2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Refresh Updates Styling, Infotainment

2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross refresh updates styling, infotainment

As expected from spy shots, the 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has received a styling refresh, and it changes the somewhat controversial rear end. It also brings some tweaks to the infotainment, and for markets outside the U.S. a plug-in hybrid.

The big exterior changes are at the back. The Aztek-style split rear window is gone for a conventional single one. The taillights no longer bridge across the middle of the hatch. They do still extend up the rear pillars. The shape of the hatch looks a little different, too, and it helps reduce the stubby look of the Eclipse Cross's tail.

2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Previewed In Teaser Image

2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross previewed in teaser image

Mitsubishi's long-promised new models are right around the corner. It released a dark image to preview the 2022 Eclipse Cross, which will boast comprehensive visual updates when it arrives in the first quarter of 2021.

Although the photo keeps the full design under wraps, we can tell the Eclipse Cross falls in line with the rest of the Mitsubishi range by adopting new-look headlights with swept-back LED accents and thick pieces of C-shaped trim. Few would qualify these changes as revolutionary, but bigger modifications are found out back. The preview image suggests — and earlier spy shots confirm — that stylists have smoothed out the crossover's rear end, which some have likened to the unfortunate Pontiac Aztek. The end result is a sleeker, less hunchback-like design.

Toyota Corolla Cross Crossover Spy Photo

Toyota Corolla Cross crossover spy photo

Thai car spotter Passakorn Leelawat caught what is suspected to be a prototype for the coming Toyota Corolla crossover on traffic-clogged roads around Bangkok, posting the photo on the Thai Car Inside Facebook page and catching the attention of Motor1. The angle and the camouflage make it difficult to be certain, but comparing certain details with the Corolla hatchback and Corolla Sport Touring wagon, elements like the side mirror, fuel filler cap, shark fin antenna and rear wiper line up. Even the character line from the lower rear fender into the bumper makes sense as a stylistic cue taken from the Touring. The recent dealer presentation leak said the high-riding compact is on the way next year, apparently planned for production from next September in the new Alabama facility Toyota is building with Mazda, so it's the right time for such a prototype to be out, too. The model's name, if an Australian trademark application is accurate, will be Corolla Cross. 

Said to sit on the TNGA-C platform, a Road & Track report from February said the Corolla Cross will compete against vehicles like the Subaru Crosstrek, a category that also includes the Honda HR-V, Nissan Rogue Sport, Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-30. That RT piece said the new people mover is "likely to replace the CH-R," where other reports slot it into the lineup between the CH-R and the RAV-4; Motor1 characterized positioning as "a more practical and traditional alternative to the C-HR ... simpler and more affordable than the RAV-4." Our CH-R is 172.6 inches long, the RAV4 180.9 inches; we'd expect the 172-inch Corolla Cross to grow some, placing it in between its stablemates. For a taste of how long the Corolla gets, the Corolla Touring wagon sold in Europe is 183.1 inches long.

2021 Toyota Yaris Cross Unveiled With Available Hybrid Drivetrain

2021 Toyota Yaris Cross unveiled with available hybrid drivetrain

Toyota waited over a month to introduce the pint-sized crossover it planned to unveil at the 2020 edition of the Geneva Motor Show. Called Yaris Cross, the smallest and most affordable member of the company's growing range of high-riding models was primarily developed with the needs of European motorists in mind.

Built on the same basic platform as the newest Yaris, the Cross stretches 164.5 inches long, 69.4 inches wide, and 61.4 inches tall, dimensions that make it approximately seven inches shorter, an inch narrower, and about as high as the C-HR. It's less spacecraft-like thanks in part to a tall, upright front fascia, squared-off wheel arches covered by plastic trim, and a relatively high amount of ground clearance. The fully-loaded model defies its entry-level label with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting on both ends, and two-tone paint.

Near-new 1990 Nissan 300zx To Cross The Block At Amelia Island

Near-new 1990 Nissan 300ZX to cross the block at Amelia Island

The current Nissan 370Z has been on life support for a while now, but interest in classic Z cars remains strong. Witness the mind-bending price recently achieved for a pristine 1971 240Z that sold last month on Bring a Trailer. After the first-generation cars, arguably the next-most-appreciated Z car is the Z32 generation that debuted with the 1990 model year. This example of a first-year Z32, which crosses the block at RM Sotheby's Amelia Island sale next month, could set a new benchmark for values of this model.

Besides being a first-year example, this 300ZX is also the desirable two-seat body style and is powered by the twin-turbo version of Nissan's DOHC 3.0-liter VG30 V6, making 300 horsepower. A five-speed stick and four-wheel steering complete the mechanical picture.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Refresh Spied

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross refresh spied

Despite being the brand's freshest model, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is already getting a styling update. The subcompact crossover prototype shown above has a mildly updated nose, and a significantly revised rear hatchback to give it a more conventional look. The rear of the car is the biggest change, so we'll start from there. The current Eclipse Cross has a controversial hatch with slanted main window and a smaller upright window lower down. Detractors liken it to the Pontiac Aztek. This updated model removes it altogether, in favor of one large slanted window. This also helps the back of the Eclipse Cross look a little less tall and blunt. The taillights are redesigned, too, to accommodate the new hatch. They don't span the full width of the hatch, and they might not extend up the rear pillars anymore either.. At the front, changes are more subtle. The headlights that extend off the grille look thinner, and may now simply be running lights, while the larger lights underneath may be the main headlights. The grille also looks more squared off in the lower section, similar to the grilles on the new L200 pickup and Mi-Tech concept. This prototype looks close to production-ready, and since it's just a mid-cycle refresh, we're expecting it to be revealed for the 2021 model year. It will likely continue to come with a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 engine, a CVT and either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.