Many Australian car buyers have been keen to make a shift from fully petrol cars to hybrids for a range of reasons, including environmental concerns as well as style and quality.
But besides a higher price point with very few second-hand options on the market, there are some re-occurring concerns for those considering buying a plug-in hybrid, including: “Will it suffice on my road trip and how hard will it be to charge?”
Mitsubishi loaned 7NEWS an Eclipse Cross Hybrid Plug-in EV for testing purposes. This did not affect our views on the car, and our review remains independent of the manufacturer.
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WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: 24-hours with the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Plug-in hybrid.
To help answer this question and a few more, we tested a top-of-the-range Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Plug-in Hybrid EV Exceed and drove it nearly 300km over 24 hours — from the city, to the coast and to the country.
The model is understated luxe with interiors as beautiful as they are comfortable and also features a heads-up display, heated seats and steering wheel, an electric sunroof and Apple CarPlay.
The Eclipse Cross plug-in hybrid is also fitted with 1500W power outlets, meaning items such as a hair-dryer, fairy lights, coffee machine, outdoor cooker or a movie projector screen could be powered by the car — or even a tiny home.
Here is everything it has to offer.
What is the Eclipse Cross hybrid?
Mitsubishi’s Eclipse Cross is a compact SUV and the plug-in hybrid offering comes in three models: the EV ES, EV Aspire and EV Exceed.
All three models are AWD, have two electric drive motors, a 2.4L petrol engine, 13.8KWh lithium-ion battery pack, Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) and rearview parking sensors and cameras.
There is an 8-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and your phone will seamlessly connect to the car allowing access to apps, phone calls, voice texts and music.
The car has a smart key with one touch start, and the boot also automatically opens and closes at the click of a button.
The five-seater car feels spacious and comfortable inside and while at the boot is on the smaller side (up to 405L), the rear seats can be folded forward for larger cargo loads.
The top-of-the-range Exceed model has a few extra features, including a heated steering wheel and seats, an electric sunroof with slide and tilt, power tailgate, leather appointed seats and a heating function on the huge side mirrors.
The Exceed also has a heads-up display (HUD) that pops up above the steering wheel and shows information including speed, so the driver can keep their eyes on the road ahead.
Charging
Any worries that might come with powering the car will quickly be alleviated once you realise it will re-charge anywhere that has a wall socket or charging point.
The Eclipse Cross hybrid has two charging cable options, meaning the vehicle can be charged using a dedicated station or a wall-mounted box and also by using a domestic socket.
The Vehicle to Load (V2L) capacity in the car means it can also power a range of appliances, up to 1500W, while using the Eclipse Cross battery as a power source.
Simply by opening the boot and lifting the cap of the plug socket, a multitude of items can be powered, such as an outdoor cooker, hair appliances or a popcorn machine.
With an extension cord, the car can even be used to power a tiny home up to 1500W.
Driving and range
Any nerves that arise at the prospect of driving a hybrid for the first time will vanish the moment you take off in the Eclipse Cross hybrid.
It is incredibly smooth and sensibly designed, making the process of adapting to driving it nearly immediate.
The Eclipse Cross has a battery range of 55km and then the 2.4L petrol engine fires up. For those who travel less than 55km a day and charge overnight, the car can be run purely off the battery.
But for road trips, the hybrid engine brings the reassurance that you’ll get to your destination.
For example we took the car from Melbourne’s CBD along freeways to the Mornington Peninsula and then along the coastal road, and the car’s switch from battery to petrol was seamless.
The car was driven another 70km to test it out on unsealed bush tracks where it handled perfectly and then ended the journey by powering the fairy lights at our accommodation.
Due to its twin electric drive motors, the car has lighting fast acceleration, and it feels speedy, yet solid, on the road.
What it costs
For Australian buyers, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Plug-in EV starts at about $51,000 for the ES model, $56,000 for the Aspire and $61,000 for the Exceed.
While they are slightly more expensive than, say, a new petrol Mazda CX-5, the Eclipse Cross hybrid is worth the money if you already have your heart set on a plug-in hybrid.
Not only can you run the car just off the battery for day-to-day journeys under 55km, but the car has all the luxury features you could need.
Final thoughts
Like many people, I have also been considering making the move to the hybrid/ EV car market, but had been hesitant without test-driving a car in all terrains and testing the battery.
After spending 24 hours in the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross plug-in hybrid, I can confidently say the car will get you from A to B to C to D, no matter the conditions.
It is perfect to both zip around the city as well as travel to the country, and will also comfortably fit a small family.
The vehicle really is a hybrid in more than once sense of the word — sophisticated and stylish as well as practical and comfortable.