Well-aged and well-capable
Some things in this world remain constant, even with the advent of new eras, new generations and new tastes.
Ballads, for instance, are a staple of Original Pinoy Music (OPM) – the works of esteemed Filipino composers like Louie Ocampo, Ogie Alcasid, Ryan Cayabyab and Tats Faustino have endured decades of Western, post-colonial works from the rap, R&B, hip-hop and pop genres entering the country.
This very newspaper that you’re holding – born out of a ferocious, collective opposition to a decades-long regime of brutality, injustice and wanton corruption – has thrived long after the overthrow and demise of the dictator. It remains the top newspaper in the Philippines, despite the advent of Facebook, X and TikTok as fast (albeit unreliable) information sources.
And now that the Philippines has entered the era of electrification, one type of vehicle could be going the way of the dodo – the seven-seat, pickup-based sport-utility vehicle (SUV). This includes the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Nissan Terra, Isuzu mu-X and the subject of today’s review, the 2024 Mitsubishi Montero Sport GT Black Edition.
Does this turbodiesel leviathan stand a chance amid the onslaught of clean, quiet and smooth hybrids and battery-electric vehicles?
Sleek looks
Typical of a Mitsubishi Black Edition, this top-spec Montero sports gloss-black door handles, gloss-black mirrors, a gloss-black roof and gloss-black, 18-inch alloy wheels.
It works well with the Graphite Gray Metallic paint scheme, perhaps more so than the available White Diamond and Jet Black Mica colors. It also helps obscure the fact that the Montero Sport has been with us since 2016, with a midlife facelift helping stave off the years.
Indeed, the current Montero Sport has a similar front-end to the previous-generation Mitsubishi Strada pickup truck, which has since been succeeded by the all-new Triton. As such, the pointed LED headlights and the Dynamic Shield grill with integrated LED daytime running lights remain.
Montero Sport styling cues that have endured the last eight years include the upward kink in the D-pillar and the dramatic, waterfall-style LED taillights that have been made shorter following the facelift.
This SUV certainly retains its originality among its pickup-based rivals, but it shows its age against more modern competition like the bold Ford Everest, the handsome Kia Sorento, and the truly eye-catching Hyundai Santa Fe.
Well-equipped cabin
Inside, the Montero Sport GT Black Edition gets all the goodies, along with diamond-stitch, burgundy-and-black leather that is watered down slightly by the hard plastics on the dashboard and door cards.
Passengers get electrically adjustable front seats, an electric sunroof, an electric tailgate, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and a powerful dual-zone climate control with dedicated rear air-conditioning. A welcome feature, exclusive to Black Edition variants, is the 8-inch digital gauge cluster that uses the same graphics as the all-new Mitsubishi Xforce.
However, the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although simple, isn’t as responsive or clear as its younger rivals – the screen likewise projects a terrible view of the 360-degree camera system.
And given that this big Mitsubishi has a ladder-frame chassis with a generous 218 millimeters of ground clearance, the high floor makes the cabin rather cramped, unlike the palatial Geely Okavango. But as with all SUVs in this class, the third-row seats are only really suited for kids.
The Montero Sport GT Black Edition is certainly a comfortable place to be in, but the interior design isn’t quite as up to date as newer models like the fabulously appointed Everest Titanium.
Punchy performance
Where the Montero Sport is relatively up to date is its 2.4-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve, inline-4 turbodiesel engine.
The venerable 4N15, equipped with Mitsubishi’s MIVEC variable-valve timing system, offers good refinement and strong performance, despite the considerable lag from the 8-speed automatic gearbox at full throttle. Its 179 horsepower and 430 Newton-meters of torque is competitive, but behind the stronger powerplants of the Fortuner, Everest, mu-X and Sorento.
And given that this GT model comes standard with Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD-II system with lockable rear differential, the extra 75 kilograms from the 4×2 model is noticeable. Despite this, fuel economy is good for this two-ton leviathan – 8 to 11 kilometers per liter in the city and 14 to 17 kilometers per liter on the expressway.
In addition, the Diamond Star brand’s brilliance in suspension tuning would make Fortuner owners truly envious – frame shudder is minimal and bumps are absorbed by superb dampers, providing total confidence on any surface. But the heavy and slow steering, which are great for off-road work, can be tiresome on tarmac.
As expected of a top-spec SUV, the Montero Sport GT Black Edition has a bevy of safety features that can also make driving long distances easier – these include adaptive cruise control, forward-collision mitigation, blind-spot warning with lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert, on top of the front, side curtain and driver’s knee airbags and ISOFIX child-restraint anchors.
Update soon?
At P2,502,000, the Montero Sport GT Black Edition is very competitive against aging rivals like the Toyota Fortuner LTD, the Nissan Terra Sport and the Isuzu mu-X LS-E.
But unlike music, cars can only survive through continuous improvement, especially when there are more comfortable ways to carry seven people and cargo. It is also highly unlikely that the “electric revolution” will kill off cars like the Montero Sport GT Black Edition, which has capabilities that electrified SUVs could only dream of.
Put another way, even the Philippine Daily Inquirer has a website and full social-media presence, while retaining the quality reportage that it’s known and loved for.
But given that the Triton is already in the country with an all-new engine, chassis and features, the next-generation Montero Sport might just be around the corner. Perhaps that concept SUV debuting at the 2024 Philippine International Motor Show is a preview of things to come?
