2024 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Safety Report

The 2024 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross presents a mixed safety picture based on the limited available data. It has received an excellent 5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA, with strong performance in side impact tests (5 stars) and respectable scores in frontal (4 stars) and rollover (4 stars) tests. This indicates good crashworthiness in controlled environments. However, despite being a new model year, there are 5 total NHTSA complaints, including 2 crashes and 1 injury, which is notable for a vehicle so recently released. The absence of any recalls is positive, but the low complaint count is expected for a new model and may not fully reflect long-term reliability or safety trends. Analysis of the 5 complaints reveals several concerning patterns. One complaint details a crash where the airbag did not deploy and emergency buttons failed, resulting in an injury. Another describes a vehicle fire originating from the radio area, suggesting a potential electrical system defect. A third complaint reports a panoramic sunroof exploding from the inside out, which the manufacturer reportedly denied as a defect. These incidents, though few, point to potential issues beyond standard wear and tear. Common complaint components include the PARKING BRAKE, POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS, and VISIBILITY/WIPER. The specific complaints highlight issues such as brakes freezing in cold weather, electrical system malfunctions affecting phone connectivity and potentially leading to fires, and critical airbag deployment failures during a crash. The low number of complaints makes it difficult to establish definitive high-frequency patterns, but the severity of some reported issues, particularly those involving fire and airbag non-deployment, warrants attention. Overall, while the 2024 Eclipse Cross performs well in NHTSA's controlled crash tests, the early complaint data raises flags regarding potential manufacturing defects in critical safety systems like airbags and the electrical system, as well as structural components like the sunroof. The lack of recalls at this stage means these issues have not yet been formally acknowledged by the manufacturer or NHTSA as widespread defects requiring corrective action.

Our recommendation: While the 2024 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has strong crash test ratings, potential buyers should be aware of early, severe complaints regarding electrical fires, airbag failures, and exploding sunroofs. Consider these isolated but serious incidents when evaluating the vehicle.