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A few months ago, a Mitsubishi prototype of a rebadged Nissan Leaf was spotted being tested on public roads. Today, the three-diamond brand has revealed the vehicle’s look and name: Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback EV. I don’t hate it.
As you may recall, there was a minor grumbling of nerds when Mitsubishi resurrected the Eclipse name almost a decade ago for its Eclipse Cross compact SUV. I see quite a few headlines about this new model are singing a similar note, too. Of course, the first and second-generation Eclipse was a really cool sport compact car with available all-wheel drive and Mitsu’s legendary 4G63 turbo-four motor—a platform so tunable it was (and is) coveted for all kinds of motorsport and modding purposes.
Subsequent versions of the Eclipse were a lot heavier and less exciting. So, personally, even as a huge fan of Mitsubishi’s 1999 lineup, I can’t say I’m particularly offended by the Eclipse name being re-treaded for the second time in 2026.
Here, you can compare the exterior styling differences side-by-side:
Eclipse Sportback EV in dark blue, Leaf in light blue. Mitsubishi, Nissan
Anyway, the Eclipse Sportback EV is exactly what it looks like: a Nissan Leaf with unique styling. There are some neat details—the lower facias are kind of cool, and I dig the three-spoke wheels. Since the Leaf has been universally praised as a good car, this vehicle might actually help get some bodies into Mitsubishi stores as the brand works to rebuild its dealership network.
Mitsubishi promises to release more details closer to the vehicle’s release, but I think we can safely figure specs will sync up with the Leaf’s solid offerings of about 259-mile range with a starting price around $30,000.
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Automotive journalist since 2013, Andrew primarily coordinates features, sponsored content, and multi-departmental initiatives at The Drive.
