Should Mitsubishi Philippines Bring In the Eclipse Cross?

There is no denying the popularity of Mitsubishi vehicles in the country. After all, they are in second place when it comes to the local market share. It's a notable feat given that the local line-up is nowhere near the size of the country's number one, Toyota.

At the moment, Mitsubishi has seven models available in the country. These include the Mirage, Mirage G4, Xpander, Xpander Cross, L300, Outlander PHEV, Strada, and Montero Sport. While that seems like a lot, it pales in comparison to Toyota's local line-up. At the same time, MMPC doesn't have a small crossover to offer, either. This is where the Eclipse Cross comes in.

In the past, MMPC sold the ASX but it was quietly dropped a few years ago. Even though it's still for sale in other parts of the world, Mitsubishi rolled out its successor, the aforementioned Eclipse Cross. Think of it as a rival for the Geely Coolray, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Hyundai Kona, just to name a few. The reason we're bringing up Mitsubishi's subcompact crossover is because it was spotted in the country a few days ago. This begs the question, should MMPC sell it here?

Before we dive into that, it is worth noting that the particular unit we spotted might be a grey market example, or even a privately imported unit. This doesn't necessarily mean that this is an evaluation unit from Mitsubishi Motors Philippines.

Still, we think it's worth taking a closer look at this model, especially given that there is a steadily growing market for subcompact crossovers in the country. Besides, almost all of Mitsubishi's prime competitors have something to offer in that class of vehicle. If MMPC brings the Eclipse Cross here, it will slot below the Outlander PHEV and Montero Sport in terms of size. It should also be less expensive than the Montero Sport if MMPC adds it to the local line-up.

But there lies the problem for the Eclipse Cross. While the size gap between this and the Montero Sport is quite large, it might not be the same case for pricing. There will be those willing to shell out more money for a larger, seven-seat SUV instead of paying less for a smaller, five-seat crossover. Remember, the base model Montero Sport starts at PHP 1,568,000. You also have to factor in the Xpander Cross that retails for PHP 1,255,000. That doesn't leave MMPC with a lot of room to play with.

But do you think it's worth a shot for Mitsubishi Motors Philippines? After all, Mitsubishi is the only Asian manufacturer without a model in this vehicle class. But while it's not here, there is a wide selection of practical Mitsubishi models you can check out here at Automart.PH. Given that a high-riding Mitsubishi caught your attention, you might want to look at the selection of Montero Sport models available in our inventory. And if you need an even more rugged hauler, we also have the Strada available in various stockyards nationwide. If you're interested, our advisers will assist you in finding the best Mitsubishi for you. Plus, you have the assurance these units are not marked-up either.