Four years after the Japanese carmaker virtually disappeared from the European market, Mitsubishi is back. Thursday evening, it landed in Brussels for the world premiere of the Eclips Cross EV, a fully electric C-segment SUV fitting Europe’s current most-wanted car type, built in the Alliance Ampere (Renault) factory of Douai, France.
A rebirth in two ways, as Mitsubishi not only restarts selling new cars in Europe, but this Eclips Cross EV is the brand’s second electric car after the i-MiEV, one of the earliest modern mass-production electric cars when it was launched in 2009/2010.
Same base, same public
As it shares the same AmpR Medium EV platform as the Renault Scénic and Mégane E-Tech Electric, you can expect similar performance from this compact family SUV, which will target the same public. In Europe, that C-segment compact SUV is the car Joe Average fancies most as it represents +60% of vehicles sold.
The new Eclipse Cross will be first launched in a long-range/high-power version, followed in 2026 by a mid-range variant. Like the Renaults, this first version features a permanent magnet synchronous motor with the highest power level, delivering 160 kW (220 hp) and 300 Nm of torque. Enough power for a top speed of 170 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds.
Nice to know that the driver can adjust the degree of regeneration to his or her liking at four levels, B0 to B3, via the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel to enable ‘One Pedal’ drive mode. And also a plus is that all versions are equipped with a heat pump and PTC heater as standard.
+600 km electric range
With the 87 kWh battery pack, that should provide a +600 km (WLTP) range, similar to Renault’s Scenic E-Tech Electric’s 620-630 km today. It supports both Mode 2 charging from a household outlet and Mode 3 AC charging up to 22kW, and DC fast-charging up to 150 kW.
To compare, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV that ran from 2009 to 2021 featured a 47 kW (63 hp) permanent-magnet motor with 180 Nm of torque, a top speed of 130 km/h, and needed 15.9 seconds to reach 10 km/h. With the 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, it got a range of 100 to 160 km at most.
European design with Pajero hints
For Mitsubishi, this new Eclipse is a ‘global car’, specifically designed by its studio in Frankfurt, Germany, for the European market. As these compact SUVs inevitably resemble each other today, giving them the brand’s unique vibe is challenging.
Mitsubishi does it by giving the Eclipse Cross the so-called three-dimensional Dynamic Shield 2.0 nose, introduced first around 2014–2015, on the Outlander. Inspired by Mitsubishi’s off-road heritage, especially the Pajero off-roader (Montero/Shogun in other parts of the world), where strong bumpers framed the grille.
The idea was that the front end should visually combine ‘protection’ and ‘performance’: bumper elements wrapping around to safeguard occupants and pedestrians, and the grille and center openings expressing power, cooling, and strength. Cooling through the front grille is less of an issue in the case of a fully electric vehicle.
In case of the new Eclipse Cross, the carmaker calls it “A fresh interpretation of the Mitsubishi Motors Dynamic Shield face. The next-gen design offers a three-dimensional, hexagonal surface structure that exudes both strength and sophistication. The hexagon motif at the rear is designed to express the brand’s DNA and place the car directly in the family.”
“At the rear, the hexagon motif – the expression of Mitsubishi Motors DNA – and horizontally arranged LED lights provide appeal, while emphasising the overall stability and powerful stance.”
That ‘hexagon motif’ refers to the Pajero’s spare-wheel cover; a strong, simple, six-sided outline that became a recognizable symbol of ruggedness and reliability in Mitsubishi’s SUV heritage.
Unfortunately, the ‘original’ Mitsubishi Pajero is no longer being built as production officially ended in 2021. However, there are reports that Mitsubishi might bring back a new Pajero model by 2026 or 2027, possibly as a plug-in hybrid based on the Outlander PHEV in the current model line-up, which has some 4×4 off-road capabilities too.
Inviting ‘premium’ interior
The Eclipse Cross EV is a compact yet comfortable family car with ample space, boasting European-styled dimensions: 4,470 mm in length, 1,860 mm in width, and 1,570 mm in height. The luggage space is 478 liters, 1,670 liters with the rear seats folded down.
The interior of the new Eclipse Cross looks inviting with ‘premium’ finishing, combining practicality with a sense of luxury. High-quality materials and refined details should emphasize modernity and spaciousness, while LED ambient lighting, a choice of 48 colours, and the full-length electrochromatic glass roof add to the radiance.
The 12.4-inch infotainment screen serves as the central interface for the digital experience. Still, unlike many Chinese cars, where the central display is extended to the passenger’s side for entertainment, this one is oriented towards the driver.
The central screen is complemented by a 12.3-inch Digital Driver Display, which shows the most essential information. No endless digging in menus like Chinese EVs, but a myriad of physical buttons on the steering wheel and dash to quickly find what you need.
Like the Renaults, Google built-in offers apps and services readily available, including Google Maps, which provides navigation with ePOIs, real-time maps, and live traffic information. But there is also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard, so you can choose your own navigation and other apps if you prefer something different.
Prices like the Renault Scenic
The Mitsubishi Eclipse EV will come in different versions, Intense, Intense+, and Instyle, but prices are not fixed yet. According to Roland van Banning, Managing Director Mitsubishi Motor Sales Nederland (MMSN), the price will be on par or slightly higher than its Renault sibling. That should be in the range of €46,990, then.
The Eclipse Cross EV will make its official European debut at the next Brussels Motor Show in January 2026, but will be available earlier via a select dealer network that Mitsubishi Motor Sales Nederland B.V. is recruiting among former Mitsubishi dealers and others.
Mitsubishi Europe, with Frank Krol as President & CEO, chose not to continue with Beherman in Belgium, which currently provides spare parts and services for Mitsubishi owners in Belgium, but does not import or sell new Mitsubishi cars.
MME wholly owns the Dutch branch, which consists of a small team of 24 people, to be extended by a Belgium-specific squad currently being recruited and based in Mechelen.
Coincidentally, in the same business building park as Astara Western Europe, former Moorkens, which was the Belgian all-time Mitsubishi importer, became Alcopa first and was later integrated into the Spanish automotive distributor group.
