2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT Road Test

First of all, all of the items usually left unpainted on lesser models, such as door handles and outside mirrors, are

The GT includes everything offered by the GS, plus traction control, halogen fog lights, a large muffler cutter and a strut tower bar. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

colour-keyed with the Eclipse GS. Those mirrors are power actuated, by the way, even in the base car. Other unexpected standard features include keyless remote access, power windows and door locks, air conditioning, tilt steering, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support, and a 140-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers.

The Eclipse GS also features standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, dual front multistage airbags, front seat-mounted side-impact airbags, front curtain airbags, and seatbelt pretensioners, a full array of safety features that require no extra money.

Moving up to the GT, the subject of this test, includes everything offered by the GS as well as the aforementioned engine and transmission upgrades, plus traction control, halogen fog lights, a large muffler cutter and a strut tower bar. Inside, the car's centre audio display features an outside

While the 140-watt base system is good, the 650-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo might be the best OEM audio system I've ever heard. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

temperature display and compass, optional as part of the Sun and Sound package on the GS.

What's that include? The sun part is easy enough to figure out, being a power actuated tilt and slide glass sunroof. As for sound, it might be the best OEM audio system I've ever heard. Developed with Rockford Fosgate, the 650-watt mindbender offers the deepest, richest bass along with sensational sibilance, enhancing any genre of music, plus complete personalization of preprogrammed sound settings, said to be an industry first. The package also adds a dash-mounted 6-disc CD changer to the head unit, audio controls to the steering wheel, plus an auto-dimming rearview mirror.