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2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Review
Style, fun, performance and value.
2003 Eclipse Review Summary & Specifications
Mitsubishi Eclipse offers wild design and sports-car exhilaration, all at a relatively low price. It offers a smooth ride and sporty handling.The RS and GS models with their four-cylinder engines are good sporty car buys. But the V6 engine transforms the Eclipse into an exciting sports car. Don't buy the RS or GS before driving the GT or GTS. Our favorite Eclipse is the V6 Spyder, an entirely grown-up, four-place convertible that makes you feel good and look good. Not only is the Eclipse a more sophisticated alternative to a Detroit pony car, it is also a serious challenger to some much more expensive European convertibles.
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| Vehicle Category | Sports Cars |
| Editor | Mitch McCullough and Ted West |
| Model Lineup | RS coupe ($18,167); GS coupe ($19,077); GT coupe ($21,277); GTS coupe ($24,247); GS Spyder ($23,917); GT Spyder ($25,997); GTS Spyder ($28,367) |
| Engines (standard) | 3.0-liter SOHC 24-valve V6 |
| Engines (optional) | 147-hp 2.4-liter SOHC 16-valve inline-4; 200-hp 3.0-liter SOHC 24-valve V6; 210-hp 3.0-liter SOHC 24-valve V6 with variable induction. |
| Transmissions (standard) | 4-speed automatic Sportronic |
| Transmissions (optional) | five-speed manual; four-speed automatic; four-speed Sportronic |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | dual front airbags standard, CRS child-seat anchors |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | ABS, side-impact airbags, traction control |
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Normal, Illinois |
| Manufacturer Phone | 1-888-MITSU2003 |
| Manufacturer URL | www.mitsubishicars.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 18167 |
| Model Tested MSRP | Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS Coupe Sportronic ($25,537) |
| Standard Equipment | air conditioning, power doors and locks, power mirrors, 17-inch alloy wheels, AM/FM/CD audio, cruise control, 12-way adjustable seats with leather seating surfaces, ABS, side-impact airbags, traction control, 210-watt Mitsubishi/Infinity AM/FM/CD stereo with six-disc in-dash changer |
| Destination Charge | 595 |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | none |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | 26132 |
| Layout | front-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 210 @ 5750 |
| Torque | 205 @ 3750 |
| Fuel Economy | 20/27 |
| Wheelbase | 100.8 |
| Length/Width/Height | 176.8/68.9/51.6 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 40.0 |
| Seating Capacity | 4 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 39.4/51.9/42.3 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 34.9/44.7/30.2 |
| Trunk Volume | 16.9 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | |
| Front Suspension | independent |
| Rear Suspension | independent |
| Ground Clearance | 6.4 |
| Curb Weight | 3307 |
| Stock Tires | 215/50VR17 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | disc/disc with ABS |
| Fuel Capacity | 16.4 |
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