Moses Akaigwe
There seems to be no end to the number of honours the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is poised to win since it was first produced by Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors in 2017.
The Eclipse Cross was launched into the Nigerian market by Massilia Motors in November 2018, and was the star attraction at that year’s Heineken Lagos Fashion Week, where many a guest marveled at its winning streak and the qualities that had been earning awards for it in many parts of the world.
But, there is no stopping the compact crossover SUV, for just last week, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced that the Eclipse Cross has added to its collection of international awards three more prizes from Russia, where the compact SUV was recently launched.
The first was at the national “Car of the Year in Russia 2019” award ceremony, where the Eclipse Cross was named the best “Compact SUV” in one of the most highly competitive categories.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was launched in South Africa in February 2019 and is a massive success from the word go – seducing more lovers of other competing vehicles in Nelson Mandela’s country as it is other markets.
“These awards the Eclipse Cross achieved in Russia reflect excellence in motoring,” says Nic Campbell, General Manager of Mitsubishi Motors South Africa. “On local shores the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has been enjoying a great reception and customers are extremely happy with their trendy, yet stylish purchases.”
The “Car of the Year” in Russia is judged by a public vote as opposed to a special committee of professional motoring journalists in South Africa, and is the largest survey of its kind in the world, with more than a million people voting for their favorites. The votes are independently verified by research company Ipsos Comcon, which confirmed that more SUV lovers had switched their preference to the Eclipse Cross.
But it is not just the public who are impressed with the Eclipse Cross. Experts from Za Rulem magazine have awarded the model with the oldest national automobile award in Russia the “Grand Prix” prize.
Their national jury chose a winner based on three criteria — technical ability, design and practicality – and the Eclipse Cross was voted the best of 53 cars which were launched in the Russian market last year.
The magazine gave a further honour to Mitsubishi Motors with a special award for “Fidelity to the Traditions”. This was to highlight that Mitsubishi Motors continues to produce reliable all-wheel drive cars which are and well-adapted for Russian roads.
The prizes from Russia haven’t stopped there. The Russian Automobile Forum also honoured the Eclipse Cross by naming it “Best Market Newcomer” for 2019.
These awards add to an impressive array of honors for the Eclipse Cross from all around the world, including being named as the “RJC Car of the Year 2019” by the Automotive Researchers’ & Journalists’ Conference of Japan.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross combines the style of a coupe body with all the advantages of an SUV. The sophisticated all-wheel drive system with Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control provides uncompromising capability, whether in the city and beyond. In 2018, the car earned the highest safety rating in the independent Euro NCAP safety tests.
Osamu Iwaba, President and CEO of MMC Rus, the official distributor of Mitsubishi cars in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, was delighted to receive the awards. He said: “The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has got many prizes already all over the world. But for me the most important is that it has been recognized as a Car of the Year here in Russia. The Eclipse Cross is the brightest star in our SUV model range. It is a car with a rich heritage, hundreds of advantages and attractive features.”