Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 4 Petrol Manual 2WD (Price, from, £24,990)

WHAT IS IT:

IT'S the latest family-friendly SUV from a company that specialises in just that.

ON THE ROAD:

THE Eclipse is the last in-house designed and realised model to come from Mitsubishi before its integration into the Renault-Nissan alliance.

Perhaps unusually for an SUV, it was launched with a 1.5 litre turbo-charged petrol engine only. However, maybe this is good timing if the current move away from diesels continues apace.

Mitsubishi are planning to introduce one at some point in the future, but for now the 163PS petrol unit rules the roost.

It's eager to get away, but this doesn't make it an easy car to manage in town. On several occasions I found myself either stalling or flying off with unseemly haste due to the nature of the clutch settings.

This issue dissipates once you are up to speed and on the open road, but it does make driving in an urban environment a little frustrating.

The steering is well balanced and, while there is some body lean, it's not an issue and it must be remembered this is an SUV not something in the Evo bracket.

ON THE INSIDE:

THE Eclipse has a well-thought out interior that is easy on the eye and which some might consider quite plush. Soft plastics and contrasting materials abound and while there are still less eye-catching plastics to be found, these are generally reserved for the less obvious areas.

The colour screen is clear and easy to understand and the general layout of the dash has a contemporary feel to it.

WHAT DO YOU GET:

Key features include Smartphone link display, audio Apple CarPlay supported, Android Auto(TM) supported, Rockford Fosgate premium speaker system, power panoramic sunroof, blind spot warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, LED headlamps with auto levelling 360 degree parking camera, black leather seats, four-way electric drivers seat, 18ins black/silver alloy wheels, Dual zone climate control, Keyless operation system, engine start/stop button, head-up display, front and rear parking sensors, front seat heaters, Forward Collision Mitigation System, Lane Departure Warning, DAB digital radio, touchpad controller, automatic high beam, dusk sensing headlights, automatic rain sensors, Bluetooth with music streaming, LED daytime running lights, front, side, curtain and knee airbags.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT:

THERE'S good space for those both in the front and rear. If more is required you can slide the rear bench backwards, however, this does understandably cut into the boot space. At 341 litres it's maybe not the largest, but you can increase this to 448-litres with the seats all the way forward.

RUNNING COSTS:

Mitsubishi say it should be possible to get 42.8mpg on the combined cycle. I managed a very creditable 40.1mpg. CO2 emissions are 151g/km.

VERDICT:

MERITS consideration, but it's a crowded field

ALTERNATIVES:

SEAT Ateca, Nissan Qashqai