Evolution in the sport-utility world has led to the appearance of three distinct vehicle breeds. The first, and
oldest, is the rock 'em, sock 'em go-anywhere type, as typified by the Jeep Wrangler. In time, the piano-case-on-wheels
variety followed, slightly less stark and capable of holding more passengers and cargo within a station wagon-like
body. The most recent arrival is the luxury sport-utility, which combines the toughness of the first two with liberal
helpings of style and luxury.
Mitsubishi has long been a player in the second category with its Montero. It's rough and tough, always ready to
take a pounding. But, even when laden with the luxury features customers have come to expect from their sport-utilities,
it sits low on the style scale, and that has kept some buyers away.
Rather than replace a successful product (which the Montero assuredly is), Mitsubishi chose to supplement the big
box with a slightly smaller, more modern version. Enter Montero Sport, a hybrid drawing from the best of two breeds.
While the big Montero offers luxury, the Montero Sport provides value and a muscular, aggressive persona.
The sporty, five-passenger Montero Sport goes up against rivals such as Nissan's Pathfinder and Toyota's 4Runner, both recently redesigned, and the all-new Isuzu Rodeo and Honda Passport. Other choices in this group include Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chevy Blazer, GMC Jimmy, Oldsmobile Bravada and Ford Explorer. The big seven-passenger Montero luxury sport-utility, on the other hand, retails for $33,975, and travels in the well-respected company of the Lexus LX 450, Land Rover Discovery, and Infiniti QX4.
Stylists face something of a dilemma when trying to make a practical vehicle look dashing: The most efficient
shape for carrying five people and luggage is, as always, a box. An engine has to go somewhere too, and the ideal
home for it is a smaller box. So the Montero Sport's basic design consists of two boxes.
But those boxes have been smoothed and rounded here, giving the Sport a sleek, distinctive look. Overall, the
styling is a success, though some viewers may find the chopped-top appearance strange at first. The oversized tires
and wheel opening extensions fitted to upscale Sports serve to exaggerate the visual mismatch between body and roof
line. We found it more attractive as familiarity increased because the Montero Sport's design sets it apart from the
rest of the sport-utility pack.
Buyers looking for a rugged look with the utility of a large, efficient station wagon will gravitate toward the
two-wheel-drive models, the base ES and the more powerful LS.
Those who real off-road capability will opt for one of the four-wheel-drive models. Montero Sport's 4WD system
includes a 2-speed shift-on-the-fly transfer case that provides low-range gearing for tough conditions and steep
hills. For extreme off-highway adventures, a choice of a limited-slip or a locking rear differential is available.
Two engines are available. The base model, the Montero Sport ES, is fitted with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine
that develops 134 horsepower and a 5-speed manual transmission.
All other Montero Sports are powered by a 173-horsepower 3.0-liter V6. Those models are: LS 2WD, LS 4WD, XLS 2WD
and XLS 4WD. All of them come with a 4-speed automatic transmission, except for the LS 4WD, which can be ordered
with a 5-speed manual.
Mitsubishi's V6 is a rugged, refined engine. We prefer it over the four-cylinder engine, finding that its increased
trailer-pulling ability and all-around civility more than compensate for a decrease in fuel economy. (The 2.4-liter
ES 2WD 5-speed is rated 22/25 mpg city/highway by EPA, while the 3.0-liter LS 2WD automatic gets 19/22. Probably
because of its taller top gear, the LS 4WD with automatic gets 18/21, while the LS 4WD with 5-speed only gets 17/20.)
Other differences between the models are confined largely to varying levels of standard equipment and the
