2005 Mitsubishi Montero Driving Impressions
Rated at 200 horsepower, Mitsubishi's 3.5-liter 24-valve V6 engine is glass-smooth and free of vibration. It delivers a full 235 foot-pounds of torque at 3500 rpm, good for off-road driving, accelerating away from intersections, and climbing long, steep grades. Responsiveness on the highway is typical of current SUVs, neither blisteringly fast nor annoyingly slow.
The Limited's five-speed automatic transmission features a Sportronic mode that allows the driver to manually select gears. But like most of these Sportmatic-like systems, selection is not linear and direct. In other words, it makes a decision about just how soon it will downshift after you've asked it to. Also, because it operates with a torque converter, you don't have the solid geartooth-to-geartooth control you would have with stick. But since there is no stick Montero, this is an okay compromise, especially since it doubles as a full-time automatic when you're stranded in drive-time bumper-to-bumper traffic. |