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What car is similar to a Mitsubishi Eclipse?

The Mitsubishi Eclipse was a popular sports coupe that was produced from 1989 to 2011. If you're looking for a car similar to the Eclipse, there are a few options that share some of its key features and characteristics. One such car is the Hyundai Tiburon, which was produced from 1997 to 2008 and had a similar sporty, two-door coupe design.

Hyundai Tiburon: A Comparable Sports Coupe

The Hyundai Tiburon, also known as the Hyundai Coupe, was a compact sports coupe that shared many similarities with the Mitsubishi Eclipse. Like the Eclipse, the Tiburon had a sleek, aerodynamic design with a sloping roofline and a sporty, two-door body style. It was also available with a range of engine options, including four-cylinder and V6 engines, allowing for a balance of performance and efficiency.

Other Similar Cars to the Mitsubishi Eclipse

In addition to the Hyundai Tiburon, there are a few other cars that share some of the Mitsubishi Eclipse's key features:

Nissan Silvia: A compact sports car produced from 1964 to 2002, the Nissan Silvia had a similar sporty, two-door coupe design and was available with a range of powerful engines.

Toyota Celica: The Toyota Celica was a compact sports car produced from 1970 to 2006, and it shared the Eclipse's focus on performance and handling.

Honda Prelude: The Honda Prelude was a compact sports coupe produced from 1978 to 2001, and it had a similar sleek, aerodynamic design and sporty driving dynamics.

While these cars may not be exact replicas of the Mitsubishi Eclipse, they share many of the same key features and characteristics that made the Eclipse a popular choice among sports car enthusiasts.

Why did Mitsubishi discontinue the Eclipse?

Mitsubishi stopped making the Eclipse primarily because its global focus shifted toward developing battery technology and meeting environmental targets. Additionally, the third generation of the car lost its enthusiast appeal due to a decline in performance and features, leading to plummeting sales. The company's overall strategic shift, which included discontinuing other slow-selling models, was aimed at focusing on more fuel-efficient vehicles and crossovers.
Strategic and market-driven factors

Environmental and technological shift: Mitsubishi decided to focus on developing green technologies, like battery and electric vehicle technology, to meet evolving global environmental regulations.
Declining sales and performance issues: After a successful first and second generation, the third generation of the Eclipse was a major disappointment for enthusiasts. It lost key features like all-wheel drive and the high-performance turbocharged engine, and its sales dropped dramatically.
Changing market trends: The overall market for sporty coupes was shrinking as SUVs and crossovers became more popular.
Financial considerations: As a smaller automaker, Mitsubishi found it difficult to compete in the expensive and risky sports car segment against larger manufacturers.

The Eclipse's evolution

Generations 1 and 2: These models were popular, especially with the turbocharged 4G63 engine and all-wheel drive options, which made them popular with performance enthusiasts.
Generation 3 (2000–2005): This generation moved to a more conventional design, offered less powerful engines, and removed the option for all-wheel drive, leading to lower sales and customer dissatisfaction.
Generation 4 (2006–2012): Mitsubishi attempted to recapture the performance feel of the earlier models but was still unable to overcome the commercial and critical struggles of the third generation.

Legacy

Although the original Eclipse was discontinued, Mitsubishi has since released the Eclipse Cross, a crossover SUV that borrows the Eclipse name and aims to capture some of its style while meeting modern market demands.

What is a Mitsubishi Eclipse classified as?

An Eclipse can be either a former sports car or a current compact SUV, both made by Mitsubishi. The original Mitsubishi Eclipse was a two-door sports coupe and convertible produced from 1990 to 2012. The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is a compact crossover SUV that was introduced in 2017 and is still in production today, with the name "Eclipse" being a nod to the original sports car.

Original Mitsubishi Eclipse (1990–2012)

Type: Sport compact car
Body styles: 3-door liftback coupe and 2-door convertible
Features: Known for its sporty handling, stylish design, and affordability, with turbocharged and all-wheel-drive options available in its earlier generations.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (2017–present)

Type: Compact crossover SUV
Body styles: A five-door SUV
Features: A driver-centric SUV that uses a turbocharged engine and often comes with standard all-wheel drive, featuring styling inspired by the original sports car.

What car looked like the Mitsubishi Eclipse?

Eagle Talon
The Talon was marketed by Eagle. The rebadged variants were the Plymouth Laser and Mitsubishi Eclipse. The last model year for the Eagle Talon, as well as the Eagle division of Chrysler, was 1998.

What is the Mitsubishi Eclipse comparable to?

Now the Eclipse Cross starts to make sense. It's longer overall and longer in the wheelbase compared with an ASX, the Kia Seltos, the Hyundai Venue, Mazda's CX-3 and the Subaru XV. This means there's more boot space (thanks to overall length) and legroom (wheelbase).

Kevin Bennett

Company Owner

Kevin Bennet is the founder and owner of Kevin's Autos, a leading automotive service provider in Australia. With a deep commitment to customer satisfaction and years of industry expertise, Kevin uses his blog to answer the most common questions posed by his customers. From maintenance tips to troubleshooting advice, Kevin's articles are designed to empower drivers with the knowledge they need to keep their vehicles running smoothly and safely.