DriveTech

2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder is one fun roadster

If you thought Mitsubishi was struggling and on the way out, think again. Not only have the new owners of Escondido Mitsubishi seen the vision, so has the president/CEO of Mitsubishi. In "Automotive News," he stated Mitsubishis are solid vehicles and are here to stay - period.

After sitting down with the owners of Escondido Mitsubishi and I picking up my "ultra red pearl" Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertible, I was totally convinced. Not only that Mitsubishi is here to stay but that Escondido Mitsubishi is here to stay as well. That's because it concentrates on customer service, not only in sales, but service as well. My visit proved to be a breath of fresh air.

This Eclipse is totally redesigned. The old one was great, but the new one is even better. Plus, running down the freeway with its top down really makes you appreciate San Diego. The top is a typical soft-top convertible but with a glass rear window. The top raises and lowers with impressive ease. Just flip a couple of roof locks, push a button on the center dash that reads "open" and sit back. The windows drop, a rear cargo door opens and the top folds neatly into its own storage area. The hard cover folds flat for a striking appearance.

Does the storage space for the top limit the trunk space? Not really. It may not be a full size trunk but you can get a set of golf clubs or a few pieces of soft-sided luggage in there with no problem. In fact, I stopped at the grocery store and had no problem loading the trunk with my purchases. To raise the top, look for the button that reads "close," push it once and hold until the top is in place. A signal tells you it's done, then lock the simple top locks and off you go.

This is a driver's car. I lucked out by getting a six-speed manual with a 3.8-liter single overhead camshaft fuel injected V6 that produces 263 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 260 pound foot of torque at 4,500 rpm. Even with all that power under the hood, you can still get 17 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the open road. The city mileage disappointed me a little but I'm on the open road 90 percent of my driving time.

The power adjustable seats look as if they came out of a racecar, with high sided bolsters to help keep you put in tight corners, a blow-through area at the head rests, a strong stubby shifter and a great console between you and your passenger (who also gets a great seat). Alloy pedals and leather seating are optional. The dash is perfectly laid out with all the right gauges and at night they illuminate with the help of an "Ice Blue Illumination."

The sound system is a 650-watt Rockford Fosgate with an AM/FM/six-disc in-dash changer with MP3 playback. There are nine speakers including an eight-inch subwoofer in the center of the back seat. All signaling is digitally processed.

The back seat is what I call a jump seat. It comes with seatbelts and looks comfortable but it's more for kids or storage space. The rest of the interior is done very well. You get optional heated seats and outside mirrors on this particular model, along with 18-inch alloy wheels that replace the stock 17-inch tire and wheel package. This Spyder also had the Aero Kit, which includes corner air dams, spot side sills and a rear wake modifier in chrome, adding to the look. Another option is an alloy gas door.

A few other standard features worth mentioning are the fantastic fog lights that really light up the mountain roads and the superb handling at all four corners thanks to four wheel independent suspension as well as front strut tower bar and front and rear sway bars. But even with all that, the ride is smooth and precise. You can really have some fun in this roadster.

Safety features include standard front and side air bags, lower child restraints, daytime running lights, three-point belts at all seating areas and crumple zones to keep all occupants as safe as possible.

The Eclipse also comes in a very fuel-efficient 2.4-liter four-cylinder that gets 23 miles per gallon in the city and 30 MPH on the open road. So don't discount Mitsubishi when looking for a new car. Give the Eclipse a peek and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Next week, a BMW or a Saab from Continental Motors in Oceanside.

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