It should come as no surprise that the dramatic exterior lines and readily-accessible power come at the price of cabin space. Testing this car during the Thanksgiving holiday, we quickly discovered that my 87-year-old
grandmother was not amused by having to be shoehorned in and out of the Lilliputian back seat. And she's barely
five feet tall. But what did she expect? I certainly wasn't going to ride back there when driving this hot rod
was an option. She probably would have been a lot happier behind the wheel.
Up front, the Eclipse is a lot more comfortable--assuming you're not over 6-ft. tall. And forget about
wearing a hat. Racing helmets are okay though, because all these concerns are forgotten when the green flag
waves.
The wrinkly leather seats are fashionable and comfortable. Some drivers find the cockpit-like foot well a
bit uncomfortable, though. My knee rubbed against the transmission housing. All controls and dials were plainly visible and well-lighted, and the cupholder configuration was steady and solid.
Naturally, visibility in such a small cabin is always a problem, and the Eclipse is no exception.