Car Connection Outlines Hits and Misses of EC

Hit: A gutsy turbo-4 engine. The 152-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbo-4 fitted to every Eclipse Cross is far from its biggest compromise. Peak torque arrives at a usefully low 1,500 rpm and sticks around until it sucks wind above 5,000 rpm.
Miss: The transmission. We'll leave the drivetrain issues squarely at the feet of its CVT. It quivers at the thought of any decision. More than a few times, a moderate foot on the gas sent revs down instead of up, as the CVT fumbled around for a good ratio to hold.
Hit: Lots of room for the money. The Eclipse Cross' seats and cargo bin deliver most of its value. The front chairs need more lumbar support, but head and leg room front and back are fine. The cargo floor isn't flat when the rear seat fold down, but not every crossover SUV needs to be a van in disguise.
Miss: A general lack of refinement. The engine doesn't sound strained, but the Eclipse Cross doesn't damp out much of its sound, or any other sound, for that matter. Tire noise drew a lot of attention. The touchpad infotainment system and lower-resolution screen feel like a third-rate gaming system, Odyssey versus Atari in Gen X speak.The awkward twin-pane rear glass brings up dreaded Aztek comparisons.
Miss: The name. Try as I might, I cannot get used to the way it steals the breath from a name that originally stood for scalding sport-coupe performance.

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