Mitsubishi Montero Sport LS
If you were hoping for dramatic new faces in this year's test, look to the Mercedes and the Durango. The other entrants should be familiar, including the mid-level Mitsubishi Montero Sport LS, which was eligible for last year's testing but wasn't yet on the market. Since the Sport has been for sale for a year, you've no doubt seen plenty of them on the road. Even though we have too, we just couldn't warm up to its more rounded appearance than the original Montero, so it fell near-bottom in the body-styling category, including points deducted for too-tall side mirrors. One benefit of our test vehicle was the exterior tire carrier, which omits the across-the-tailgate third brake light seen on most Montero Sports.
Although we weren't fans of the interior either (especially not the above-the-dash voltmeter and oil pressure gauge placement), we were really impressed with the amount of cargo space, including tons of hidden compartments--impressive enough for the full Monty to nail second in the cargo category, right behind the big-ol' Yukon.
Once we got past its looks, its personality was much more appealing.
Four-wheel-drive engagement was topnotch, and blazing down fire roads and across sand was a blast. It was optioned with the Off-Road Package,including a locking rear differential that gave great traction at the touch of a button. There was no bottoming out thanks to the suspension, and clearance wasn't limited by the nerf bars, which took a beating during rockcrawling but kept the body unblemished.
Yet its 3.0L V-6 wasn't a perfect match for the five-speed manual tranny--it needed a lower First gear, and combined with low engine torque, we spent a lot of time trying to find the right gear so the engine wouldn't get bogged down. It scored really well in dragstrip brake testing.
The Sport was basically the middle child of the test--it scored dead center in nearly all the categories. Yet when a quick run from one end of the desert to the other was called for, the Montero Sport was the ride of choice. continued on page 80
Specifications
General
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi
Model: Montero Sport LS
Base Price: $23,920
Price as Tested: $30,660
Options as Tested: Air conditioning, floor mats, Convenience Package (cruise control; power windows, locks, and mirrors); Appearance Package (15x7 alloy wheels, 265/70R15 tires, fender flares, side steps, bright grille accent, leather-wrapped steering wheel, two-tone paint); Off-Road Package (locking rear differential, multimeter, rear heater, spare tire carrier and cover, set of five wheel locks); Luxury Package (Premium Infinity upgrade stereo, cassette, amp, eight speakers, power sunroof); and roof rack.
Engine
Type: SOHC V-6
Displacement (liters/cubic inches): 3.0/143.4
Bore & Stroke (inches): 3.41x3.94
Compression Ratio: 9.0:1
Induction Type: Multipoint fuel injection
Fuel Requirement/Capacity (gallons): 87 Octane Unleaded/19.5
SAE Peak Horsepower: 132 (128 in CA) @ 5,500 rpm
SAE Peak Torque (lb-ft): 148 (146 in CA) @ 2,750 rpm
Transmission
Type: Five-speed manual overdrive
Model: Mitsubishi
Ratios: First: 3.918:1; Second: 2.261:1; Third: 1.395:1; Fourth: 1.000:1; Fifth: 0.829:1; Reverse: 3.925:1
Transfer Case
Type: Two-speed part-time
Model: Mitsubishi
Low-Range Ratio: 1.925:1
Axles
Front Type: IFS
Rear Type: Solid w/electric locker
Hubs: Automatic
Ratio: N/A
Suspension
Front: Independent/unequal-length A-arms/torsion bars
Rear: Live axle/semielliptic leaf springs
Steering
Type: Power-assisted recirculating ball
Turns Lock-to-Lock/Ratio: 3.37/16.4-18.7:1
Turning Radius (feet): 38.7
Wheels
Size (inches): 15x7
Material: Alloy
Tires
Size: P265/70R15
Brand: Yokohama Super Diggers
Brake System
Front: 10.8-inch discs
Rear: 12.3-inch drums with ABS
Weight
Measured Weight (pounds): 4,280
Advertised GVWR (pounds): 5,350
Mileage
EPA Estimate (city/hwy mpg): 17/20
As Tested (mpg): 15.59
Acceleration
Standing 1/4-mile (seconds @ mph): 18.45 @ 73.10
Braking
60-0 mph (feet): 146.0
Dimensions (inches)
Wheelbase:107.3
Overall Length: 189.8
Overall Width: 66.7
Overall Height: 65.6
Front/Rear Track: 55.9/56.5
Front/Rear Overhang: 29.5/49.5
Minimum Front Ground Clearance: 8.0
Likes
*Button-activated rear locker
*Easy 4WD engagement
*Great cargo area
Dislikes
*Least-liked interior
*Needs lower First gear
*Low-ranked styling