2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse Safety Review
Based on analysis of 41 Eclipse reviews and test drives.
Safety - What the Auto Press Says
The Mitsubishi Eclipse did well in federal government crash tests the last time the model was tested in 2005. Previous Eclipses have also done well in private testing. However, reviewers pepper their praise of the car's standard safety features with concern about its rearward visibility.
The 2005 Eclipse earned four out of five stars in both driver and front passenger protection in front crashes. The Eclipse earned three out of five stars for front seat protection in a side crash, and the backseat was not rated. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the 2007 Eclipse its highest rating, "Good," in both frontal offset and side impact crash tests.
Accident Avoidance
All Eclipses have anti-lock brakes and a tire pressure monitoring system to help avoid car accidents. The GT also receives traction control. However, reviewers think the key asset to preventing a collision in the Eclipse would be better rearward visibility. Edmunds mentions that the car's "huge C-pillars are the main obstacle to rear visibility, you might as well be driving a convertible with the top up when it's time to back up." Motor Trend expands on this, saying Mitsubishi let the ball drop with its odd rearward placement of the side mirrors. "From the driver's perch, sharp lateral glances are necessary to observe the usual riffraff scuttling along next to you." Lastly, USA Today notes that "a front passenger leaning forward or riding close to the dashboard can block the view" of the far-side mirror.
Crash Protection
The Detroit News says they "have to give Mitsubishi credit for loading up the Eclipse with an impressive amount of safety features" for a car that's so inexpensively priced. Those features include driver and front passenger air bags, front-seat mounted side-impact air bags, front seat curtain air bags and front and rear crumple zones.
