2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse Review
2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse Review
View more photos
Used Eclipse for sale
Appraise This CarSee Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Bigger engines, intriguing styling, newfound refinement.
Cons
- Lots of road noise, low-grade materials, no turbo motor, no all-wheel drive, no ABS on RS and GS.
What’s new
The 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse is redesigned inside and out and based on the Galant sedan platform, embodying a youthful image and providing a sporty drive. V6 power is now available, but the spunky turbocharged engine is gone as is the all-wheel-drive model.
Edmunds says
Though more grown up and better equipped than the previous generation car, the 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse lacks the spunky personality of its predecessor.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT 2dr Hatchback and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$203/mo for Eclipse GT
Eclipse GT
vs
$179/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
Mitsubishi calls the new Eclipse's styling "geo-mechanical," and what that means is the car has an unbroken roof arch, a swell in the hood that rolls across the upper fenders, a crease that runs along the car's sides and ribbed contours in its doors and front fascia. In layman's terms, geo-mechanical is a hard-edged, industrial look.
With a twin-cockpit design, the interior is symmetrical and functional, with some components appearing melded into the dash while others, like the fuel and temperature gauge, protrude aggressively. Materials include soft-touch appointments with crude titanium-finish details, but on the lesser trim levels, they look a bit low-grade.
The two-plus-two Eclipse is now offered in three trim levels-RS, GS and GT. The base four-cylinder engine found in the RS and GS models has grown from 2.0 liters to 2.4 liters and gone from 140 horsepower to 155 horsepower. This 15-horsepower gain feels even more substantial because the power peak is 500 rpm lower in the rev range. The high-end GT model comes equipped with a 3.0-liter V6 engine making 205 horsepower that offers split-second responsiveness and high-rpm refinement. The turbo engine has been dropped in favor of the more refined V6. Regardless of which engine is selected, a five-speed manual transmission is standard on the Eclipse. For those who desire an automatic tranny, Mitsubishi offers a four-speed automatic with "learned control" that tailors its shifting characteristics to an individual driver's style, or a new Sportronic automanual transmission that allows drivers to change their own gears without using a clutch.
The 2000 Eclipse also incorporates a new suspension system under its sheetmetal, using large-diameter MacPherson front struts for straight-line stability and a multi-link rear suspension with stronger tubular steel arms. A more rigid sub-frame and a longer wheelbase also debut. Structurally, the Eclipse is now 40 percent stronger in terms of bending rigidity, and 26 percent better at resisting twist. Traction control is offered only on Eclipse GT with an automatic transmission, which leaves us wondering why it isn't available with the manual. And why can't buyers of the RS and GS models get antilock brakes.
Mitsubishi claims that with all these improvements, the value of Eclipse hasn't been lost. Standard equipment on every 2000 model includes power windows and door locks, an engine immobilizer and anti-theft system, microfiltered air conditioning, height-adjustable driver's seat, CD player, auto-off headlights with three-minute time delay, and alloy wheels. The mid-level GS also gets standard 16-inch wheels, cruise control, power sunroof, remote keyless entry, fog lamps, lumbar support and a split-folding rear seat. Step up to the GT and consumers will receive the larger engine, 17-inch wheels, improved brakes, upgraded seat fabric and wider tires. The power sunroof is optional on the GT even though it comes standard on the GS. Also optional on the GT is an audio package and a premium package.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse.
5 star(55%)
4 star(32%)
3 star(13%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
100 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.75 out of 5 stars
I miss this car
master_pate, 03/29/2012
2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT 2dr Hatchback
Last year I had to sell my GT to make room for a family SUV, it was a very sad day. I owned the Eclipse for 6 years and never had a mechanical issue. It was fast, good looking and reliable... the perfect non-family vehicle.
4.88 out of 5 stars
Sure do Like my 2000 GT Eclipse!
imgtgim, 10/14/2010
2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT 2dr Hatchback
Bought my 2000 GT Eclipse new in May 2000, and this is the first / only one I've ever bought new. Still own it now in late 2010, and still love it! I've never had any repair work, except typical maintenance to replace brakes, belts, tires, etc. Still runs great! When my wife tells me to "wind-it-up baby!" the engine purrs and the (original) muffler still has a deep-throat throttle … sound. It really is nice to drive anywhere, in-town or on the road, and I really like the pseudo shift from automatic to "manual" for winter driving (i.e., when bumper-to-bumper" on snow & ice. I'd think about trading-in for new but what's the point? If it ain't broke, don;t fix it!
4.5 out of 5 stars
Best car I've owned
hot_karl, 05/15/2012
2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT 2dr Hatchback
After owning 3 Camaros I decided it was time to try something different so I went ahead and bought an Eclipse GT. I owned the car for 6 years and drove it hard all year round, did numerous cross country trips with it and had very few problems. It may not have been the fastest car out there but it was still very fun to drive. The handling felt great and the V6 sounded awesome when you … revved it past 3000 rpm. Gas mileage hovered around 28-30 on my trips which consisted mostly of highway driving. I sold it about a year ago after I let a friend of mine drive it and he burnt up the clutch. Now I'm trying to find another car that was just as great as my Eclipse was.
3.75 out of 5 stars
2000 Eclipse GT
Jose Rosado, 04/12/2002
2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT 2dr Hatchback
I have not had any of the problems
other people seem to be having with
this car. I own one of the earlier
2000 models with 205 horses instead of
200 and a different manifold and
exhaust (all factory) but strangely
enough the engine seems to actually
have more power now than when I bought
it. This car does everything very
well. Handling is good (not stellar),
comfort … is very good for this or any
other type of car as long as you only
carry two people, and the engine is
the smoothest V6 I've ever driven in
my life. I haven't had any mechanical
problems except for a power window
switch that was repaired under
warranty.
2000 Eclipse Highlights
RS
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 23 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $185/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 16.9 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original0
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
Related Used 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse info
Vehicle reviews of used models
- Used Volvo XC40 2020 For Sale
- Used MINI Cooper 2022
- Used Kia Rio 2010
- Used Nissan Titan 2022
- Used Volkswagen Beetle Convertible 2013
Shop used vehicles in your area
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2019
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2020 For Sale
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2022
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2018
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse 2011
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder 2011
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder 2010
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse 2012
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder 2012
- Used Mitsubishi Eclipse 2010
Popular new car reviews and ratings
- Porsche Boxster 2023
- 2024 BMW 7 Series
- 2024 Silverado 3500HD
- Ford Connect Cargo
- 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid News
- 2023 Porsche 911
- Volvo C40 Recharge
- 2023 BMW 5 Series
- Am DBS
- 2025 INFINITI QX80 News
Research other models of Mitsubishi
- Mitsubishi Eclipse
- Mitzi Outlander
- 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage
- Mirage G4 Car
- Mitsubishibishi Mirage
- 2023 Outlander
- 2023 Mirage G4
- Outlander Phev Hybrid
- 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
- Mitsubishi Sports Car
Research similar vehicles
- Jaguar I Pace Range
- 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Mini Clubman
- 2023 Audi S5
- 2023 A5
- 2023 LEAF
- 2023 RS 5
- Volkswagen R32 2023
Other models
- New Ram 3500 for Sale in Fayetteville, GA
- Used Porsche Panamera in Jasper, AL
- New Ram 2500 for Sale in Palm City, FL
- Used Audi S6 in Germantown, MD
- Used GMC Sierra-2500 in Canton, GA
- Used Fiat 500L in New York, NY
- New Toyota Corolla-Hatchback for Sale in Lehi, UT
- Used Chevrolet Colorado in Bryan, OH
- Used Nissan Titan in Coldwater, MI
- Used Subaru Forester in Caldwell, NJ