Mitsubishi has once again exhumed the Eclipse name and slapped it on a car unrelated to the sports coupe it originated on. We’re not sure what’s more incongruous, the fact that the new Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback is an electric crossover or that it’s not even really a Mitsubishi.
That’s because it’s a Nissan Leaf with some minor cosmetic differences. It comes with a redesigned grille, window trim, funky tri-spoke wheels, and front and rear bumpers. Our old man complaint is unrelated to whether or not the Nissan Leaf is a good car, but the fact that Mitsubishi insists on dishonoring the Eclipse name.
The taillights are where it gets a bit interesting. The Leaf has taillight elements that recall the Z32 Nissan 300ZX, but also represent Japanese letters for 二 (two, pronounced ni), and 三 (three, pronounced san). On the Eclipse, squint and you might be able to see some of the first-gen heckblende.
That’s where the similarities end, though. At this point the Eclipse name has been beaten like a dead racehorse. It’s use here is undignified. We had the Eclipse Cross already, and now the Eclipse Sportback will be sold alongside it. In fact, for fans of the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback, a name that was applied to a cool wagon variant of the eighth-gen Lancer and a funky five-door hatchback version of the ninth-gen Lancer, the new name is a double blow.
The Eclipse Sportback will only be sold in the US and Canada, despite the Leaf being sold in Japan and other markets. So if you’re someone who loved the Eclipse sports coupe back in the 90s but wants a sensible crossover EV today, Mitsubishi has the car for you. Who will be the first to wrap it in a lime green with a blue eagle on the side? At least there’s a new Mitsubishi-built Pajero coming.
Images courtesy of Mitsubishi, Nissan.
I remember more Eagle Talons and even (FWD base-model only) Plymouth Lasers back in the day, so it’s basically full circle – after all, what was the original Eagle? A proto-crossover made by jacking up a decade-old station wagon body (there were sedans and coupes but they barely sold any) and shoving an AWD system underneath as a corporate desperation move.
The only saving grace is that there might be some screaming deals on these since no one buys Mitsubishis. So, if you really want a new Leaf, but also want to pay less, this might be the way to go.