Mitsubishi’s 2027 Eclipse Sportback EV starts at $37,745, or $39,740 once the $1,995 destination fee is added, and that puts it about $8,000 above the Nissan Leaf it is built from. The comparison holds against the Leaf’s entry S+ grade, which opened at $29,990 for 2026. Against the Leaf’s pricier trims the gap closes and then reverses.
The Eclipse Sportback goes on sale in October 2026, according to Electrek, as the first model in Mitsubishi’s Momentum 2030 plan for North America. It is also the brand’s first American electric vehicle since its small electric hatchback was discontinued in 2017, Electrek notes.
Eclipse Sportback and Leaf S+ price arithmetic
Electrek’s report on Oct. 6 gave the Eclipse’s price and said it costs nearly $8,000 more than the Leaf. Electrek’s Peter Johnson called it “essentially a rebadged Nissan LEAF,” and the site added that starting at nearly $40,000 with destination, the car “might be a tough sell.” The only option is a $2,600 Technology Package, which Fox 5 San Diego describes as adding an electrochromic panoramic roof, Bose audio, roof rails and a power liftgate.
The arithmetic supports a gap of roughly $8,000 on either basis. Before destination, $37,745 less the Leaf S+ at $29,990 from Electrive’s launch coverage is $7,755. With destination, AutoGuide put the Leaf S+ at $31,485, which leaves the Eclipse’s $39,740 about $8,255 higher. Wards Auto cited $31,535 for the Leaf with destination, a $50 difference that does not move the conclusion.
One caveat limits the comparison: the Leaf prices are for the 2026 model, and no published report located for the 2027 Leaf carried an American price. A cheaper entry grade has already appeared in Canada, where the 2027 Leaf S, with a 53 kWh battery and 174 horsepower, lists at CA$37,966, according to autoevolution.
Shared 75 kWh battery and the range gap
Electrek reports that the Eclipse shares its platform and its 75 kWh liquid-cooled battery with the Leaf, with up to 282 miles of EPA-estimated range. Nissan’s own Leaf page rates the S+ at 303 miles on the same battery size, so the Mitsubishi gives up roughly 21 miles to its twin. Electrek puts the Leaf Platinum+ at 259 miles.
The shared hardware is the reason the price comparison draws attention. Electrek and Nissan’s page agree on a 75 kWh battery, Nissan backs the pack with an 8-year, 100,000-mile limited warranty, and Mitsubishi’s longer 10-year, 100,000-mile electric-powertrain cover is one of the few places where the Eclipse offers more than its twin on paper. Everything the buyer pays beyond the Leaf’s price, in other words, buys styling, the badge and that longer warranty rather than a bigger battery or a stronger motor.
Both cars use a native NACS charging port and a 150 kW DC fast-charge peak, taking about 35 minutes to go from 10 to 80 percent. The Eclipse’s front motor is rated at 214 horsepower and 261 lb-ft, with front-wheel drive the only layout, according to a Fox 5 San Diego preview. AutoGuide lists the Leaf’s motor at 214 horsepower, Electrive at 215, a rounding difference between metric and American ratings rather than a mechanical one.
Leaf SV+ and Platinum+ as the closer comparison
The Leaf’s upper trims change the picture. The SV+ starts at $34,230 and the Platinum+ at $38,990 before destination, per Electrive and Electrek, or $35,725 and $40,485 with destination at AutoGuide’s figures. The Eclipse’s $39,740 with destination therefore sits above the SV+ and about $745 under the Platinum+ with destination.
The question for a shopper is therefore which Leaf the Eclipse is really competing with. Priced next to the S+, it is a premium of roughly $8,000 for a different grille, a Triple Diamond badge and Mitsubishi’s warranty. Priced next to the Platinum+, it is a car with less range and a lower price. AutoGuide’s coverage of the reveal describes the Eclipse as an electric subcompact SUV with Mitsubishi-specific front and rear fascias, lighting and alloy wheels, which separates it from the Leaf only in styling and in the badge.
What the Mitsubishi offers for that money is a single, well-equipped configuration. Electrek lists all-black synthetic leather, dual 14.3-inch digital displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and built-in Google with Google Maps route planning. Fox 5 adds 5 years or 60,000 miles of new-vehicle coverage and 10 years or 100,000 miles on the electric powertrain and battery, against the 8-year, 100,000-mile battery warranty on Nissan’s page.
Electrek’s comparison set also includes the Hyundai Ioniq 5 at $35,250, the Toyota bZ at $34,980 and the Kia EV3 Wind at $34,990 with up to 321 miles, all listed below the Eclipse. An off-road-focused Outlander is next in Mitsubishi’s Momentum 2030 plan, due in early 2027, per AutoGuide’s report on the brand’s announcement.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.
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