Rent Mitsubishi Eclipse 2023 in Dubai

Picture the first proper rain of the season turning Dubai's roads slick in minutes, the kind of morning where front-wheel drive feels nervous. That's where the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2023 earns its rate. We rent this compact SUV in Dubai with all-wheel drive as standard, deliver it to your door inside one to two hours, and it still keeps running costs low on a normal week. Our take: it's the sensible budget crossover for a couple or small family who want a raised view, real all-weather grip and an SUV shape without the fuel bill of a big one. It isn't fast and the cabin is plain, and we'll say so below.

What the all-wheel drive is good for

This is the feature most listings skip, so let's be clear about it. The Eclipse Cross sends drive to all four wheels for grip and stability, which matters on a wet road, a sandy slip road, or a firm graded track. It gives you composure when a front-drive car would scrabble. What it doesn't give you is dune capability. Soft sand needs a proper 4x4 with low range, and this is a road crossover with all-weather security, not a desert machine. For the slippery morning and the occasional hard-packed trail, the all-wheel grip is genuine peace of mind.

What you're renting

Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre turbo petrol making 150 hp through a smooth automatic. The small turbo engine is the point of the car. It has enough mid-range to merge onto Sheikh Zayed Road and hold the flow, but loaded with people and bags it works for a brisk overtake rather than shrugging it off. For city pace and steady highway cruising it's perfectly content. Push hard above 120 and you'll feel the modest power. Match the car to the job and it does exactly what a budget crossover should.

Running costs across a Dubai week

For an all-wheel-drive SUV, it's easy on fuel. On a week of errands, school runs and the odd airport trip you'll see real-world consumption in the high 8s per 100 km, and the roughly 63-litre tank stretches across several days of normal driving before a station enters your mind. A couple of runs out to DXB or DWC won't have you refuelling mid-trip. You get the grip and the higher view without the thirst of a large crossover, which is the trade that makes this car make sense on a budget.

Cooling it down in the heat

Every Dubai rental is judged on this in summer, and the Eclipse Cross does fine. The cabin is small enough that there isn't much air to chill, so once the AC is running it brings a parked car down to comfortable quickly. The front vents hit hard and the system holds the temperature on a long drive. There are rear outlets too, which matter if you're carrying kids in the back through July and August. Park in shade where you can, give it a minute on full before you load up, and it settles fast even after a day baking at 45 degrees.

Space, parking and the bumps

The boot is honest mid-size rather than cavernous, around 359 litres. Behind the rear seats you'll fit a large case and a couple of soft bags for two people comfortably, and the rear seats fold and slide to free more room when you need it. A family of four packing for a week means folding one side or packing smart, but it swallows a normal shop and beach gear without drama.

At roughly 4.5 metres it's easy to place. Tight multi-storey bays, Marina ramps and mall parking levels are all straightforward, and the high seat helps you judge the corners. Around 215 mm of clearance clears Dubai's speed bumps and the lips at mall entrances without you wincing.

The Dubai basics

A few things to know before you set off. Salik tolls are charged to you, the renter, as you pass the gantries, and any RTA fines during the rental pass to you too. Seat belts are required in every seat, and a child under four needs a proper child seat, which we can fit before delivery if you ask.

Who should rent it, and who shouldn't

Rent the Eclipse Cross 2023 if you want sensible, inexpensive transport with a raised view, all-weather grip and a small footprint, you're a couple or a small family doing mostly city and highway driving, and a low fuel bill matters more than badge or pace. It parks easily, sips fuel for a 4x4-style car, and copes with the heat.

Size up if you regularly carry four adults with full luggage or want real overtaking punch, because this is a small-engined crossover and it shows when fully loaded. For soft sand you want a proper 4x4. But for a normal Dubai week, with the bonus of grip when the road turns slick, the Eclipse Cross is well judged and cheap to keep moving.