Citroen C5 Aircross vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
What's the difference?

Citroen C5 Aircross

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2023 price

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Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

$16,990 - $36,850

2022 price

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Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2023 Citroen C5 Aircross

2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

By Emily Agar

By Matt Campbell

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.6L

Inline 4, 2.4L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

5.7L/100km (combined)

1.9L/100km (combined)

Energy consumption

16.8 kWh/100km

Electric range

55 km

Battery capacity

13.80 kWh

Seating

Likes

Cute and stylish design
Spacious boot for this class
Easy to park

Smooth between petrol and EV
About 50km of real-world electric driving possible
Three different trim levels available

Dislikes

Driving is a bit hit or miss
Technology will fluster an average user
Expensive compared to rivals

Too expensive for what you get
Smaller boot and back seat than non-PHEV models
Poor human-machine interaction

2023 Citroen C5 Aircross Summary

Let’s be honest, medium SUVs are the bread and butter of the Aussie new car market and there are a lot of rivals to choose from.

Which is why the Citroen C5 Aircross Sport’s much-needed update is welcomed with open arms, especially since it’s the only model in the range.

It boasts more space than a lot of its rivals but it’s been let down in the past by a sparse safety sheet and older tech.

The facelifted model sees tweaks to the design, safety and tech, making it more of a true competitor against the likes of the Kia Sportage, ever-popular Mazda CX-5 and practical Nissan X-Trail.

But are the changes enough for it to be considered as a family SUV? I’ve been testing it this week with my family of three to find out for you!

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2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Summary

The 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has a new high-tech powertrain that allows it to run as an electric car, or run using the petrol engine, or even use both at the same time.

But the new hybrid SUV is not like a Toyota hybrid - because this one can be plugged in at home to recharge the batteries, and you should be able to get at least 50 kilometres of EV driving out of just a few dollars worth of electricity.

We’re talking about the new 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Plug-in Hybrid EV, or PHEV as we’ve called it in the past. The brand has renamed it to include both ‘Hybrid’ and ‘EV’ in the name because, well, it reckons those terms have a bit more cut-through today than when the company first launched its Outlander PHEV back in 2014.

But with the new Eclipse Cross PHEV variants attracting a huge premium over the regular petrol-turbo models, does the extra money buy you a better car? Let’s find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2023 Citroen C5 Aircross 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Verdict

So, what did my family think about the Citroen C5 Aircross Sport?

I love how it looks and its updated safety list. It’s fairly spacious inside and has a great boot space but it’s lacking a lot of family-orientated practicality in the back seat. The lack of individual storage and amenities is noticeable when you have a kid or two but even as an adult, not having a cupholder for your coffee/drink on a trip feels odd.

The multimedia system and reversing camera need to be improved, too. Overall, it will suit a small family which is out of the baby stage but can’t yet justify upgrading to a larger SUV. It gets a 6.5/10 from my family.

Verdict

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Plug-in Hybrid EV is an interesting inclusion for the brand, especially as it is typically considered a ‘value player’ in the market.

But with negligible real-world fuel consumption benefits if you drive beyond the limited EV range and a high price premium over the non-PHEV models, it’s important you see if the sums add up for your particular needs.

Primarily going to use the car for running around town? Cool. Think the 50-ish-kay EV range will work for you and make you happy? Amazing. Sold on the look of the car? Hat tipped.

But let me say this - if you are considering the Eclipse Cross PHEV, there are some alternatives you should also have on your list, including the MG HS PHEV, the Hyundai Ioniq PHEV, Kia Niro PHEV, and - the one I’d buy - a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. For me, plug-in hybrid tech is a bit of a halfway house, in most instances offering too high a price premium for the range you’re getting to drive electric. Heck, a Kona Electric isn’t much more than the top-spec Exceed PHEV, and I’d have that if I wanted a real day-to-day EV experience.

Citroen C5 Aircross vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Citroen C5 Aircross vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
What's the difference?