Don't know about Motor Trend, but as for me, Eclipse Cross has a nice design. I do agree that it shares a lot of details with Outlander in terms of its front end, however, it doesn't seem like a bad thing for me.
Out back, Mitsubishi used the taillights to give the Eclipse Cross a split rear window. The result is a look that’s certainly unique, but again, it’s not necessarily attractive. But hey, at least the rear end is a lot more memorable than the Outlander Sport.