Compare the2023 Jeep CherokeeVS 2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Jeep Cherokee has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Cherokee has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Cherokee has standard Parksense with Rear Stop that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Cherokee’s optional Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Cherokee has standard Rear Cross-Path Detection, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Eclipse Cross SE/SEL offers rear cross-path warning.

Both the Cherokee and the Eclipse Cross have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Jeep Cherokee is safer than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Cherokee	Eclipse Cross
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	204	248
Neck Injury Risk	38.2%	38.7%
Neck Stress	408 lbs.	424 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	166	215
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	39.7%
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	55 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	241/259 lbs.	331/198 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Jeep Cherokee is safer than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Cherokee	Eclipse Cross
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	64	145
Abdominal Force	133 lbs.	154 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	53 G’s	55 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	14 inches
HIC	203	358
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	490 lbs.	622 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Cherokee is 1.1% to 1.6% less likely to roll over than the Eclipse Cross.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, its “Good” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Cherokee the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 195 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Eclipse Cross has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Cherokee’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Eclipse Cross’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cherokee for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Mitsubishi doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Eclipse Cross.

There are over 7 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Cherokee’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Cherokee has a standard 700-amp battery. The Eclipse Cross’ 520-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. With 27 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Jeep higher than Mitsubishi.

Engine

The Cherokee’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (180 vs. 152) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Cherokee Trailhawk’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 118 more horsepower (270 vs. 152) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 184) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Jeep Cherokee is faster than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Cherokee 4 cyl.	Cherokee Trailhawk	Eclipse Cross
Zero to 60 MPH	9.5 sec	6.6 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	17.2 sec	15.2 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	80.5 MPH	90.3 MPH	78.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Cherokee’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Cherokee has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Cherokee’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Eclipse Cross:

	Cherokee	Eclipse Cross
Front Rotors	13 inches	11.6 inches

The Cherokee stops shorter than the Eclipse Cross:

	Cherokee	Eclipse Cross
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Cherokee has larger standard tires than the Eclipse Cross (225/60R18 vs. 215/70R16). The Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Eclipse Cross (245/65R17 vs. 225/55R18).

The Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Eclipse Cross ES’ standard 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Cherokee has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Eclipse Cross ES.

The Cherokee has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Cherokee Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Eclipse Cross; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Cherokee has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Cherokee’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Cherokee’s wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than on the Eclipse Cross (106.6 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Cherokee is 2.6 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Eclipse Cross.

The Cherokee Altitude LUX handles at .80 G’s, while the Eclipse Cross SEL pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Cherokee Altitude LUX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Eclipse Cross SEL (27.1 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Cherokee Trailhawk has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Eclipse Cross (8.7 vs. 8.5 inches), allowing the Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Cherokee (except Trailhawk) uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cherokee uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Cherokee has 6.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Eclipse Cross (103.5 vs. 96.7).

The Cherokee has .2 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom and 3.2 inches more rear legroom than the Eclipse Cross.

Cargo Capacity

The Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Eclipse Cross with its rear seat up (27.6 vs. 23.4 cubic feet). The Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Eclipse Cross with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 50.1 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Cherokee. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Cherokee has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The Cherokee’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Eclipse Cross’ (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is only 1500 pounds. The Cherokee offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Cherokee 4x4 with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Cherokee can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Eclipse Cross can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Cherokee uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The Cherokee uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Eclipse Cross uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Cherokee, the optional memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle and radio stations. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Cherokee’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Cherokee’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Eclipse Cross has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Cherokee and the Eclipse Cross have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Cherokee is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Eclipse Cross prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Cherokee’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Eclipse Cross’ standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Cherokee’s power locks have a lockout prevention feature. When the key is in the passenger compartment and the driver’s door is open, the locks unlock every time you lock them. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t provide lockout prevention.

The Eclipse Cross’ standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Cherokee’s standard doors lock when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

The Cherokee’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Eclipse Cross ES’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Cherokee has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Eclipse Cross only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Cherokee has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Eclipse Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the SE/SEL.

When the Cherokee with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Eclipse Cross’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Cherokee keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Cherokee has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Eclipse Cross SEL.

The Cherokee has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Eclipse Cross SE/SEL.

Both the Cherokee and the Eclipse Cross offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Cherokee has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Cherokee has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Cherokee’s ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports performed a comparison test in its October 2018 issue and the Jeep Cherokee won out over the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SE.

The Jeep Cherokee outsold the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross by almost four to one during 2022.