Road Test
Wrap-Up
How It Drove
Inside the Cabin
Summing Up
Changes to the Mitsubishi Eclipse Since 2006
Ups and Downs
Recalls and Problem History
Dealer Service Reviews
What Consumers Say
Why We Bought It
The Eclipse has always been Mitsubishi's signature vehicle. Just like Ford's Mustang or Chevrolet's Corvette, the sport coupe is the face of the brand, in both good times and bad.
Of course, the newest iteration of the Eclipse, introduced earlier this year, landed at a time when Mitsu's bottom line was bathed in red. Although we gave the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT a mixed
review back in May, we decided the all-new sport coupe was worth a closer and longer look, a yearlong look. In 12 months we would know if the Eclipse had what Mitsubishi would need to climb out of its dark times.
Our shiny, new Sunset Pearlescent Orange 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT long-termer arrived at our offices loaded up with a premium sport package that included orange-and-cream faux-suede trim, 18-inch alloy wheels, and heated front seats and mirrors. At $27,694, it wasn't cheap but undeniably well-equipped.
How It Drove
With six gears, a throaty V6 snarl and 263 horsepower, it's no surprise that the Eclipse quickly became a favorite in-town runabout. Senior Content Editor Erin Riches said, "The shifter feels firm and precise through the gates, and clutch engagement and take-up are progressive. It makes the Eclipse more fun than you'd expect to drive around the city.… In many ways this gearbox is just as satisfying as the ones in our long-term BMW 330i and
Mazda MX-5." Erin also appreciated the car's "properly tuned steering and a natural driving position."
Try making a U-turn on tight city streets, however, and that's where you may run into some trouble. "The large turning radius detracts from the car's otherwise nimble feel," Erin complained.
"I never encountered a situation where the car ran out of room, but it's very noticeable that there is not much room for the wheels to turn," Senior Automotive Editor Brent Romans said. "Maybe because of that big V6 under the hood that's transversely mounted?"
For a sporty coupe, the 40-foot turning radius is incongruous. "It's a sport coupe that drives more like a sedan," Road Test Editor Brian Moody observed.
Before we returned the Eclipse, we ran it through its paces one more time at the test track. In the slalom, its sedan tendencies disappeared with a 62.7-mph slalom speed, a number competitive with the Mazda RX-8 and Nissan 350Z in our sport coupe comparison test. It also accelerated from zero to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds and stopped from that speed in a very good 124 feet.
Inside the Cabin
Where the Eclipse failed to impress was during long-distance road trips. The editors didn't have as much of a problem with the stiff ride quality and limited interior space as they did with the Eclipse's road noise. It was an issue that repeatedly came up with every editor who cycled through the coupe.
Brent had no shortage of things to say about it. With every road trip he took, there was always a new blog post about the volume of road noise. "The Eclipse wasn't particularly enjoyable for the 450 miles of highway driving. The amount of generated road noise was tiresome," he said in one post. In another: "After taking it on a five-hour highway drive last week, I'm finding myself less willing to tolerate its elevated amount of wind and road noise. The Eclipse's constant road noise during this most recent long-distance drive reminded me of the similar droning sounds one encounters while being on an airplane."
Brent qualified this complaint with, "Of course, one has to keep in mind that this is a sport coupe and not a luxury coupe. From that perspective, road noise isn't as much of an issue."
It was surprising that despite the ample road noise, the Eclipse's optional Rockford Fosgate stereo was still able to garner many compliments from the music lovers on staff, with its volume cranked up of course. "When the mood strikes (as it did when I popped in U2's Boy) you can fully enjoy the 650 watts of power this baby puts out. The sound remains clean, even at ummm¿juvenile volume settings!" gushed Automotive Editor John DiPietro.
Erin concurred, "I listen to harder rock and metal, and the subwoofer-equipped Rockford Fosgate has been optimized for that kind of music."
When the Eclipse first entered our fleet, many questioned the durability of its orange-and-cream faux suede interior. "The suede seat bolsters are a nice touch, but I wonder how good they'll look after a year of wear and tear," one editor pondered.
And yet, near the end of its term with us, we were impressed by the interior materials' resilience. "The leather that drapes its seats has turned out to be remarkably durable, with nary a scratch despite the countless torsos it's cradled," Content Editor Warren Clarke marveled. "The dash has somehow managed to dodge scuff marks. Even the floor mats are still looking good as new. But the biggest surprise is the suede that trims its seats. I would have bet money that this would be frayed by now, but it still looks as rich as it did the day the car first rolled into our garage."
Summing Up
After an eventful year of many citation near-misses (and an actual speeding ticket) attributed to the cop-magnetic orange color, a mysteriously persistent "Service Engine Soon" light and more than 20,000 miles racked up on travels around California, Mitsubishi retrieved its 2006 Eclipse GT, leaving us conflicted in our feelings toward the car.
In its last blog entry, Erin summed it up: "On the one hand, I like¿the low-end torque of the 3.8-liter V6 (and the deep exhaust note), the gearing and precision of the six-speed manual transmission, the generally comfortable highway ride and the accurate steering. On the other, I'm annoyed by the car's huge turning radius¿lousy rear visibility and surprising amount of road noise (prompting me to crank the Rockford Fosgate's volume and equalizer settings to deafness-inducing levels)."
Although Erin was fond of the car, she "couldn't buy an Eclipse GT in its current form and be happy with it. For this kind of money ($27,694 as tested), there are too many other good cars, namely the Mustang, the Mazda RX-8, even the Civic Si."
True Market Value at service end: $22,411
What it sold for: N/A
Depreciation: $5,283 or 19% of original paid price
Final Odometer Reading: 20,278
Best Fuel Economy: 28.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.8 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 20.2 mpg
Total Body Repair Costs: None
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 12 months): $280.55
Additional Maintenance Costs: $49.45 for front license plate bracket installation
Warranty Repairs: None
Non-Warranty Repairs: None
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 6
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: None
Days Out of Service: 1
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None
Changes to the Mitsubishi Eclipse Since 2006
2007 — An anti-theft system is now standard on all Eclipses, while the Sun and Sound Package (power sunroof, 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system, auto-dimming rearview mirror) makes its way to the GT's option roster, providing a cheaper way to get these popular items without purchasing the pricey Premium Sport Package.
Ups and Downs
Ups: The leather and suede interior are remarkably durable. With a firm and precise shifter as well as a throaty V6 snarl, the Eclipse is a fun car to drive around the city.
Downs: Loud road noise is a nuisance during sustained highway speeds. A stiff ride quality and limited interior space make the Eclipse an undesirable companion for long road trips. Huge turning radius for a sport coupe.
The Bottom Line: Once you reconcile with the fact this is a sport coupe and not a luxury car, shortcomings melt away, revealing a fun and affordable runabout.
Recalls and Problem History
Recalls:
- Service brakes, hydraulic. Certain passenger vehicles may have been fitted with a defective brake booster assembly.
- Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder. On certain passenger vehicles, one of four seals inside the master cylinder may have been installed improperly. As a result, the master cylinder may unexpectedly bypass hydraulic braking force pressure and allow a longer than normal pedal stroke.
Problem History:
- Recurring problem with the "Service Engine Soon" light coming on. The first time was attributed to a misfire in the No. 3 cylinder, so parts were ordered and the light reset. An encore appearance of the "service engine soon" light precipitated the arrival of new spark plugs and an ignition coil at our local dealer. The car went back to the dealership, the parts were installed under warranty and the light was reset. Issue resolved. No charge.
Dealer Service Reviews
Mitsubishi Santa Monica, Santa Monica, California
November 2005
"Service Engine Soon" light makes its first appearance. The light went off on its own but we had the dealership check it anyway as we already had the appointment. A diagnostic inspection deemed it a misfire in the No. 3 cylinder. The system was checked as OK and the code was cleared.
December 2005
Correction of the "Service Engine Soon" light appeared again and was once again diagnosed as a misfire in the No. 3 cylinder, so parts were ordered and the light reset. The 7,500-mile service was also performed, which comprised a tire rotation, battery service, brake adjustment and oil change. The cost was $108.08 for parts and labor.
January 2006
An encore appearance of the "Service Engine Soon" light precipitated the arrival of new spark plugs and an ignition coil at our local dealer. The car went back to the dealership, the parts were installed under warranty and the light was reset. Issue resolved. No charge.
March 2006
With nearly 10,000 miles on our Eclipse, it was a mystery that the car was still in need of a front license plate bracket. The cost was $49.45 for the bracket and the labor to mount it, which required drilling holes in the front bumper.
March 2006
"Service Engine Soon" light clicked on again. The code read as a misfire problem similar to previous occasions with this car. This time the dealer reprogrammed the main ECU. Hopefully this solves the problem. Under warranty — no charge — one-day dealer trip.
Fresno Mitsubishi, Fresno, California
August 2006
15,000-mile service (even though the Eclipse was about 2,500 miles past due). Had the required regular maintenance, which included an oil and filter change, a tire rotation, an inspection of the brakes and a replacement of the cabin air filter. The final tally for our 15K service was $172.47 after a small discount.
What Consumers Say
"I have put about 4,500 miles on the car. The slap stick is great and it's nice to just slip into drive when in heavy traffic. The car is great except for the 'back seat.' It is just for show or to punish your kids. Its handling is excellent. Its steering is very quick. This is a sports car for Dad. I have found that the car runs best on 93 gas. Favorite features: the looks, comfort and performance. Suggested improvements: All-wheel drive." — Mike Soffer, October 5, 2006
"This vehicle completely lacks any sort of quality and Mitsubishi is not standing behind their product. The problems we have had with the vehicle include: 1. All four brake rotors warping by 9,000 miles, had to be resurfaced; now the brakes grind and squeak 2. The car has three rattles. We understand this doesn't affect the operation of the vehicle but it is disheartening to spend so much money and hate to drive your vehicle so much. 3. Paint chipping off and fading, all over the car. Mitsubishi says we got behind a rock truck, two body shops say the paint job is cheap and defective. 4. Two brake recalls, both of which could cause a crash. We were only notified by taking the car in for an oil change. Favorite features: The looks. Suggested improvements: Mitsubishi needs to just go out of business. They are well on their way, building cars that completely lack any quality."
— Lauren Bell, August 19, 2006
"I bought the '06 six-speed Eclipse GT, and this car can move! I really like the fact that the car can accelerate to a high rate of speed so quickly. I have the aero kit, and it sets the car apart from the others out there; all of the ones I've seen did not have the kit. The Eclipse is a lot of car for the money. It is a better value than Nissan's Z; it is faster overall than Honda's Accord; and has a much better warranty than Ford's Mustang. What else needs to be said? Favorite features: The stereo is the BOMB! It has surround sound settings! Stage, live, hall and normal settings give the music different sound qualities. I also like the heated seats; it comes in handy at night with the sunroof and windows open. The looks of the clear rear lights: the blue instrument panel lights. Suggested improvements: The two things that this car lacks are basically the same; there need to be interior remote hatch release buttons for both the fuel door and the rear hatch. There is one for the hood of the car, but someone forgot the other two. Also, can someone say satellite radio?" — Kina K., July 4, 2006
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes
of evaluation.
Add A Comment »