The enduring excellence of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

That’s the age-old adage that Mitsubishi seems to have taken to heart when they released the 2020 Montero Sport—one of the most popular Mitsubishi models ever sold in the Philippines.

When I first heard that Mitsubishi was about to announce the 2020-model Montero Sport, I expected its front to be closer to the edgy and highly futuristic Xpander’s, much like what the company did with the latest Strada pickup. What I was more intrigued about was the rear taillamps, which was more contentious and which elicited polarized love-it-or-hate-it comments. 

Mitsubishi put those speculations to rest with the official unveiling of the 2020 Montero Sport at the Grand Ballroom of Okada Manila in Paranaque City early this month.

As expected the new SUV sports a sharper and more robust appearance up front. Mitsubishi’s signature Dynamic Shield front view design concept has been further evolved on the new Montero Sport, emphasizing the sense of wideness with the headlights continuing from the front grille and the combination lamps at the bumper corners. The higher hood exhibits a deeper front face, while a more solid, powerful chrome part design projects a more refined, sophisticated appearance.

And the rear? The new model sports the same “melting” guitar pick-shaped LED taillamps, but with a fresher treatment that enhances visibility. There is also a sharp-looking new rear spoiler that looks like it could be used for a Lamborghini Urus. Save for stylish new alloy wheels with a machine-cut silver and glossy deep gray finish, the side view is largely unchanged.   

Under the hood is Mitsubishi’s ultra-smooth and silent state-of-the-art 2.4-liter MIVEC turbo-diesel that develops 181ps at 3,500 rpm and 430Nm of torque at 2,500 rpm. This is one diesel engine that matches the best from luxury German auto brands. This motor is mated to a superb 8-speed automatic with those cool magnesium paddle shifters. (Check out the paddle shifters of some European luxury brands—they’re made of plastic.)

The new Montero Sport retains the Super-Select 4WD-II system that delivers optimal traction for all surfaces and confidence-inspiring handling. The off-road mode with a newly designed switch on 4WD models elevates all-terrain performance and self-extraction capability through the integrated control of engine output, transmission settings and brake power. The rear suspension has also been tweaked for both better comfort and increased off-road toughness.

Inside, Mitsubishi crafted a refreshed interior, highlighted by an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, that delivers a more luxurious and comfortable feel. The elegant leather seats feature dual-layer cushioning that gives that soft caressing feel while still providing just the right firmness for excellent support. Needless to say, the new Montero Sport is equipped with advanced features both for convenience and safety.

An updated floor console and soft-padded interior door panels enhance luxury and comfort while a storage tray that sits under the floor console is now accessible from both left and right sides.  For power users, a new 220V 150-watt AC power outlet has been added on the existing USB port at the rear panel of the center console.

Expected to be popular addition is the new highly intuitive infotainment system highlighted by a configurable 8-inch color LCD meter and 8-inch Smartphone-Link Display Audio (SDA), which is compatible for Apple Carplay and Android Auto. There is also now a opening height-adjustable power tailgate with hands-free feature, which can be opened or closed simply by placing a foot under the rear bumper.

On the safety front, the new Montero Sport, which uses Mitsubishi’s impact-dissipating high-strength RISE body, is equipped with Lane Change Assist (LCA) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) functions, Hill Start Assist, a multi-view camera system that limits blind spots when parking the vehicle, and six airbags.

Initial prices for the new Montero Sport are P1,769,000 for the GLS 2WD AT and P1,998,000 for the GT 2WD AT. Color options are White Diamond, Sterling Silver Metalic, Titanium Gray, Medium Red, and Jet Black.