DriveTech

2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT is pleasing to the eye

I love driving to Murrieta to pick up cars and trucks to road test. If you have to ask why, you must not be a "driver." The back roads off the I-15 bring out the driver in just about anyone and the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT is a great car for testing those roads.

The 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT has a potent 3.8-liter V6 that pumps out 263 horsepower. My tester came with a smooth five-speed Sportronic automatic transmission with overdrive. There is also a six-speemanual, if you so desire.

There are two models to choose from - the GT that I tested and the GS, which comes with a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 162 horsepower.
The GS gets 23 miles per gallon in the city and 30 miles per gallon on the freeway. This has to be one of the quickest V6s I've tested that was neither a turbocharged or supercharged engine. It gets an estimated 19 miles per
gallon in the city and 28 on the open road.

The Eclipse is all-new for '06 and the new body treatment is pleasing to the eye (nothing like a two-door coupe to bring back the sports feel of yesterday). I wish you could see this car in person. The paint color on this Eclipse is called "Frost White Pearl," which really looks like a gray until nightfall, when this color pops. The charcoal interior makes for a great combination.

The front seats look as if they came out of a sports racer. There's plenty of side support and high backs with integrated headrests and lumbar. The driver's seat can be adjusted six different ways. The dash incorporates stylish gauges and a console on top to monitor the radio, compass and clock. The climate controls have large knobs for easy adjustments and the shifter is in the center console. Accompanying the shifter is a compartment that closes and houses coffee cups or cell phones. I didn't try to get into the backseat but it looks as if it would handle small children, if needed. Or if you need to haul a few things and bring a friend along, the rear seat back splits 50/50.

If you like "Blue Ice" illumination, you will love the dash lighting treatment on the Eclipse. The sound system is as good as it gets. It has AM/FM/CD with six-speakers and MP3 capabilities. Other amenities include adjustable steering wheel, illuminated visors for both driver and passenger, two 12-volt receptacles that are easy to access, power windows and the driver's side has a 30-second reserve to operate the window with the engine off. Map lights are well positioned and come with a dimming feature.

Outside are a lot of the crazies that kids are all into, such as fog lights, color-keyed power outside mirrors, a small integrated rear spoiler with a chrome treatment and clear LED taillights. It looks as if it's missing the radio antenna, but Mitsubishi integrated it into the rear window for a
smooth look.

Adding to the look are wheels with a small bulge, limited chrome and the outside door handles, which look different (I can't really explain them so you will have to check them out for yourself). I wasn't thrilled with the door handles at first, but after using them awhile I found them to be very comfortable and the flush mounting adds to the sleek lines of the Eclipse.

.

You get 17-inch 225/50 R17 93V All Season tires mounted on non-painted alloy wheels. For performance that hits the ground, it has anti-lock brakes that are power assisted, four-wheel independent suspension, front and rear roll
bars, a front suspension tower bar for added stiffness in the corners (which surprisingly isn't uncomfortable) and traction control. The item that surprised me the most (and made me grin the whole time I drove it) was a large can muffler that gives this V6 a throaty sound. That put goose bumps on my arms.
Safety features include advanced dual stage front airbags, dual seat mounted side airbags, dual curtain side airbags, side impact beams in the doors, three-point seatbelts for all occupants, as well as upper and lower child restraints anchor system. You also get a standard integrated anti-theft engine immobilizer.

There are no added options, so you get everything for one price. This model has a price tag of $25,194, plus tax and license. It also comes with an outstanding warranty that includes 60-months/60,000-mile basic coverage, and 10-years/100,000-miles on the powertrain. It only has two small drawbacks -aslight blind spot in the rear when backing up and minimal headroom in the rear if you're tall. But if you like driving, take a ride up to Murrieta Mitsubishi to check out the Eclipse!