OEM Files
Advanced unibody architecture. Four-wheel, fully independent suspension. Five-speed Sportronic automatic transmission. A leather-and-wood steering wheel. A 175-watt Mitsubishi audio system w/AM/FM stereo, CD player and 7 Infinity speakers. Is this another sport utility vehicle that has cashed in its off-road chips for a chance at the big win in suburbia? Hardly. The Mitsubishi Montero has made big strides in refinement, but it has also made big strides in ruggedness. So while you may say it has two personalities, you can't call it a two-ton couch potato.
The starting point was a completely new unibody structure in place of the former model's body-on-frame design. This design is simpler, more space efficient and an eye-opening three times more robust in bending and twisting strength. CAD/CAM investigation found a strength-enhancing job to virtually every inch of the Montero's unitized shell.
Nearly four inches wider and almost two inches lower in overall height, the new body certainly has a more aggressive stance. This translates into more than two inches of additional wheelbase and more than three inches of additional front and rear track. Montero's footprint is now much bigger, yet the turning circle is 1.3 feet smaller.
Beneath the fenders, a fully independent front double wishbone and rear multi-link suspension sends the industry-standard solid rear axle into retirement. More subtle, disciplined and responsive, Montero's suspension has come back from finishing school with impressive road manners. And yet there's 1.6 inches more front wheel travel, 0.6 inch more rear wheel travel and 1.7 inches of additional ground clearance for excursions into the woods. This, along with step-in height that's actually lowered by 1.9 inches.
There are more improvements to the Montero's chassis, as steering is now rack-and-pinion. This highly accurate system is mechanically geared for more on-road feedback and hydraulically valved for less off-road kickback. When the big 265/70R-16 tires get marching orders from the steering wheel, the response is right now. However, thumb-twisting jolts are notably reduced in rough going.
The braking system has been fortified with front and rear ventilated discs, electronic front-to-rear brake distribution based on load and standard MultiMode four-channel ABS. Functional in all of the Montero's drive modes, the system tailors its response to accommodate the loose surfaces it's likely to encounter in 4WD. And like the steering, brake feel and responsiveness have been improved - in this case, through the use of super-precise electro-hydraulic boosting.