Part of what makes the Eclipse such a satisfying vehicle is its interior, which is best in class. It shows rivals and halo performance machines that are priced a bracket above how an interior should be executed. Previous Eclipses brought excellent bang for the buck in the performance portion of the sports compact equation, but always came up short on the cockpit. The new Eclipse makes up for what the past three generations lacked - style, quality and comfort. Everywhere you look inside are details which speak of the interesting and unusual, making each and every car that rolls off the assembly line feel more exclusive than its average, mass-produced
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| Part of what makes the Eclipse such a satisfying vehicle is its interior, which is best in class. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Japanese or American rivals. This includes everything from the wave-shaped soft-touch vinyl pad which spans the curvy dashboard, the metal-finish integrated stereo head unit, the motorcycle gauge pods and icy blue LED lighting, to even the most simplistic cargo cover, which features the Eclipse's logo imprinted in large, scribbly letters.
Opt for the Premium Sport Package and the Eclipse experience becomes eye-opening, particularly if the optional orange pearl paint is specified. The typical plasticky darkness is shed with a bold burst of colour, with a Terra Cotta interior theme that compliments the exterior. Burnt orange is liberally applied throughout on the dash-pad, and on the suede side bolsters, providing contrast with the white leather seating surfaces, adding to the wow factor. It's like the latest brightly coloured Pumas: thoroughly fashionable, yet oh so comfortable. Unfortunately, Mitsubishi's design team must have forgotten that the Eclipse is a two-plus-two; the
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| Those extra inches added to the length and wheelbase in the latest Eclipse don't do much for rear-seat riders. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
rear quarter's deep molded buckets must make due with plain black leather. Elsewhere, the Premium Sport package delivers with such luxuries as automatic climate control, an automatic dimming mirror, one-touch power sunroof, power heated mirrors and seats, and aluminum pedals.
Those extra inches added to the length and wheelbase in the latest Eclipse don't do much for rear-seat riders. It may be better than the outgoing model, but it's merely average in terms of overall space. The sweeping roofline means that taller bodies may have to slouch to prevent knocking the glass hatch, and even though there's 2575 mm (101.4 inches) of wheelbase, it's obvious that the rear seats got the shorter end of the cabin division. Adults are only advised to ride back there if the journey is short, or if they're comfortable enough when the front seats are moved forward.
