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Mitsubishi Montero: A car not to miss
August 13, 2007
But Mitsubishi's attempt at softening the car and making it more appealing to car owners looking to upgrade to an SUV has resulted in a trade-off. It still handles well and grips well, but there is more dive and pitch and it even has a tendency to roll more.
The steering feels heavier, and it is then that you realise that the additional 115 kg weight gain has negated the comfort benefits. Mitsubishi has stuck to the same double wishbone setup at the front and coil springs at the rear, but the suspension feels a bit loose and not as plush. The tweaking around with the package has actually dropped its on-road driving dynamics a notch lower and doesn't feel as capable as the erstwhile Montero.
None of it though is evident when you go seriously off-road. All that mechanical grip shows around the dirt track as you put one wheel on the grass and the other in the air. The sorted chassis makes it a joy to throw around while the semi off-road tyres give you tankfuls of grip. For all its salt and seven years' of victory worth, Mitsubishi haven't compromised on the off-roadability of the vehicle.
The high bumpers with their even higher angles of entry and exit allow you to push it hard, even though somewhere at the back of your mind, you know that it's a near Rs 36 lakh (Rs 3.6 million) vehicle. Find a stream, put the wheels down and just let the advanced four-wheel drive do all the work. It's after all standard Monteros like these that have made European couples take a year out and travel the world on their set of four wheels.
Which brings me to the same question. Is it worth travelling the world in a Montero? Yes, it can be, given that it is still as capable off-road as ever and gives you close to 9.5 kpl overall -- which for a diesel SUV weighing in on the naughty side of 2.3 tonnes is an achievement. It's also very well loaded and offers a lot of kit for your money. As the sensible SUV for less than Rs 40 lakh (Rs 4 million), it does its job well.
But it is a bit too watered down for a Montero. It appeals too much to the senses of the urban dweller looking for the off-road fun once in a while, but doesn't live up to the perfect package Mitsubishi created with the previous generation. It will probably help Mitsubishi add yet another Paris-Dakar plaque to its showcase, but won't tingle the senses of an ordinary fella like me.
Text: Rohin Nagrani
As the sensible SUV for less than Rs 40 lakh (Rs 4 million), the car does its job well.
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