2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS review from North America

Nothing has gone wrong with this car, I've had it for three months. I've put 4,000 trouble-free miles on it.

The Eclipse is an exciting car to drive. It handles beautifully, and is extremely responsive. My previous car was a Dodge Neon (don't get me started), so the difference in power between the two are incomparable. This car is fun to drive, especially the manual. I test drove the automatic, and it wasn't as responsive as the manual. I've since read that many Eclipse GT/S owners consider the RS as the "R(eally) S(low) " model, but this car is faster than any car I've ever driven. And that's saying a lot, since my first car was a 1966 Mustang V8 (manual). (Okay, in retrospect it is just as responsive as the Mustang was.)

The main thing that bothers me about this car? There isn't a light for the hatch/trunk. Mitsubishi explains that the interior/dome light is sufficient enough to see into the hatch. Obviously, they have never tried to find something in the hatch when it is pitch black outside. Even when the cargo cover is removed, there is absolutely no light coming into the hatch area.

Another thing worth mentioning, although it doesn't affect me in particular, is the rear leg room. We have two young children, so the leg room wasn't a factor for us. However, when my adult friends have sat in the back, it requires me to push the front seats up considerably so they can sit comfortably. This car is for someone who will rarely need to have an adult ride the back seat.

The front seats are very comfortable, and the whole interior is very sporty feeling, as if you're in a cockpit.

The air conditioning does a superb job, and will blast you out. I love the air vents, they are easy to control, and you have the option of shutting them completely off, individually.

I wish the interior came in more colors, I have the Steel Blue Pearl color, and I would have liked the light tan interior as an option, rather than the midnight color. The color is very sporty, but shows every speck of dirt.

All in all, this car is an awesome ride, and will elicit many a "whooo-hooo" from it's drivers. My only complaints are very trivial, and if I had a chance to buy this car all over again, knowing what I know, I would still choose the Eclipse.