Eclipse Cross vs Outlander

The 2022-2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross received a 'Poor' rating in the updated IIHS Moderate Overlap and Side Impact tests, despite earning 'Good' ratings under the older, less stringent protocols. This indicates a higher risk of injury in specific moderate overlap and side-impact collision scenarios compared to competitors. The concern is primarily a crashworthiness and structural safety issue rather than a mechanical defect, affecting the North American market first-generation models. Crash-test ratings do not typically involve a repair cost, so the price is not applicable.

The 2019-2020 CVT-equipped gasoline Outlander models are prone to transmission judder, low-speed hesitation, and shudder during light acceleration, especially around 20-50 km/h, with untreated cases potentially damaging pulley surfaces and the belt or chain and leading to loss of drive. Before buying, drive stop-and-go traffic, accelerate gently from a standstill, check CVT fluid service history, and have a transmission shop scan for judder-related codes like P17F0 or P17F1. A valve-body replacement typically runs about $2,500-$3,500, while a complete CVT replacement can be $5,000-$7,000 at dealer labor rates.

Yes, NHTSA recall 21V-658 covers 2019-2020 gasoline Outlanders because the low-pressure fuel pump impeller can deform and cause intermittent hard starting, sputtering, a check-engine light, or a sudden engine stall while driving. The recall remedy is a free fuel-pump replacement; if a vehicle was never repaired and the pump fails out of warranty, the typical parts-and-labor cost is about $800-$1,200. Verify the recall was completed by checking the VIN at the NHTSA website.

The 2022-2024 Outlander, especially 2022-2023 models, has owner reports of Forward Collision Mitigation applying sudden braking with no obstacle present, often accompanied by FCM warning messages. This can be alarming and increases the risk of a rear-end collision from following traffic, and some owners report repeated events after dealer recalibration or camera/radar replacement. Inspect the VIN service history for repeat FCM visits and test-drive with the system on its default sensitivity on roads with overpasses and parked cars.

The 2022-2024 Outlander, most often 2022-2023 models, has recurring infotainment failures including a black or frozen center screen, automatic reboots, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto dropouts, and backup-camera images that do not display. A permanently blank rear-view camera creates a safety and compliance-relevant gap while reversing, and dealers have had mixed results with software updates, sometimes replacing the head unit. Check whether software updates have been performed and test the camera and screen functions on a test drive.