Compare the2024 Mazda 3VS 2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda 3 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Mazda 3 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mazda 3 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 Mazda 3 has standard Whiplash Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Reducing Headrests 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 Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Mazda 3 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking on the Turbo Premium Plus automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Eclipse Cross SE/SEL offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert and the Eclipse Cross’ Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The Mazda 3’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Mazda 3 and the Eclipse Cross have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda 3 is safer than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Mazda 3	Eclipse Cross
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	89	248
Neck Injury Risk	17%	38.7%
Neck Stress	214 lbs.	424 lbs.
Neck Compression	27 lbs.	33 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	205/212 lbs.	184/324 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	153	215
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	30%	39.7%
Neck Compression	20 lbs.	55 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	178/201 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 Mazda 3 is safer than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Mazda 3	Eclipse Cross
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	112	145
Hip Force	239 lbs.	292 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	10 inches	14 inches
HIC	199	358
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	527 lbs.	622 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda 3 Sedan is much safer than the Eclipse Cross:

	3	Eclipse Cross
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	122	155
Neck Tension	245 lbs.	268 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Torso Max Deflection	1.65 in	2.28 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1004 lbs.	1294 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	156	166
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	134 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.87 in	1.73 in
Shoulder Force	268 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.87 in	2.01 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	335 lbs.	602 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Mazda 3, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 8.4% less likely to roll over than the Eclipse Cross, which received a four-star rating.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Mazda 3 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 54 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Eclipse Cross does not qualify as a “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

The Mazda 3’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Eclipse Cross’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 67 percent more Mazda dealers than there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 3’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mitsubishi is rated lower.

Engine

The Mazda 3’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 39 more horsepower (191 vs. 152) and 2 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 184) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Mazda 3’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 98 more horsepower (250 vs. 152) and 136 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 184) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda 3 is faster than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (automatics tested):

	Mazda3	Mazda3 Turbo	Eclipse Cross
Zero to 60 MPH	7.3 sec	5.6 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	14.1 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.3 MPH	99 MPH	78.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Mazda 3 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Mazda 3 offers an optional system to automatically turn off the engine 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.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda 3 higher (7 out of 10) than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (5). This means the Mazda 3 produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Eclipse Cross every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Mazda 3 stops much shorter than the Eclipse Cross:

	Mazda 3	Eclipse Cross
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	178 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Mazda 3 2.5 S Sedan’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Eclipse Cross ES’ standard 70 series tires. The Mazda 3 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Eclipse Cross LE/SE/SEL’s 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mazda 3’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the Eclipse Cross (107.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Mazda 3 is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Eclipse Cross.

The Mazda 3 Premium Hatchback AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the Eclipse Cross SE pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Mazda 3 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 350 pounds less than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.

The Mazda 3 Hatchback is 3.4 inches shorter than the Eclipse Cross, making the Mazda 3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Mazda 3 is 9.8 inches shorter in height than the Eclipse Cross, making the Mazda 3 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Mazda 3 Turbo Hatchback has a standard power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Mazda 3’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 Mazda 3’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.

On a hot day the Mazda 3’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Eclipse Cross can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Mazda 3’s power locks have a lockout prevention feature. When the key is in the ignition or smart 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 Mazda 3’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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Mazda 3 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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Mazda 3’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Eclipse Cross’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

The Mazda 3 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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Mazda 3 Premium has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium 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.

The Mazda 3’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Eclipse Cross offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Mazda 3 and the Eclipse Cross offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Mazda 3 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mazda 3 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The Mazda 3 comes in sedan and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross isn’t available as a sedan or four-door hatchback.

The Mazda 3 is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

The Mazda 3 has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Mazda 3	Eclipse Cross
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	FALSE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	n/a

The Mazda 3 outsold the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross by almost three to one during 2022.