Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

You could be forgiven if the 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross didn't immediately come to your mind when shopping for a small SUV. Mitsubishi doesn't have a big presence in the United States, and the Eclipse Cross is a relatively new vehicle. As such, a little

In some ways, the Eclipse Cross is a pleasant surprise. It has a peppy engine, an easy-to-use infotainment system and strong warranties. But a variety of issues hold it back from being truly competitive. The Eclipse Cross' ride quality is the big one. Because of overly soft suspension tuning, this SUV doesn't feel planted or connected to the road. Handling suffers, too.

Under the right circumstances, the Eclipse Cross can make a good case for itself through the impressive number of features it has available in lower trim levels. Overall, though, we think you'll be happier with rivals such as the well-rounded Honda HR-V, the sporty Hyundai Kona or the adventure-oriented Subaru Crosstrek.

We'd recommend the midrange SE version for the Eclipse Cross. This trim comes standard with most of the features you're likely going to want. Notably, it also comes standard this year with a suite of advanced driver safety aids that includes forward collision mitigation and blind-spot monitoring.

The 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross comes in four trim levels: ES, LE, SE and SEL. Each trim level is available with either two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the latter of which Mitsubishi calls S-AWC. Power comes from a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine (152 horsepower, 184 lb-ft of torque) that's connected to a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Standard equipment on the ES trim includes 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, foglights, and heated side mirrors. Inside, you'll find a height-adjustable driver's seat, 60/40-split folding rear seats that slide and recline, a rearview camera, cruise control, automatic climate control, a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, Bluetooth, a USB port, and a four-speaker sound system.

The LE dresses things up a little with black exterior trim pieces and black 18-inch alloy wheels. You also get heated front seats, a remote touchpad controller for the infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice controls, satellite radio and a second USB port.

The SE gets a bunch of convenience and luxury upgrades such as proximity entry with push-button start, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a six-speaker stereo system, dual-zone climate control, and a rear-seat center armrest. For 2020, the SE also gets forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams.

The range-topping SEL adds LED headlights, leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver's seat, a head-up display, and a surround-view parking camera system. The Touring package, available only on the SEL trim, includes a panoramic sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a premium Rockford Fosgate stereo system, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, high-speed emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.