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April 3, 2008 http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/mitsubishi_montero-sport_2001

  Paul Wiley Cockerham
EditorPaul Wiley Cockerham

If it didn’t pretend to be anything else but a truck in a nice suit, the Mitsubishi Sport Limited would be fine on its merits. Its versatility and toughness aren’t at all compromised by full-dress packaging. But one suspects the market is more interested in a luxurious driving experience with a modicum of off-road capability, and here the Limited looks somewhat, well, limited, compared to more recent offerings.

It’s hell to keep up if you’re an SUV maker these days.

From the outside, our Seattle Silver Metallic Limited is quite handsome, with 16-by-7 alloy wheels, color-keyed side steps, rearview mirrors and fender flares, and chrome accents on the grill and fog lamps. Tinted rear privacy glass provides a semblance of exclusivity for those egos in need of massaging.

The interior feels appropriately posh, with gray leather-surfaced seating, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, nice woodgrain dash and door accents, and plush, color-keyed floor mats. A 210-watt Infinity AM/FM/CD stereo, with seven speakers, does justice to the latest Steve Earle release. Windows, locks and mirrors are powered. The front buckets are heated (although the center-mounted switches prove far too accessible to the dog), with a credible lumbar support adjustment on the driver’s side. The driver’s seat height is also adjustable, so anybody’s comfort seems assured.

A separate heating control is available for backseat passengers, and provided they aren’t too long in the inseam, they should enjoy relative comfort. The seat itself is a 60/40 split unit that, once you remove the headrest, folds flat in a two-step operation.

An ergonomic quibble: between the width of the driver’s door armrest and width of the seat, it’s impossible to reach the gas cap release without opening the door. Of course, I didn’t realize this until after attempting a painful and futile imitation of a double-jointed sideshow freak.

If it didn’t pretend to be anything else but a truck in a nice suit, the Mitsubishi Sport Limited would be fine on its merits. Its versatility and toughness aren’t at all compromised by full-dress packaging. But one suspects the market is more interested in a luxurious driving experience with a modicum of off-road capability, and here the Limited looks somewhat, well, limited, compared to more recent offerings. It’s hell to keep up if you’re an SUV maker these days. From the outside, our Seattle Silver Metallic Limited is quite handsome, with 16-by-7 alloy wheels, color-keyed side steps, rearview mirrors and fender flares, and chrome accents on the grill and fog lamps. Tinted rear privacy glass provides a semblance of exclusivity for those egos in need of massaging. The interior feels appropriately posh, with gray leather-surfaced seating, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, nice woodgrain dash and door accents, and plush, color-keyed floor mats. A 210-watt Infinity AM/FM/CD stereo, with seven speakers, does justice to the latest Steve Earle release. Windows, locks and mirrors are powered. The front buckets are heated (although the center-mounted switches prove far too accessible to the dog), with a credible lumbar support adjustment on the driver’s side. The driver’s seat height is also adjustable, so anybody’s comfort seems assured. A separate heating control is available for backseat passengers, and provided they aren’t too long in the inseam, they should enjoy relative comfort. The seat itself is a 60/40 split unit that, once you remove the headrest, folds flat in a two-step operation. An ergonomic quibble: between the width of the driver’s door armrest and width of the seat, it’s impossible to reach the gas cap release without opening the door. Of course, I didn’t realize this until after attempting a painful and futile imitation of a double-jointed sideshow freak. If it didn’t pretend to be anything else but a truck in a nice suit, the Mitsubishi Sport Limited would be fine on its merits. Its versatility and toughness aren’t at all compromised by full-dress packaging. But one suspects the market is more interested in a luxurious driving ...