Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross News

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Mitsubishi has confirmed it will unveil a new-generation Eclipse Cross in September, though it’ll be a big departure from the current car.This new Eclipse Cross will be an all-electric SUV that will compete in the European C-SUV segment. This means it’ll be a similar size to the Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson and Volkswagen Tiguan.The Japanese carmaker said this new Eclipse Cross EV will sit alongside the new Grandis and Outlander PHEV in its European lineup.It’ll be built in Europe by Renault Group at its Ampere ElectriCity plant in Douai, France. This essentially confirms the Eclipse Cross EV will be a rebadged Renault.This plant currently produces the Renault Megane E-Tech, 5 E-Tech, as well as the Scenic E-Tech. It’s expected the latter will form the basis of the new Eclipse Cross.This is further confirmed thanks to the short 11-second teaser video Mitsubishi Motors Europe uploaded to social media. It shows the Eclipse Cross EV has the same door handles as the Renault.Mitsubishi has confirmed it will offer two versions of the Eclipse Cross EV. A long-range variant will launch in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2025, followed by a mid-range version in 2026.The Renault Scenic E-Tech is currently available with two electric powertrain and battery configurations.The standard range version has a single electric motor that produces 125kW and 280Nm and is fed by a 60kWh battery. WLTP claimed range for this variant is 420km.The extended range version has a more powerful 160kW/300Nm electric motor and is fed by a larger 87kWh battery pack. WLTP claimed range for this variant is over 620km.Mitsubishi has confirmed it’ll have a “cutting-edge” multimedia system with Google Built-in, as well as the “latest suite” of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS).Although the new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross EV has been confirmed for Europe, it’s unclear if it will come to Australia.The outgoing Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, along with the current ASX and Pajero Sport were recently axed in Australia as they don’t meet Australian Design Rule (ADR) 98/00, which mandates specific technical requirements for autonomous emergency braking (AEB).The Japanese carmaker has confirmed it’ll launch a new-generation ASX, a rebadged Renault Captur, in Australia at some point.Mitsubishi Australia also recently announced it signed a memorandum of understanding with Taiwanese manufacturer Foxtronn to co-develop and sell an EV exclusively for the Australian and New Zealand markets. It’s set to launch in the second half of 2026.Even if the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross EV doesn’t come to Australia, given it’ll likely be based on Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s AmpR Medium (previously CMF-EV) platform, there are already cars on sale locally that are based on it.This includes the Renault Megane E-Tech, and will soon include the Nissan Ariya as this is set to go on sale in Australia later in 2025.

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New Australian Design Rules (ADRs) will begin to bite from March 1, 2025, requiring all new vehicles to be sold with auto emergency braking (AEB) systems. The rules mean major withdrawals from the Australian new-car market but they aren’t quite as widespread as you might imagine, with some manufacturers putting in the effort to keep their cars on the right side of the law. Falling in line with United Nations safety protocols, ADR 98/00 — Advanced Emergency Braking for Passenger Vehicles and Light Goods Vehicles requires the fitment of AEB, a life-saving technology that can automatically apply the brakes if a car senses an impending crash. These systems have various levels of effectiveness but the latest rule change is concerned with being able to detect other cars on the road. The systems must function at least between 10-60km/h and be able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop on a dry road from 40km/h. They must also switch on every time the car is started. This applied to new models of passenger car, light and medium commercial vehicles from March 1, 2023 and will cover all new vehicles imported into Australia from March 1.Mitsubishi is the hardest hit by the new rules, no longer able to sell the Pajero Sport off-road SUV or Eclipse Cross small SUV. The long-running ASX is also affected but Mitsubishi’s small SUV will be replaced by a new model this year.Next casualty is the cut-price Suzuki Ignis, which is not fitted with the technology. A new model, the Fronx, will replace it but probably not at its bargain price. Entry-level Vitaras will also be affected, though the brand did not respond to our query. The Porsche 718 would have been hit by the rule change, but production ceased in September with a new electric generation coming equipped with AEB. Another affordable brand slugged with the need for AEB is LDV, its cheap V80 large van is not equipped with the technology but, like the Porsche, production ended last year and all that’s left is existing stock. The entry trim T60 ute and all G10 van trims also lack AEB. CarsGuide was informed by a spokesperson that both “will meet the upcoming requirements for ADR 98/00”, with more news to share in the coming months. The Toyota Granvia people mover has also been given the chop. Onto the, perhaps unlikely, candidates that are equipped with AEB. Despite their age, these vehicles remain important sellers for carmakers, so it was clearly worth investing.There is none older than the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, over 40 years old its mid-life crisis (or glow-up) saw Toyota add crucial AEB including pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection. Toyota also, a little sneakily, bumped the GVM beyond 3500kg to 3510kg in 2023. The value of this is that the 70 Series becomes reclassified as a medium goods vehicle, allowing it to dodge the latest side impact regulations that would’ve seen an imminent sales stop. The Toyota Fortuner, current HiLux and GR86 manual are all equipped with AEB that permit sale in Australia up to, and beyond, 2026.Another ageing model due for replacement is the Nissan Patrol, though the new version is not due until 2026 the Y62’s many life-cycle updates saw ‘Intelligent Emergency Braking’, an AEB system that can detect cars and pedestrians, way back in 2019.Also worth noting is the British Ineos Grenadier off-roader, the first batch does not have AEB. Cheekily, orders opened in May 2022 (before the mandate for all-new models) but customers didn’t receive cars in bulk until the first quarter of 2023, and Australian media only sampled the cars in December of that year. CarsGuide understands that all Grenadiers and Quartermasters will be equipped with AEB from March onwards.The Australian Government has launched a review into ADRs going forwards now there is no longer local manufacturing to legislate (and protect). The next big active safety ADR change (revised as ADR 98/01) is due in August 2026, when all cars sold must have AEB systems that can intervene if a pedestrian is detected in the path of a vehicle. Some carmakers, including Nissan and Mitsubishi, have called for this to better align Australia’s laws with Europe, Japan and the USA promoting greater affordability and fast-tracking of more efficient models. 

New regulations are about to blast a big hole in Mitsubishi’s Australian line-up.The popular brand has announced the Pajero Sport four-wheel drive and Eclipse Cross compact SUV will be deleted from its range this year.Changes to Australian Design Rules (ADR) from March 1 this year meant the vehicles needed expensive upgrades to its auto emergency braking technology. Mitsubishi Australia boss, Shaun Westcott, said the investment in re-engineering the vehicles to comply with the new ADR was not viable considering the advanced age of the vehicles.A similar issue has caused the retirement of the current ASX small SUV. Mitsubishi Australia has announced a replacement for the ASX is due this year, in the form of the Renault Captur-based European ASX, but there are no imminent replacements for the other two models.Westcott said production of all those vehicles had already ended and the company had ordered significant stock ahead of time to make vehicles available to customers throughout 2025.All three models experienced significant growth in 2024: ASX sales were up more than 34 per cent to 12,330, Eclipse Cross sales were up about 18 per cent to 9221 and Pajero Sport had a stellar year with 7306 sales up more than 31 per cent on the previous year.The three models accounted for more than a third of the company’s sales in 2024, which will make it a challenging year for Mitsubishi in 2025.The new ASX is unlikely to be the same price leader as the current version, with the new model imported from Europe and fitted with improved safety and in-car tech, heavily reworked design and hybrid power. Progress comes at a cost.Westcott said the company would eventually fill the void left by the two models as shown in its 'Momentum 2030' plan.“We have a lot of good product coming, there are a number of significant new models and products in that plan. So we are actually quite excited about the next couple of years.”This was echoed by Mitsubishi Australia's GM of product strategy and PR, Bruce Hampel."These nameplates will be replaced by equivalent — if you want to call it that — vehicles in the coming years," said Hampel."We will continue in those medium, large SUV spaces going forward. It's really the core business here in Australia along with other electrified vehicles in the small, medium SUV spaces."This vehicle won't necessarily be called the Eclipse Cross or Pajero Sport, with the names still up for debate.Westcott said Mitsubishi’s intention was to provide people with vehicles that will help them explore Australia.“The future is very much focused towards off road adventure, four-wheel drive, SUV, large SUV in the portfolio. We’d like to see all of them.”“So in that 2030 plan you’ll see the outline or the silhouette of a large SUV. And I know there have been some spy photos, some of you guys have picked them up, of the Pajero Sport replacements running around in mule form.“We are doing a lot of work on a lot of platforms and a lot of models, so that 2030 Momentum plan includes a number of new products that you’ve seen the silhouette of that we are working on. There’s a lot happening at the moment,” he said.Westcott said electrification for those vehicles was “absolutely” in the brand’s future.The company’s global CEO has previously announced some form of electrification, which includes mild-hybrid, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full battery electric, in 50 per cent of all models by 2030 and all of its vehicles by 2035.

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While electric cars and traditional hybrids have exploded in popularity, plug-in hybrids have remained a relatively niche alternative. By the middle of 2024, though, sales are up 130 per cent, from 3582 sales in 2023 to 8223 thanks to more models becoming available and improved vehicle supply. Driven by the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and new BYD Sealion 6, the plug-in hybrid landscape is only going to become more populous in the coming months, including when BYD launches the first PHEV ute to be sold in Australia. Plug-in hybrids offer a unique combination of electric mobility but without range anxiety. Their battery packs, typically between 10-20kWh in capacity, offer between 50-150km of electric-only range, matching early electric cars. There is the added benefit of a combustion engine that can kick in when you run out of battery. This means long distance road trips, like Sydney-Melbourne, require less charge stop planning than in a battery electric car. The technology is only improving, too. Manufacturers are fitting larger battery packs, more efficient motors and adding DC fast-charge capability to their plug-in hybrids. BYD is heavily invested, releasing its fifth-gen Dual Motor intelligence (DM-i) system in China with claims of 2100km total driving range and nearly 200km from the battery alone. It is not a perfect solution. Owners need to be diligent with charging to get anywhere close to the official fuel consumption ratings, typically below 3L/100km. Dragging the extra battery weight around often means similar fuel consumption to a petrol vehicle when out of charge, too. In its first month on sale, the new BYD Sealion 6 medium SUV notched up a healthy 482 registrations – it’ll be quick to challenge the established Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (2422) and Eclipse Cross PHEV (1482, both year-to-date).Following the mainstream nameplates come some more premium options, including the Mazda CX-60 (460 to end of May), Volvo XC60 (390), Cupra Formentor (313), MG HS Plus EV (307), Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid (304), Audi Q5 (301), Lexus NX (175) and Mercedes-AMG C63 (163).Expect plug-in hybrid sales to easily reach beyond 15,000 this year. That’s still a long way off projected electric car (100,000) and hybrid (160,000) sales, but it is a big increase for the powertrain style. Also helping to drive sales are the current FBT exemptions for novated leasing on plug-in hybrid vehicles making them more attractive to buyers. This benefit will end on April 1, 2025. Hybrid hero Toyota sells a selection of plug-in hybrid models overseas, including the RAV4 and Prius Prime. Having committed to a 100 per cent hybrid or electric passenger car line-up (excluding GR) in Australia, Toyota may also join the fray. “As we evolve and battery technology evolves, there will be certain benefits that PHEV can offer that will also fit into those top three categories. Eventually, we'll have plug-in hybrids. What variants? We will have to decide,” Toyota Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley told CarsGuide in May.