of competitors will increase due to access to better facilities, again fantastic for the games as do we really want to see a US, China, Russia, GB top the medal table forever more? By doing the country option the games will benefit and become more appealing to smaller nations and it also gives countries a chance to showcase more of their country (Dublin is pretty city but lets be honest Ireland has more beautiful locations to offer) and thus boost tourism which is half the reason most cities bid for it anyway. So bid, yes we should but bid as Dublin no we should not.
1993 Gay Mitchell shook my hand and spoke to me about bringing the Olympics to Ireland… still laughing!
Bertie and his pals Gerry Beades, Paddy the Plasterer could do it. Bertie allowed them free reign on planning etc — a nod and a Brown envelope was all that was needed. Plus Pat The Lord Hickey.
And if caught touting,forget rio,you will get a seat in Leinster house.
Plenty of BROWN Envelopes by what I have seen from these Olympics?
Two miracles?
There enough drugs on streets of Dublin without inviting in the Olympic games
Go for it I say .also can’t wait for pat hickey episode of banged up abroad ..where he’ll get well and truly banged up .dya think they might get gay byrne to play him ?
Surely not in mafia fairyland.
Go for it I say .also can’t wait for the Pat Hickey episode of banged up abroad where I’m sure he’ll get well and truly banged up. Dya think they’ll get Gay Byrne to play him ?
A good few brown envelopes
first need some brilliant football players
Lets give a few hundred million to the rugby goys, hop on the bandwagon and wait till Argentina knock them.out again.
First Steps – Primary and secondary schools firstly need state of the art sporting facilities and PE should be encouraged.
How about 4 or 4 miracles and Oh yeah some one honest and not out for themselves….darn that goes that then!
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