Mitsubishi Montero has always been one of the more serious sport-utility vehicles. By serious, we mean the Montero was one of the toughest truck-like entries in the category. It has traditionally been designed to be fully capable of trekking across the Great Outback with nothing more than a dirt path and a compass--the Montero supplying the latter.
But as the public hunger for SUVs has grown ravenous, not one in a thousand of these trucks will likely ever leave the pavement. Accordingly, the all-new third-generation 2001 Montero has been tailored to provide the kind of comfort, convenience, and even graciousness, expected by pavement-only, soccer-practice-and-mall-shopper tastes. The tough truck is still there underneath, but now it is concealed in a carefully civilized package that will ruffle feathers only when specifically asked to do so. As an all-weather highway cruiser and part-time backcountry buster, the new Montero is one of the most versatile and successful trucks in its category.