Hi, Botchi!
Our family is looking at buying a Mitsubishi Montero Sport. Is it still a good buy up to now? I just want to make sure. We intend to buy the 4x2 with automatic transmission. By the way, how old is the model? I don't want to be buying one which will be changed by next year.
All the best!
Arnold
Hi, Atty. Arnold!
Thanks for taking the time to write in. The Mitsubishi Montero Sport 4X2 2.5 is still a great buy for sure. The Toyota Fortuner 2.5 is nowhere near the Montero Sport 2.5's power and performance.
It's still quite new, about two years old, so it still has a significantly long shelf-life. Don't worry about that.
Have you looked at the other sport-utility vehicles in its class like the Ford Everest and the smaller Hyundai Tucson, the Kia Sportage and Kia Sorento? Those SUVs merit a closer look as well. Spec-wise, and reading from the foreign reviews, these new Koreans are impressive.
Ford Everest--This looks really macho and burly. It's a very good off-roader and a favorite of the 4x4 enthusiasts in the motoring media. The outside is impressive to look at. Unfortunately, the inside's still a bit old-school--lacking the polish and refinement of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport and the Toyota Fortuner. The ride is really firm to the point of being harsh--no doubt exacerbated by the big 18-inch wheels and tires. But like any Ford truck, this is one tough ride.
Hyundai Tucson--An impressive refinement with a roomy interior. It rides very well and offers loads of new technologies for a vehicle in its class such as the adaptive damping system, hill-start, hill-climb and hill-descent controls--something you'll only find in expensive premium SUVs costing well over P5 million--and a rear/reverse mounted camera to ease backing up in tight spaces. I'd wait again for the diesel variant but it sounds impressive already.
Kia Sportage--Unfortunately I have yet to drive it and most of the information I've read and hear is from the foreign media reviews. But if the foreign media's word is anything to go about, it is at the very least worth checking out at your nearest Kia dealership.
Kia Sorento--As with its smaller sibling--the Sportage--I have no first-hand experience yet with the Sorento but the previous model was impressive already so the new current one should be even better. Read more about the Kia Sorento in the December 2009 issue of Top Gear Philippines.
Good luck and keep us posted on your verdict.
Botchi Santos
Consumer editor
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