Build quality, looks, equiptment, moonroof, interior materials, quietness, ride, room, comfort, cargo

High speed emergency lane-change handling, acceleration is TERIBLE-(about 10.5 seconds to 60)

I love this car. Although it does have its negatives, its a great family hauler.

Very good build quality, years after the TV ads fade and the vehicle has left the showroom floor, it all still works very well. Good Visibilty, decent seats that are still working as designed with little to no play or slop in them. Good heater controls and effective blower, at least for the front passengers. Easy to work controls all over the vehicle. All major components still in working order, heck ALL components are still working at 156,xxx miles. Gas mileage is good for a vehicle of this type and size, better than my old Range Rover.

The 3.0 liter engine IS known for burning oil with age, it usually requires some valve guide work or at least new valve stem seals to stop this. Mine is NOT burning oil, so no worries about this yet. The 3.0 liter is also a bit underpowered for a vehicle of this size, so you have to plan your moves in traffic sooner, since the acceleration isn't stellar. You must remember to have the timing belt changed at the scheduled intervals, as you don't get the more carefree motoring of an engine with a timing chain that has a longer service life[usually!] Almost all my parts are bought from a local dealer, and true to what people say, almost nothing is ever in stock for this older model Montero, plus Mitsubishi has started to phase out certain parts even though the older Monteros are STILL on the road. So, find out what parts are still available amd plan on ordering ahead for any work you want to do to your Montero.

Great vehicle, it is turning out to be everything I hoped it would be. Better legroom for the back seat passengers than my previous '94 Range Rover [SWB though]. I like the side-swinging tailgate as it's easier to work large loads or bulky items than the split tailgate of my previous Rover. Lots of tucked away storage places, good visibilty all-around with the exception of the rear mounted spare tire. BUT, since Mitsubishi elected to put the tire here and not inside the vehicle, you don't lose interior room nor do you have to struggle with an under-vehicle mounted spare tire like so many other SUVs have. Those models tend to get neglected since they're not usually seen unless up on a service lift. With the high-line SR package, you get leather seat coverings and more items standard, instead of optional only. I do wish the first owner had sprung for the air-locker rear diff package as I off-road with the Montero and having a rear locker would be nice. Still, I can add one when I elect to. The versatile rear seat is also very nice, it folds up better and WITH a locking catch to KEEP it up once folded over, unlike my previous RR which relies on the seat being past the pivot point to stay up. This meant you had to move the front seats up a bit, not fun when you have long legs!. ALl the controls still work, even after 156,xxx miles. I've done some work to bring the vehicle back up to spec, but nothing huge in costs, and the major items underneath appear to be all still original like the engine, trans, the diffs, drivesaxles and shocks. That means they were well-built to begin with, an the previous owner[s] took care of them too. Not many people seem to know of the hydraulic assist cylinders under the front seats. You usually only see these on Semi's or VERY large trucks. Mitsubishi has had them for years on either just the drivers seat or the passenger seat too. They are for a smooth ride over bumps, and are very adjustable, or you can lock them down if you don't want that "office chair" movement up and down while driving. Neat touch on a SUV for very bad roads or potholed city driving. The Part=time 4 wheel drive system still works well after all these miles, no excessive back-lash in the drivetrain with it engaged, very well made. Getting used to the system indicator lights in the cluster took some time as the Range Rover was a full-time system, with the center-diff locking automatically as needed when one axle spun too fast from loss of traction. All in all, a great SUV for someone who needs a rugged cargo hauler with a true box frame for pull a trailer or surviving the rigors of driving off-road, while still getting great handling when compared to a SUV that has a solid front axle and not the IFS of the Montero. Sevice for me is not an issue since I'm a Land Rover dealer Technician,but I hear lots of complaints about finding reliable people to service the Montero's, esp. bad comments about service work from a Mitsubishi Dealer[ouch!,wish I could help improve their customer perceptions]

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Looks inside and out, dependability, smoothy ride, tight turning, four wheeled options, seating for seven, stereo sound with 10 CD changer and cassette, FUN TO DRIVE.

Tranny when cold, getting used to fast turning, high revver.

I've owned mine for a year and a few months. Bought it used with 50,000 miles. It has been good to me. I since have had a recall on a crankshaft pulley bolt. Good to know they care. Ha. I have driven it on an icy day, the four wheel driove in high came in handy, being that a lot of two wheeled vehicles were sliding and crashing all over the place. I also have driven it in two feet of snow up in PA. It worked great in four wheel low in a snow drift. I was scared at first, (thought I was stuck and going to have to call a tow truck) I used the four wheel low and a little gas on the peddle, it came out like the champ it is. It is not very inspiring on fast turns, this has gotten better with practice. At first I would enter ramps with lot's of caution, (it felt as though it would tip over if I went too fast)it is a tall vehicle, but I have gotten to know it's limits. I am heavy on the gas kinda guy. It does not have a lot of get up and go, I use the over drive button on the highway if I want to pass a Sunday driver, this works well for me, power is OK being that it is a truck and not a sports car. The transmission does not shift well when it is cold, I use the HOLD button, this makes it shift sooner, this also helps with gas mileage which is about 19 GPM for me, (the HOLD button is intended for slippery road conditions). I drive a lot of highway miles. Once it warms up the transmission shifts fine. At 65 MPH it is at 3000 rpm's kinda high. My wife's van drives at about 2500, which makes for a more comfortable ride. The interior is smaller than it appears (narrow inside), though it has seating for seven, I love this feature. Everyone loves the look of the interior and exterior. I am the second owner, currently at 80,000 miles. No problem!

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Reliability, cargo capacity, off-road (and snow) manners, overall comfort, crusing capability, durable construction, general practicality of design -- that rear door is way sweeter than a fold down setup. A classic whose limited import numbers have created a cult (Mitsu sold this one widely in Int'l market, but didn't start pumping full sized Monteros to US till a few years later with SUV craze). Square, oversized profile gives it the full-on/old school "Daktari" look.

I really haven't had any problems; only thing that doesn't work is my remote rear door latch, but that's because I disconnected it on a trip. Sure there's some wind noise and it probably is a tad underpowered compared to the competition these days, but these are easy tradeoffs given the high mileage and bomber performance.

Bombproof. Best vehicle I've ever owned. Have driven it from the tip of Baja to British Colombia windsurfing, mtn. biking, and snowboarding and it has never failed. Ever. Bought with 60K; has 170K on it now and haven't spent a dime beyond routine maintenence (oil, shocks, tires, belts/brakes). Ideal blend of comfort and genuine rugged design; hauls all my gear and is unstoppable in snow, but can float along all day at 85+ on road trips. Engine is simpler than 1994+ models (twin cams) and is as durable as any Toyota -- I really think this baby could take a direct hit from a motar round and run another 10K!

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ROOMY,WELL EQUIPPED

GAS MILEAGE,FEELS LIKE TIP OVER IF DRIVING OVER 30 MPH, HARD TO CONTROL IF WINDY

ONE OF THE BETTER LOOKING SUV'S ON THE MARKET. VERY ROOMY. GREAT IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY OF FIVE OR MORE. GREAT IN SNOW. VERY STYLISH

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We loved the car and still do; however, the transmission after 4100 miles is shot: one of the computers is not working properly and the seals are defective. We still want to keep the "car", but are mediating to determining next steps, as I do not want a rebuilt transmission in a 4100 mile car that we bought brand new.

Off road capability Rare Ride, comfort Exhaust sound Fun Huge Sunroof

Fit and finish Rare Performance Consumer Reports reviews Cargo room

We love this car! I am not much of an off roader but when I had to slog through the mud at boy scout camp, Monty just went right through, on bald tires! I love the turbo, at 4000 rpms, it sound like a BMW. The hide-a-way rear seat is a show stopper every time. Great ride!

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This is a followup review, I have had my Montero since Jan 2001, This SUV is still rolling without any problems, Oil changes at 3500 to 4000 miles. Still having people ask who makes it...lol I can't find one thing wrong with this SUV, Needs better mileage and more horse power maybe 230 to 240....Thanks John

Follow up to my review of February. Now have 22,000 miles on my Montero, still not a rattle. Only repair was front brakes at 18,000 miles, looks like the tires will last forever. Oil changes every 4000 miles with Mobil 1. Only complaint is the gas mileage.

Looks, ride, off-roading capabilities, stability on the ice/snow. Quality. Interior design, size, sunroof. Very comfortable front and rear sits - for both short and long trips.

Value. Don't buy this car new - you can get it 1-year used with 10-15K miles for $25K.

Great SUV. I own this car for already 2 years. If I had an opportunity to buy a new SUV, I would go with the same car. Great for long travels, I drove already 30K miles. Great for climbing a mountain with no road, great for driving at the beach, at snow and ice. SUV looks great, like no other car on the road. Great handling on the freeway. The only thing I did is changed tires to Michelin Cross Terrain - feels like a completely different car in terms of handling, cornering, ride quality - I strongly recommend

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