Why do people diss the cross

IMHO (God knows I've shared my unabated thoughts on this vehicle), as a pure passenger / commuter vehicle, the EC is a VERY comfortable ride. Even in terms of safety and average performance, it can mete out with so-called "best-in class" competitors that established industry leaders can produce. (e.g., RAV-4, CRV, Rogue, CX3, etc.)

The two criticisms I share with most in the automotive press are:

1. The CVT really is underwhelming, and
2. There is no lane-keeping driver assist feature that most drivers (at least in this 2018-2019 MY lineup).
3. The turbocharger is a weird anomaly of purpose: You drop displacement from 2+ Liters to a mere 1.5 ... and bring power output and fuel consumption to par with the N/A 2.4L ... by adding a turbo that you can't even hear nor feel?

Then, also, my addition to this list --- the Mitsubishi Connect app just plain out SUCKS!
Really bad from a reliability and usability point of view.

Other than those, I should say that my opinions regarding sluggish acceleration (again, thanks to that stupid CVT) and dire performance upgrade options (ibidem, stupid CVT) are because I know Mitsubishi can do much better. (Other than the EC, I own Evolutions and Eclipses, so there.)

Beyond the criticisms, I maintain that the EC has an AWD system that's really well above average. It's quite good. (And believe me, I've driven many an SUV as well as I travel a lot for work.)
The engine is competent enough, and limited only by the transmission. From a roll, it has acceleration enough to pass without feeling like it'll break anything, and is comfortable everywhere else. The wife and I will take it on road trips over the Evo.

It's definitely a looker.

Final thought - I am also in agreement with the confusion some in the media have about the positioning of the Cross in Mitsubishi's product linup. the 2020 Outlander Sport (RVR) isn't getting smaller (as they originally announced when they introduced the Cross. From a performance standpoint, having S-AWC and a turbocharged engine makes the Cross a selling point compared to the Sport. But, I think if Mitsubishi had the right sense about them to entice the market, they'd create a variant of the vehicle that actually makes the Cross a lot sportier in terms of performance - and it really is simple:

1. Drop that CVT in lieu of an MHI or Getrag transmission
2. Put an older (and larger) MHI turbo in there instead of an IHI
3. Make the suspension slightly stiffer.

And I'm sure it'll make a lot of people happy. And I'm not just talking about people looking for grocery getters.

Yeah, I agree with what everyone said. Wasabi, Peacemaker, Aleksander, etc.

From a naming standpoint, using whatever goodwill Mitsubishi has left to bring old patrons back to the fold is commendable - and honestly, if the EC had a purist version that lived up to the old moniker, I'd be fine with it.
The sad part is that they aren't interested in doing that. They want to sell, but the problem is, they're not selling anything that makes them stand out from the crowd.

I was thinking about it earlier as I was driving to the store with the wife. Just playing things back in my head 10 to 15 years. So much good ****. What if they just used some of their older mechanical parts that worked wonders, and just reused them on the Cross.
Imagine a Pajero Evo suspension on the cross? Double wishbone with stiffer swaybars. Or, kept the 2.4L 4B12 and added a turbocharger. Heck, retained the 6G75 or a new aluminum variant of it that retained more torque, BUT had so much better fuel efficiency.
Heck, the engine design off this Cross came from the Colt Ralliart. But... of course, they cut costs every step they could to produce this cheap **** that can't be used anywhere but on this driveable heap of an identity crisis.

Heck, keep the same configuration on the Eclipse Cross as it does today, but ditch that CVT for the Getrag SST. Or an older automatic transmission that had proper gear ratios. I keep repeating myself - does it really cost you that much to reuse old tech?
BECAUSE IT'S ALL THAT OLD STUFF THAT MADE MITSUBISHI POPULAR, and dare I say, successful!

And if Kia can produce a massive 3-row full-size SUV that has Torque Vectoring AWD (and they actually use this term, which people will immediately identify with as TV, as opposed to ... "what the heck is S-AWC?") , a large engine, and a proper automatic transmission... WHY can't Mitsubishi do the same?
It's wasting its potential. And really... they didn't have to reinvent the wheel here. Literally.

Sorry that I keep repeating myself, guys. I just need to feel the love again. Because my experience with purchasing and driving an EC isn't enough to make me buy a new Mitsubishi anytime soon. Maybe old ones, but certainly none of the new ones.
Unless they do something else to change my mind.

Hmmm... let's see...

How about you take that, and compare with this:


Get outta here, man
Stickers and lowering springs do not a great car make.

It just erodes goodwill even more. Ralliart... fuuuuck.

Piss us off even more, will you? (Directed at MMNA)

slippercream said:

IMHO (God knows I've shared my unabated thoughts on this vehicle), as a pure passenger / commuter vehicle, the EC is a VERY comfortable ride. Even in terms of safety and average performance, it can mete out with so-called "best-in class" competitors that established industry leaders can produce. (e.g., RAV-4, CRV, Rogue, CX3, etc.)

The two criticisms I share with most in the automotive press are:

1. The CVT really is underwhelming, and
2. There is no lane-keeping driver assist feature that most drivers (at least in this 2018-2019 MY lineup).
3. The turbocharger is a weird anomaly of purpose: You drop displacement from 2+ Liters to a mere 1.5 ... and bring power output and fuel consumption to par with the N/A 2.4L ... by adding a turbo that you can't even hear nor feel?

Then, also, my addition to this list --- the Mitsubishi Connect app just plain out SUCKS!
Really bad from a reliability and usability point of view.

Other than those, I should say that my opinions regarding sluggish acceleration (again, thanks to that stupid CVT) and dire performance upgrade options (ibidem, stupid CVT) are because I know Mitsubishi can do much better. (Other than the EC, I own Evolutions and Eclipses, so there.)

Beyond the criticisms, I maintain that the EC has an AWD system that's really well above average. It's quite good. (And believe me, I've driven many an SUV as well as I travel a lot for work.)
The engine is competent enough, and limited only by the transmission. From a roll, it has acceleration enough to pass without feeling like it'll break anything, and is comfortable everywhere else. The wife and I will take it on road trips over the Evo.

It's definitely a looker.

Final thought - I am also in agreement with the confusion some in the media have about the positioning of the Cross in Mitsubishi's product linup. the 2020 Outlander Sport (RVR) isn't getting smaller (as they originally announced when they introduced the Cross. From a performance standpoint, having S-AWC and a turbocharged engine makes the Cross a selling point compared to the Sport. But, I think if Mitsubishi had the right sense about them to entice the market, they'd create a variant of the vehicle that actually makes the Cross a lot sportier in terms of performance - and it really is simple:

1. Drop that CVT in lieu of an MHI or Getrag transmission
2. Put an older (and larger) MHI turbo in there instead of an IHI
3. Make the suspension slightly stiffer.

And I'm sure it'll make a lot of people happy. And I'm not just talking about people looking for grocery getters.

Click to expand...

I respect all viewpoints but i have a question have you ever read the EC manual? Its hot where i live in summer especially in 2021. Im also at sea level most of my commutes. I run 93 octane above 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside in my EC i have a 2018 EC LE S-AWC.

I don't agree with your viewpoints on the CVT and turbo. Yes the turbo is the size of my 👊 but at 55mph i can slap the shifter over into sport and drop down a "gear" and pass anyone i wish faster than i could in my 08 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the 5.7L V8 Hemi... running 93 octane.

The CVT allows me to get north of 38mpg on the highway when i want to save fuel but if im feeling sporty i can turn off eco slap over into sport mode switch to gravel mode and "manually" switch gears for a fun ride. I ride motorcycles so I'm use to feeling a vehicle to know when to shift up or down.

The S-AWC allows me to grip and rip from stop lights in pouring rain while sports cars next to me cant even find traction. I've tested my EC on almost all types of surfaces but still have yet to get it in some snow powder and on the dunes but i have those trips planned for the end of this year.

The cvt is mitsubishi's greatest advancement with not putting in the generic "American JETCO" branded type and have gone with their own design and it payed off. I thought id miss having a traditional 6 speed transmission but i have so much more low rnd grunt with the CVT and yes the computer can get the ratio wonky in auto mode when you grip and rip and then someone cuts you off and you let off the gas pedal it doesn't know quite what you need and can feel sluggish to do the next movement, but thats not a deal breaker. I just know to adjust gears myself if im going to act sporty.

Lane keep assist, auto braking, just makes drivers lazy and more attached to texting and driving. I'd love to see Comma.ai support the newest EC and outlander but its not yet available. But Comma.ai will make tesla autopilot look like a toddler in the market when george holtz tech is in all other manufacturers except for tesla's. In the meantime driver assist features should stay out of the EC lineup. Because it now for 2022 models has caused a msrp $$$$ jump way to high to be affordable.

Rav4 is proven best for features in the $30k-38k range EC's are now up there and cant compete. Its sad. But when it comes down to driving comfort EC wins because of the superior AWD. You cant get any better unless you get 4WD vehicle with limited slip or better options. Subaru is great AWD for 2021 but their CVT is nowhere as good as mitsubishi. Wish i could take all the haters of EC CVT for a ride in mine. Show them all what a real driver can do with it. Lol.

Thanks for listening i look forward to everyone replying as they see my reply. Good or bad.

Appreciate your thoughts, @Squirrel Cage . Glad you're happy with the way the Cross feels at the brink. And it's also good to know someone agrees about how much better S-AWC is than the competition's closest offering. It becomes extra bittersweet considering the Cross is confirmed to be the last true Mitsubishi. From here on out, all new Mitsubishis will pay much be reskinned/rebadged Nissan.

What's ironic to me personally is that my biggest criticism of the cross is actually being abandoned by Nissan in their own models, in favor of that traditional A/T. This is in an effort to improve the stock of their own vehicles where their reputation as being a "fun" and "reliable" lineup has been swirling the toilet. (again that CVT).

I still maintain that the 4B40 is potent enough, and that that CVT is what's holding it back. Best thing that could happen (pipe dream) is that Mitsubishi - when it's ready to sunset this generation of Cross, orders a small batch of DCT-470s from Getrag, and use those in a "Ralliart" variant to call it a day.

If @Willisjamaica 's Cross can mount a 4B11, then that tells me those mounts are compatible... or easy to adapt... to recieve an SST.

If you don't believe this makes a difference, seek out someone who has a 2.0L Ralliart Lancer and ask for a ride around. Then all yourself if that trans won't change the driving experience of the Cross.

Pushing the engine to make more output is easy. But pushing a trans that just wasn't designed to kick ass... well, literally the definition of a showstopper. 😕

But, hey... can't deny that the Cross is a comfy ride. I still belive it can be more than an easy-driving one-trick pony.