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2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross brings AWD to mid-range LS

Mitsubishi has given its Eclipse Cross city SUV a mild makeover and a slight price rise on some models for 2020 – and added the option of all-wheel drive for the mid-range LS.


Previously, all-wheel drive was only available on the flagship Eclipse Cross Exceed priced from $38,990 plus on-roads, although the RRP for 2020 has been bumped up by $200 to $39,190.

It means all-wheel drive is now available on the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross LS from $34,490 plus on-road costs. The front-drive LS remains $31,990 plus on-road costs and the starting price for the ES is also the same as before at $29,990 plus on-road costs.

The RRPs, however, remain academic given Mitsubishi’s consistently sharp drive-away offers throughout out the year.

Almost identical 2019 'runout' versions of the Eclipse Cross ES front-drive auto are currently available from $28,490 drive-away, the LS front-drive auto is $31,490 drive-away, and the Exceed front-drive auto is $36,990 drive-away – all three of which amount to savings of more than $3500 off the full RRP on each model.

While the drive-away offers are competitive, Mitsubishi has crept up the price of metallic paint to $690 while so-called “prestige paint” is an extra $890 on most models.

As part of the running changes for 2020, Eclipse Cross Exceed models gain revised front door trims with illumination and a black interior headlining.

The Black Edition now comes with rain-sensing windscreen wipers, dusk sensing headlamps, auto high beam, fog lamps and forward collision mitigation.

A statement from Mitsubishi deputy director for marketing, Derek McIlory, said: “We are listening to our customers, and they wanted a more affordable all-wheel drive which is why we added (it) to the LS. This year we’re pleased to be able to deliver this increased capability.” 

The addition of a second all-wheel drive model is designed to help the Eclipse Cross maintain its sales growth in a slowing market.

Sales so far this year are up by almost 10 per cent in a market than is down by eight per cent year-to-date.

Joshua Dowling

Joshua Dowling has been a motoring journalist for more than 20 years, spending most of that time working for The Sydney Morning Herald (as motoring editor and one of the early members of the Drive team) and News Corp Australia. He joined CarAdvice / Drive in 2018, and has been a World Car of the Year judge for more than 10 years.

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