2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
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Edmunds First Drive
First Drive: 2003 Mitsubishi Endeavor
More Than Just Music
By Ed Hellwig
After sitting through a detailed technical presentation on Mitsubishi's new Endeavor sport-ute, the only question on most journalists' minds seemed to be, "Am I ever going to get this stupid theme song out of my head?" Like most Mitsubishi commercials as of late, the Endeavor's introductory presentation was laced with images of hip young people having fun in their new Mitsubishis. These scenes were accompanied throughout by a captivating beat that stuck in our heads for days — consider it a marketing department job well done.
Mitsubishi is hoping that more than just its theme song will be on your mind once the Endeavor hits the streets in February. Built on an all-new "Project America" platform, the Endeavor is the first Mitsubishi designed expressly for the U.S. market. More specifically, the Endeavor is aimed at the new breed of car-based SUVs that forego serious off-road ability for on-road comfort and convenience. With carlike ride and handling, a torquey V6 and a spacious cabin, the Endeavor certainly has all the ingredients necessary for a popular SUV, but can it play in a game dominated by the likes of Honda and Toyota?
If sales were driven purely by style alone, the Endeavor would certainly compete favorably. Design is always a subjective area, but no one is likely to look at an Endeavor and call it boring. With an in-your-face front end and plenty of sharply creased sheet metal, the Endeavor was designed to stand out among the current crop of otherwise featureless SUVs. It's more than just a distinctive face, however, as it offers the all-wheel-drive capabilities and interior comforts customers have come to expect in this competitive segment.
The aforementioned "Project America" platform is designed to accommodate both cars and sport-utilities, so the fact that the Endeavor displays excellent handling characteristics isn't much of a surprise. The fully independent suspension is tuned to provide a comfortable, precise ride on the highway while remaining compliant enough for light off-roading. We were impressed by the Endeavor's lack of body roll in corners and solid road feel during our test drive. We wouldn't go so far as to call it "sporty," but city driving exposed no major deficiencies, and a brief foray down a rocky fire road revealed a sport-ute fully capable of handling itself when the pavement ended — just don't expect to conquer any seriously challenging terrain.
Like most sport-utes, the steering is numb on center and a little slow to react, but the moderate weighting is well suited to day-to-day driving. Four-wheel disc brakes provide plenty of stopping power, but ABS isn't available on front-wheel-drive models unless you spring for the top-of-the-line Limited trim. An all-in-one traction and stability control system will be available later in 2003.
Only one drivetrain combination will be offered, a 3.6-liter V6 mated to a four-speed overdrive automatic. With only 215 horsepower, the Endeavor's V6 falls a little short of vehicles like Toyota's Highlander (220 hp) and Honda's Pilot (240 hp). But Mitsubishi engineers know that horsepower is only half the story, since it's torque that gives you that get-up-and-go around town. With a torque rating of 250 pound-feet, the Endeavor's V6 out-muscles both the Toyota (222) and Honda (244) in this important area, giving the Endeavor a far more responsive feel than its horsepower number might suggest.
On the road, the 3.6-liter drove about how we expected — quick off the line, healthy in the midrange, but a little strained at higher rpm. There was also a bit more engine noise than we would have liked, but our test vehicle was a prototype so we expect that much of the racket will be toned down on production models. Transmission shifts were smooth and quick, and there's even a Sportronic shift gate for manual control. The Endeavor offers both front-wheel and all-wheel drive, but we didn't notice any discernable difference in on-road performance between the two. Both models are rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds.
Three trim levels will be offered: base LS, midlevel XLS and top-of-the-line Limited. The LS offers your typical standard features like power windows, locks and mirrors along with remote keyless entry, air conditioning and a 140-watt CD stereo. The XLS adds a power driver seat, upgraded cloth upholstery and a 315-watt stereo with an in-dash six-disc CD changer. The decked-out Limited model comes standard with leather upholstery, automatic climate control, side airbags, rear climate control and a tire-pressure monitoring system.
The interior fuses a waterfall dash design with easy-to-use controls for a modern yet simplified layout. The faux metal finish isn't the most convincing treatment we've seen, but, like the bullish snout on the exterior, it does reinforce the idea that this is no Honda Pilot wanna-be. A center-mounted screen displays all pertinent climate and radio information but the fact that it can't be coupled to an optional navigation system makes it seem like a waste of valuable dashboard real estate. At night, the entire dash lights up in a cool blue color that reinforces the futuristic (or is it retro '80s?) look.
The seats provided solid support for our day-long test drive but there's not much in the way of side bolstering, and the driver lumbar adjustment didn't seem to help much. There are plenty of soft-touch materials in all the right places, and storage is abundant thanks to a large center console and spacious glovebox. Second-row accommodations are particularly generous with class-leading legroom and more than enough head- and shoulder room to keep three passengers happy. The seat folds in a 60/40 split with just one latch to reveal a nearly flat, unobstructed load floor. Maximum cargo capacity, however, is just 76.4 cubic feet, considerably less than the Honda Pilot's or Ford Explorer's.
Cargo capacity aside, the Endeavor offers buyers a solid all-around package that doesn't look like every other sport-ute already on the road. It may not be the fastest, have the most gadgets or tow the most weight, but when it comes to the kind of driving that most people do on an everyday basis, it performs admirably. The interior offers ample passenger room along with a good stereo and plenty of storage — the kind of stuff you'll appreciate on a day-to-day basis. Buyers who absolutely have to have the latest and greatest might find the Endeavor a bit lacking. But for those who would rather drive something a little farther from the mainstream, this new Mitsubishi presents a very likable alternative.
Edmunds First Drive
First Drive: 2003 Mitsubishi Endeavor
More Than Just Music
By Ed Hellwig
After sitting through a detailed technical presentation on Mitsubishi's new Endeavor sport-ute, the only question on most journalists' minds seemed to be, "Am I ever going to get this stupid theme song out of my head?" Like most Mitsubishi commercials as of late, the Endeavor's introductory presentation was laced with images of hip young people having fun in their new Mitsubishis. These scenes were accompanied throughout by a captivating beat that stuck in our heads for days — consider it a marketing department job well done.
Mitsubishi is hoping that more than just its theme song will be on your mind once the Endeavor hits the streets in February. Built on an all-new "Project America" platform, the Endeavor is the first Mitsubishi designed expressly for the U.S. market. More specifically, the Endeavor is aimed at the new breed of car-based SUVs that forego serious off-road ability for on-road comfort and convenience. With carlike ride and handling, a torquey V6 and a spacious cabin, the Endeavor certainly has all the ingredients necessary for a popular SUV, but can it play in a game dominated by the likes of Honda and Toyota?
If sales were driven purely by style alone, the Endeavor would certainly compete favorably. Design is always a subjective area, but no one is likely to look at an Endeavor and call it boring. With an in-your-face front end and plenty of sharply creased sheet metal, the Endeavor was designed to stand out among the current crop of otherwise featureless SUVs. It's more than just a distinctive face, however, as it offers the all-wheel-drive capabilities and interior comforts customers have come to expect in this competitive segment.
The aforementioned "Project America" platform is designed to accommodate both cars and sport-utilities, so the fact that the Endeavor displays excellent handling characteristics isn't much of a surprise. The fully independent suspension is tuned to provide a comfortable, precise ride on the highway while remaining compliant enough for light off-roading. We were impressed by the Endeavor's lack of body roll in corners and solid road feel during our test drive. We wouldn't go so far as to call it "sporty," but city driving exposed no major deficiencies, and a brief foray down a rocky fire road revealed a sport-ute fully capable of handling itself when the pavement ended — just don't expect to conquer any seriously challenging terrain.
Like most sport-utes, the steering is numb on center and a little slow to react, but the moderate weighting is well suited to day-to-day driving. Four-wheel disc brakes provide plenty of stopping power, but ABS isn't available on front-wheel-drive models unless you spring for the top-of-the-line Limited trim. An all-in-one traction and stability control system will be available later in 2003.
Only one drivetrain combination will be offered, a 3.6-liter V6 mated to a four-speed overdrive automatic. With only 215 horsepower, the Endeavor's V6 falls a little short of vehicles like Toyota's Highlander (220 hp) and Honda's Pilot (240 hp). But Mitsubishi engineers know that horsepower is only half the story, since it's torque that gives you that get-up-and-go around town. With a torque rating of 250 pound-feet, the Endeavor's V6 out-muscles both the Toyota (222) and Honda (244) in this important area, giving the Endeavor a far more responsive feel than its horsepower number might suggest.
On the road, the 3.6-liter drove about how we expected — quick off the line, healthy in the midrange, but a little strained at higher rpm. There was also a bit more engine noise than we would have liked, but our test vehicle was a prototype so we expect that much of the racket will be toned down on production models. Transmission shifts were smooth and quick, and there's even a Sportronic shift gate for manual control. The Endeavor offers both front-wheel and all-wheel drive, but we didn't notice any discernable difference in on-road performance between the two. Both models are rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds.
Three trim levels will be offered: base LS, midlevel XLS and top-of-the-line Limited. The LS offers your typical standard features like power windows, locks and mirrors along with remote keyless entry, air conditioning and a 140-watt CD stereo. The XLS adds a power driver seat, upgraded cloth upholstery and a 315-watt stereo with an in-dash six-disc CD changer. The decked-out Limited model comes standard with leather upholstery, automatic climate control, side airbags, rear climate control and a tire-pressure monitoring system.
The interior fuses a waterfall dash design with easy-to-use controls for a modern yet simplified layout. The faux metal finish isn't the most convincing treatment we've seen, but, like the bullish snout on the exterior, it does reinforce the idea that this is no Honda Pilot wanna-be. A center-mounted screen displays all pertinent climate and radio information but the fact that it can't be coupled to an optional navigation system makes it seem like a waste of valuable dashboard real estate. At night, the entire dash lights up in a cool blue color that reinforces the futuristic (or is it retro '80s?) look.
The seats provided solid support for our day-long test drive but there's not much in the way of side bolstering, and the driver lumbar adjustment didn't seem to help much. There are plenty of soft-touch materials in all the right places, and storage is abundant thanks to a large center console and spacious glovebox. Second-row accommodations are particularly generous with class-leading legroom and more than enough head- and shoulder room to keep three passengers happy. The seat folds in a 60/40 split with just one latch to reveal a nearly flat, unobstructed load floor. Maximum cargo capacity, however, is just 76.4 cubic feet, considerably less than the Honda Pilot's or Ford Explorer's.
Cargo capacity aside, the Endeavor offers buyers a solid all-around package that doesn't look like every other sport-ute already on the road. It may not be the fastest, have the most gadgets or tow the most weight, but when it comes to the kind of driving that most people do on an everyday basis, it performs admirably. The interior offers ample passenger room along with a good stereo and plenty of storage — the kind of stuff you'll appreciate on a day-to-day basis. Buyers who absolutely have to have the latest and greatest might find the Endeavor a bit lacking. But for those who would rather drive something a little farther from the mainstream, this new Mitsubishi presents a very likable alternative.
Thai
Elite Member
Link:
TruckWorld.com Preview--a lot of info!
2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
Models: FWD, AWD
Price Range: $25,000-$35,000
Passengers: 5
Wheelbase: 108.7"
Track" : 63"
Trim Levels: LS, XLS, Limited
Curb Weight: 3,847 lbs. (LS FWD) - 4,156 lbs. (LTD AWD)
Engine: 215hp 3.8L
Torque: 250 ft/lb @3,750rpm
Transmission: Sportronic 4-speed automatic
Frame: Lancer-based unibody
Suspension: 4-wheel independent
Brakes: 4-wheels disc
Steering: rack-and-pinion
Wheels: 17" std
Max. Cargo Area: 76.4 cu/ft
Max Tow Rating: 3,500 lbs.
TruckWorld.com Preview--a lot of info!
2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
Models: FWD, AWD
Price Range: $25,000-$35,000
Passengers: 5
Wheelbase: 108.7"
Track" : 63"
Trim Levels: LS, XLS, Limited
Curb Weight: 3,847 lbs. (LS FWD) - 4,156 lbs. (LTD AWD)
Engine: 215hp 3.8L
Torque: 250 ft/lb @3,750rpm
Transmission: Sportronic 4-speed automatic
Frame: Lancer-based unibody
Suspension: 4-wheel independent
Brakes: 4-wheels disc
Steering: rack-and-pinion
Wheels: 17" std
Max. Cargo Area: 76.4 cu/ft
Max Tow Rating: 3,500 lbs.
Thai
Elite Member
First Mitsubishi Endeavor SUV rolls off assembly line in Illinois
Normal, Illinois - Local officials and NASA Endeavour astronaut Colonel Mark Lee joined Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) executives as the first Mitsubishi Endeavor, a crossover S.U.V., rolled off the line at the company's manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois.
The Endeavor is the sixth model produced on a single assembly line at the facility, joining three other Mitsubishi products and two built for alliance partner DaimlerChrysler. No other auto plant in the country produces more models on a single line.
The Endeavor platform will serve as the underpinnings for future Project America vehicles, including the next generation Galant mid-sized sedan, Eclipse sport coupe and Eclipse Spyder convertible.
MMNA Manufacturing Division President and Chief Operating Officer Rich Gilligan presented the first Endeavor to USAF Col. Lee (Ret.), a former NASA astronaut and payload commander on the first Endeavour STS-47 space shuttle mission in 1992, and Space Center Chief Executive Officer Larry Capps.
"Our first Endeavour shuttle mission was a collaborative effort between the United States and Japan," Lee said. "It's exciting to see that spirit continue as Mitsubishi Motors kicks off its Project America initiative with an Endeavor launch of its own."
Lee and Capps will take the donated vehicle to Huntsville, Ala., where Space Camp staff will use it as the official vehicle for their travel to schools and other venues throughout the country.
Normal, Illinois - Local officials and NASA Endeavour astronaut Colonel Mark Lee joined Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) executives as the first Mitsubishi Endeavor, a crossover S.U.V., rolled off the line at the company's manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois.
The Endeavor is the sixth model produced on a single assembly line at the facility, joining three other Mitsubishi products and two built for alliance partner DaimlerChrysler. No other auto plant in the country produces more models on a single line.
The Endeavor platform will serve as the underpinnings for future Project America vehicles, including the next generation Galant mid-sized sedan, Eclipse sport coupe and Eclipse Spyder convertible.
MMNA Manufacturing Division President and Chief Operating Officer Rich Gilligan presented the first Endeavor to USAF Col. Lee (Ret.), a former NASA astronaut and payload commander on the first Endeavour STS-47 space shuttle mission in 1992, and Space Center Chief Executive Officer Larry Capps.
"Our first Endeavour shuttle mission was a collaborative effort between the United States and Japan," Lee said. "It's exciting to see that spirit continue as Mitsubishi Motors kicks off its Project America initiative with an Endeavor launch of its own."
Lee and Capps will take the donated vehicle to Huntsville, Ala., where Space Camp staff will use it as the official vehicle for their travel to schools and other venues throughout the country.
Thai
Elite Member
Link:
TheCarConnection.com Review
2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
Just how goofy can SUVs get?
by Robert Ahl
Remember when SUVs where merely conservative, unadorned boxes? When their styling basically consisted of the nose from some pickup truck with a sheetmetal brick behind it? Yeah, those were the days… the grand, glorious, giddy mid- to late-Nineties and early 2Ks. Oh how we miss them so.
Now it seems every maker is conjuring up some sort of wild-looking SUV. Nissan has gone globular with its Murano and Infiniti FX45, Toyota’s 2003 4Runner front end looks like a Cylon helmet from Battlestar Galactica, the Volvo XC90 features an oversize caricature of traditional Volvo styling, and the Chrysler Pacifica is too… too… something. But it’s Mitsubishi’s new 2004 Endeavor that’s the most aggressively bizarre looking of the bunch.
Follow us, if you will and can, down and around this form. The Endeavor’s nose looks so much like a rhinoceros’s nose that you half-expect it to snort and charge. The headlights are big enough to throw off lumens the size of hams, the fenders carry more sculpture than the Uffizi, and the side mirrors look like shovels ripped out of a kid robot’s sandbox. It’s a design riot, but the Endeavor isn’t ugly -- it’s just busy. Busy like a honeybee that’s extracted all the pollen from a Ritalin.
Convention rules
Despite the sheetmetal and plastic antics that define the Endeavor’s outward appearance, mechanically it’s a thoroughly conventional crossover SUV. Its 108.7-inch wheelbase and 190.2-inch overall length means it’s about two inches bigger in both than a Honda Pilot. The 3.8-liter SOHC V-6 sits sideways in the engine bay, sending its power to a four-speed automatic transaxle to power either the front wheels alone or, through a full-time transfer case, all four wheels. The suspension is struts up front and a multi-link system in the rear. All this is familiar stuff: the basic building blocks of a bunch of other crossover SUVs.
The Endeavor’s iron-block 3.8-liter V-6 is derived from the Montero’s 3.5-liter and that engine itself is a stretched version of the company’s 3.0-liter truck V-6. The 215 horsepower from 3.8 liters isn’t particularly robust, especially considering the Pilot’s 240 horsepower or the Toyota Highlander’s 220-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6. Both the Honda and Toyota engines benefit from being more modern, all-aluminum designs featuring variable valve timing. However, the relatively big displacement does give the Mitsu a slight advantage in low-end torque over its closest competitors.
The Endeavor is slightly less aggressive inside than outside. The dashboard itself is dominated by a large center stack styled to resemble a portable stereo system, with the instrumentation under its own awning in front of the driver. The speedo and tach are easy to read and are lighted in blue at night. The ventilation and audio controls are oversize and easy to manipulate and the in-dash, six-disc CD changer that comes in the mid-line ES and range-topping Limited is appreciated (base LS buyers get a single CD player). An LCD display tops the dash-center arrangement, but it lacks a navigation system as an option.
A more significant omission however is a third-row seat. That limits the Endeavor to just five occupants, while Honda says eight can be crammed into the Pilot’s three rows (it helps if some are Verne Troyer or smaller). Still the Endeavor’s rather flat seats are comfortable and legroom in the second row is generous.
Mitsubishi has done a fine job with interior textures, like the pebbled and dimpled texture of the steering wheel and the soft feel of the vast dash pad. The seats are flat but comfortable, leg room is good — especially in back — and there are enough outlets to power a cell phone, computer, Xbox, maybe an iron lung.
Handling it all
Every Endeavor comes wearing 235/55R17 all-season tires that contribute to this SUV’s good on-road composure. It’s not a sports car, but as long as the driver doesn’t try and clip his subdivision’s apexes too abruptly, the Endeavor behaves predictably with nicely weighted steering. The ride is about as good as any in this class and that is pretty dang good.
The engine isn’t quite so happy. Its off-idle initial acceleration is good, but it starts gasping for breath as it reaches higher revs. The four-speed automatic behaves well, too, and the “Sportronic” manual shifting scheme adds some interest to the driving experience, but it seems a bit archaic now that five- and six-speed automatics have become more common.
This is the first SUV Mitsubishi has ever designed specifically for North America and it’s the first to be produced here as well. In fact the new platform upon which the Endeavor is built will eventually spawn a Galant sedan and Eclipse coupe to be assembled alongside the SUV in Normal, Illinois. As such it’s wider and more civilized for the light-duty demands SUV buyers ask of their suburban warriors. Mitsubishi is keeping the Montero and Montero Sport around for anyone who needs serious off-road ability.
Where Mitsubishi makes great progress with the Endeavor is in areas like the interior, where every panel and piece is nicely textured and operates with grace and ease. Where they still need work is in engine sophistication. The over-the-tippy-top aspects of the Endeavor’s styling are polarizing, but it’s probably better for Mitsu, which doesn’t have the towering reputation of Honda or Toyota, to be something to some people than nothing to all people.
The Endeavor goes on sale in February with the base two-wheel-drive model starting at around $25,000 and fully loaded cowhide-laden Limited likely cresting past $35,000. Those are competitive prices that, along with some of Mitsubishi’s legendarily aggressive incentives, should have buyers considering the Endeavor.
TheCarConnection.com Review
2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
Just how goofy can SUVs get?
by Robert Ahl
Remember when SUVs where merely conservative, unadorned boxes? When their styling basically consisted of the nose from some pickup truck with a sheetmetal brick behind it? Yeah, those were the days… the grand, glorious, giddy mid- to late-Nineties and early 2Ks. Oh how we miss them so.
Now it seems every maker is conjuring up some sort of wild-looking SUV. Nissan has gone globular with its Murano and Infiniti FX45, Toyota’s 2003 4Runner front end looks like a Cylon helmet from Battlestar Galactica, the Volvo XC90 features an oversize caricature of traditional Volvo styling, and the Chrysler Pacifica is too… too… something. But it’s Mitsubishi’s new 2004 Endeavor that’s the most aggressively bizarre looking of the bunch.
Follow us, if you will and can, down and around this form. The Endeavor’s nose looks so much like a rhinoceros’s nose that you half-expect it to snort and charge. The headlights are big enough to throw off lumens the size of hams, the fenders carry more sculpture than the Uffizi, and the side mirrors look like shovels ripped out of a kid robot’s sandbox. It’s a design riot, but the Endeavor isn’t ugly -- it’s just busy. Busy like a honeybee that’s extracted all the pollen from a Ritalin.
Convention rules
Despite the sheetmetal and plastic antics that define the Endeavor’s outward appearance, mechanically it’s a thoroughly conventional crossover SUV. Its 108.7-inch wheelbase and 190.2-inch overall length means it’s about two inches bigger in both than a Honda Pilot. The 3.8-liter SOHC V-6 sits sideways in the engine bay, sending its power to a four-speed automatic transaxle to power either the front wheels alone or, through a full-time transfer case, all four wheels. The suspension is struts up front and a multi-link system in the rear. All this is familiar stuff: the basic building blocks of a bunch of other crossover SUVs.
The Endeavor’s iron-block 3.8-liter V-6 is derived from the Montero’s 3.5-liter and that engine itself is a stretched version of the company’s 3.0-liter truck V-6. The 215 horsepower from 3.8 liters isn’t particularly robust, especially considering the Pilot’s 240 horsepower or the Toyota Highlander’s 220-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6. Both the Honda and Toyota engines benefit from being more modern, all-aluminum designs featuring variable valve timing. However, the relatively big displacement does give the Mitsu a slight advantage in low-end torque over its closest competitors.
The Endeavor is slightly less aggressive inside than outside. The dashboard itself is dominated by a large center stack styled to resemble a portable stereo system, with the instrumentation under its own awning in front of the driver. The speedo and tach are easy to read and are lighted in blue at night. The ventilation and audio controls are oversize and easy to manipulate and the in-dash, six-disc CD changer that comes in the mid-line ES and range-topping Limited is appreciated (base LS buyers get a single CD player). An LCD display tops the dash-center arrangement, but it lacks a navigation system as an option.
A more significant omission however is a third-row seat. That limits the Endeavor to just five occupants, while Honda says eight can be crammed into the Pilot’s three rows (it helps if some are Verne Troyer or smaller). Still the Endeavor’s rather flat seats are comfortable and legroom in the second row is generous.
Mitsubishi has done a fine job with interior textures, like the pebbled and dimpled texture of the steering wheel and the soft feel of the vast dash pad. The seats are flat but comfortable, leg room is good — especially in back — and there are enough outlets to power a cell phone, computer, Xbox, maybe an iron lung.
Handling it all
Every Endeavor comes wearing 235/55R17 all-season tires that contribute to this SUV’s good on-road composure. It’s not a sports car, but as long as the driver doesn’t try and clip his subdivision’s apexes too abruptly, the Endeavor behaves predictably with nicely weighted steering. The ride is about as good as any in this class and that is pretty dang good.
The engine isn’t quite so happy. Its off-idle initial acceleration is good, but it starts gasping for breath as it reaches higher revs. The four-speed automatic behaves well, too, and the “Sportronic” manual shifting scheme adds some interest to the driving experience, but it seems a bit archaic now that five- and six-speed automatics have become more common.
This is the first SUV Mitsubishi has ever designed specifically for North America and it’s the first to be produced here as well. In fact the new platform upon which the Endeavor is built will eventually spawn a Galant sedan and Eclipse coupe to be assembled alongside the SUV in Normal, Illinois. As such it’s wider and more civilized for the light-duty demands SUV buyers ask of their suburban warriors. Mitsubishi is keeping the Montero and Montero Sport around for anyone who needs serious off-road ability.
Where Mitsubishi makes great progress with the Endeavor is in areas like the interior, where every panel and piece is nicely textured and operates with grace and ease. Where they still need work is in engine sophistication. The over-the-tippy-top aspects of the Endeavor’s styling are polarizing, but it’s probably better for Mitsu, which doesn’t have the towering reputation of Honda or Toyota, to be something to some people than nothing to all people.
The Endeavor goes on sale in February with the base two-wheel-drive model starting at around $25,000 and fully loaded cowhide-laden Limited likely cresting past $35,000. Those are competitive prices that, along with some of Mitsubishi’s legendarily aggressive incentives, should have buyers considering the Endeavor.
Thai
Elite Member
Here is the official Mitsubishi link to the Endeavor:
http://www.mitsubishicars.com/endeavor/gallery.html
Enjoy.
http://www.mitsubishicars.com/endeavor/gallery.html
Enjoy.
Thai
Elite Member
Link:
NCTD.com Review of Endeavor
Summary
The Mitsubishi Endeavor, entirely designed and built in the U.S., is a solid new entrant into the mid-sized, mid-priced SUV field. Mechanically it appears to be on par with other mid-priced SUVs, while its styling is distinctive.
NCTD.com Review of Endeavor
Summary
The Mitsubishi Endeavor, entirely designed and built in the U.S., is a solid new entrant into the mid-sized, mid-priced SUV field. Mechanically it appears to be on par with other mid-priced SUVs, while its styling is distinctive.
Thai
Elite Member
Call Endeavor excellent, but ...
The only thing wrong with the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor is the price, and so far, the marketplace doesn't even object to that.
2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor.
As a midsize sport-utility vehicle tailored to the way people really use SUVs, it's an excellent piece of work. But the test model was a midlevel XLS priced $32,000-plus, without leather or cargo net or fog lights, or DVD or skid control or third-row seat (not offered at any price). That's more like the level of premium pricing that, say, Toyota can command because of its good reputation. Nonetheless, Edmunds.com reports that Endeavor is selling at or near full sticker.
At $28,000, the all-wheel-drive XLS test truck would make more sense.
Pushing aside price as an issue, it's easy to rave about Endeavor.
Instead of making a car-based SUV more carlike, in the fashion of other crossover SUVs, Mitsubishi made the car-based Endeavor trucklike.
It looks like a truck, has a truck's firm ride, feels solid as trucks do and boasts a no-nonsense layout blessedly free of gimmicks. It comes across like a very good traditional, truck-based SUV.
Endeavor uses the chassis that'll underpin the next-generation Mitsubishi Galant midsize sedan this summer and the redesigned Eclipse sporty car a year later. Atop that hardware, Mitsubishi plopped a boldly styled truck body, instead of one that looks like a cross between a station wagon and a minivan.
Endeavor hits a sweet spot in size and features. Here's the good stuff noted during the test drive:
•Exterior. The bulges over the wheels add character and definition but aren't showy and immature. You can visually minimize the muscular haunches by getting a dark color or let them stand out by getting a light color.
•Interior. Cloth seats in the test truck were very comfortable. They'll probably feel a bit firm to many people, but that's one sign of a seat that'll keep your back and rump supported properly hours later, and Endeavor's seemed to. Finding a just-so driving position was easy, even though the pedals weren't adjustable and the seat didn't adjust seven ways from Sunday. Good basic design.
Knobs are big, well marked, logical. Yippee. Even the covers over the 12-volt plugs are hefty, making them easy to open without pinching a finger. That's a sign that Mitsubishi designers have at least one foot in the real world. One of the 12-volt plugs is switched through the ignition, as normal, and the others are hot all the time, in case you need to keep charging the cell phone without running the engine, or operate your beach toy inflator without starting the vehicle.
Rear-seat legroom is even more ample than the generous 38.5 inches suggest, and the cushion is a good height for adults, though adjustable backrests would improve comfort.
The rear seat is split approximately 60/40, and each portion folds separately, via a single latch, to expand cargo space.
The cargo hold has plenty of hooks to hang and tie things. And the tailgate window opens by itself, should you not need to swing up the entire gate.
•Handling. Nimble enough to be fun and easy-driving.
•Chemistry. The more you drive it, the more you like it, appreciating Endeavor's commitment to doing the basics right, and stylishly, while having the guts to forsake gee-whiz gadgetry and furbelows.
There are, of course, reasons Endeavor won't suit all, and some things Mitsubishi could improve.
•Seating. What you get is comfy, but do you get enough? Lack of a third row is a deal-breaker for some buyers.
Not that Mitsubishi should have stuffed a way-back row into Endeavor just to brag about it. But perhaps Endeavor's body or wheelbase could have been lengthened to handle another row. Endeavor is an inch longer than a Ford Explorer four-door, which does have a third row.
•Powertrain. The engine's generally satisfying, though more power's always welcome in a vehicle made to haul people and stuff. For Endeavor's premium price, though, you should get more than a so-so power rating from an engine that requires premium fuel to achieve it. The transmission's a four-speed in an age when even minivans sport five-speed gearboxes. A five-speed would wake up the engine a bit, and possibly could be tuned to avoid the four-speed's jerky downshifts.
In general, the powertrain is behind the curve on sophistication.
•Info display. It's the one home of silliness in the vehicle, using pictograms for airflow instead of simple arrows. And there's no trip computer mode, so you can't track your fuel economy easily, nor have an idea how far you can drive until the tank's empty.
•Steering wheel. A reasonable person could consider it mud-ugly. And the hard plastic surface won't appeal to all, though it's easier on the hands than it seems at first. The leather upholstery option gives you a leather-wrapped steering wheel and might be the (expensive) solution.
•Rear suspension. It hangs down in ugly fashion, threatening to snag any branch or rock en route to the fishin' hole. Mitsubishi cautions that Endeavor's for bad roads and bad weather, not true off-road use. You decide whether that path to the cabin in the woods is a bad road or no road at all.
•AWD. A transfer case with low-range gears would be welcome — but that would make it off-road capable and require beefier underpinnings, starting a price-boosting chain of upgrades.
•Track record. There isn't one. Endeavor's a newcomer, on sale only three months, using new hardware throughout. There are no crash scores or reliability ratings yet, which should give pause before handing over 30 big ones.
Still, judged purely as a modern transportation product of the highly popular sort for those who don't need a third-row seat or heavy-duty capabilities — in other words, for most SUV users — Endeavor's terrific.
•What is it? Midsize sport-utility vehicle based on car-style chassis but styled like a traditional truck-based SUV; available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD); manufactured at Normal, Ill.
•How soon? On sale since March.
•How much? LS FWD starts at $26,192 including $595 49-state destination charge ($720 in Alaska). LS AWD starts at $28,192. XLS: FWD, $28,492; AWD, $30,492. Limited: FWD, $32,292; AWD, $33,792.
Expect to pay full sticker price, or nearly so, Edmunds.com says.
•What's the powertrain? 3.8-liter V-6 rated 215 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, 250 pounds-feet of torque at 3,750 rpm, four-speed automatic transmission with Sportronic manual-shift mode. AWD models have full-time system that splits power 50/50, front/rear in normal driving; no transfer case with low-range gears.
Anti-skid and traction controls will be introduced later this year as options on Limited only.
•What's the safety gear? Normal array of bags and belts. Anti-lock brakes with brake-force distribution are standard on AWD and Limited models.
•What's the rest? LS comes with air conditioning; AM/FM/CD stereo; power steering, brakes, windows, locks, mirrors, cruise control; height-adjustable steering column; remote-control locks; driver's seat height adjustment; auto-off headlights; rear window defroster, wiper and washer; floor mats; P235/65-17 mud and snow tires on cast aluminum wheels; temporary spare.
XLS has upgraded cloth upholstery; six-CD changer with upgraded stereo; compass and temperature display; cargo cover; roof rack; chrome bumper trim. Limited has leather upholstery; sunroof; automatic climate control; body-color exterior trim; front-seat, side-impact air bags; tire-pressure monitor.
•How many? 80,000 first 12 months.
•Who'll buy? About 60% men, Mitsubishi says; married but probably no kids, about 37 years old, with $80,000 annual household income.
•How big? Slightly longer and wider than a four-door Ford Explorer SUV, but with less room inside. Endeavor is 190.2 inches long, 73.6 inches wide, 67.3 to 70.2 inches tall, depending on roof rack accessories, on a 108.7-inch wheelbase. Weight ranges from 3,847 to 4,156 pounds, depending on model.
Cargo space behind rear seat is 40.7 cubic feet; with rear seat folded, 76.4 cubic feet. Rated to tow 2,000 pounds (FWD) or 3,500 pounds (AWD). FWD models rated to carry 1,115 to 1,203 pounds of people, cargo and accessories, depending on model. AWD rated to carry 1,094 to 1,171 pounds.
•How thirsty? FWD is rated 17 miles per gallon in town, 23 on the highway. AWD is rated 17/21. Premium fuel is specified.
•Overall: Right look, right feel, wrong price.
The only thing wrong with the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor is the price, and so far, the marketplace doesn't even object to that.
2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor.
As a midsize sport-utility vehicle tailored to the way people really use SUVs, it's an excellent piece of work. But the test model was a midlevel XLS priced $32,000-plus, without leather or cargo net or fog lights, or DVD or skid control or third-row seat (not offered at any price). That's more like the level of premium pricing that, say, Toyota can command because of its good reputation. Nonetheless, Edmunds.com reports that Endeavor is selling at or near full sticker.
At $28,000, the all-wheel-drive XLS test truck would make more sense.
Pushing aside price as an issue, it's easy to rave about Endeavor.
Instead of making a car-based SUV more carlike, in the fashion of other crossover SUVs, Mitsubishi made the car-based Endeavor trucklike.
It looks like a truck, has a truck's firm ride, feels solid as trucks do and boasts a no-nonsense layout blessedly free of gimmicks. It comes across like a very good traditional, truck-based SUV.
Endeavor uses the chassis that'll underpin the next-generation Mitsubishi Galant midsize sedan this summer and the redesigned Eclipse sporty car a year later. Atop that hardware, Mitsubishi plopped a boldly styled truck body, instead of one that looks like a cross between a station wagon and a minivan.
Endeavor hits a sweet spot in size and features. Here's the good stuff noted during the test drive:
•Exterior. The bulges over the wheels add character and definition but aren't showy and immature. You can visually minimize the muscular haunches by getting a dark color or let them stand out by getting a light color.
•Interior. Cloth seats in the test truck were very comfortable. They'll probably feel a bit firm to many people, but that's one sign of a seat that'll keep your back and rump supported properly hours later, and Endeavor's seemed to. Finding a just-so driving position was easy, even though the pedals weren't adjustable and the seat didn't adjust seven ways from Sunday. Good basic design.
Knobs are big, well marked, logical. Yippee. Even the covers over the 12-volt plugs are hefty, making them easy to open without pinching a finger. That's a sign that Mitsubishi designers have at least one foot in the real world. One of the 12-volt plugs is switched through the ignition, as normal, and the others are hot all the time, in case you need to keep charging the cell phone without running the engine, or operate your beach toy inflator without starting the vehicle.
Rear-seat legroom is even more ample than the generous 38.5 inches suggest, and the cushion is a good height for adults, though adjustable backrests would improve comfort.
The rear seat is split approximately 60/40, and each portion folds separately, via a single latch, to expand cargo space.
The cargo hold has plenty of hooks to hang and tie things. And the tailgate window opens by itself, should you not need to swing up the entire gate.
•Handling. Nimble enough to be fun and easy-driving.
•Chemistry. The more you drive it, the more you like it, appreciating Endeavor's commitment to doing the basics right, and stylishly, while having the guts to forsake gee-whiz gadgetry and furbelows.
There are, of course, reasons Endeavor won't suit all, and some things Mitsubishi could improve.
•Seating. What you get is comfy, but do you get enough? Lack of a third row is a deal-breaker for some buyers.
Not that Mitsubishi should have stuffed a way-back row into Endeavor just to brag about it. But perhaps Endeavor's body or wheelbase could have been lengthened to handle another row. Endeavor is an inch longer than a Ford Explorer four-door, which does have a third row.
•Powertrain. The engine's generally satisfying, though more power's always welcome in a vehicle made to haul people and stuff. For Endeavor's premium price, though, you should get more than a so-so power rating from an engine that requires premium fuel to achieve it. The transmission's a four-speed in an age when even minivans sport five-speed gearboxes. A five-speed would wake up the engine a bit, and possibly could be tuned to avoid the four-speed's jerky downshifts.
In general, the powertrain is behind the curve on sophistication.
•Info display. It's the one home of silliness in the vehicle, using pictograms for airflow instead of simple arrows. And there's no trip computer mode, so you can't track your fuel economy easily, nor have an idea how far you can drive until the tank's empty.
•Steering wheel. A reasonable person could consider it mud-ugly. And the hard plastic surface won't appeal to all, though it's easier on the hands than it seems at first. The leather upholstery option gives you a leather-wrapped steering wheel and might be the (expensive) solution.
•Rear suspension. It hangs down in ugly fashion, threatening to snag any branch or rock en route to the fishin' hole. Mitsubishi cautions that Endeavor's for bad roads and bad weather, not true off-road use. You decide whether that path to the cabin in the woods is a bad road or no road at all.
•AWD. A transfer case with low-range gears would be welcome — but that would make it off-road capable and require beefier underpinnings, starting a price-boosting chain of upgrades.
•Track record. There isn't one. Endeavor's a newcomer, on sale only three months, using new hardware throughout. There are no crash scores or reliability ratings yet, which should give pause before handing over 30 big ones.
Still, judged purely as a modern transportation product of the highly popular sort for those who don't need a third-row seat or heavy-duty capabilities — in other words, for most SUV users — Endeavor's terrific.
•What is it? Midsize sport-utility vehicle based on car-style chassis but styled like a traditional truck-based SUV; available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD); manufactured at Normal, Ill.
•How soon? On sale since March.
•How much? LS FWD starts at $26,192 including $595 49-state destination charge ($720 in Alaska). LS AWD starts at $28,192. XLS: FWD, $28,492; AWD, $30,492. Limited: FWD, $32,292; AWD, $33,792.
Expect to pay full sticker price, or nearly so, Edmunds.com says.
•What's the powertrain? 3.8-liter V-6 rated 215 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, 250 pounds-feet of torque at 3,750 rpm, four-speed automatic transmission with Sportronic manual-shift mode. AWD models have full-time system that splits power 50/50, front/rear in normal driving; no transfer case with low-range gears.
Anti-skid and traction controls will be introduced later this year as options on Limited only.
•What's the safety gear? Normal array of bags and belts. Anti-lock brakes with brake-force distribution are standard on AWD and Limited models.
•What's the rest? LS comes with air conditioning; AM/FM/CD stereo; power steering, brakes, windows, locks, mirrors, cruise control; height-adjustable steering column; remote-control locks; driver's seat height adjustment; auto-off headlights; rear window defroster, wiper and washer; floor mats; P235/65-17 mud and snow tires on cast aluminum wheels; temporary spare.
XLS has upgraded cloth upholstery; six-CD changer with upgraded stereo; compass and temperature display; cargo cover; roof rack; chrome bumper trim. Limited has leather upholstery; sunroof; automatic climate control; body-color exterior trim; front-seat, side-impact air bags; tire-pressure monitor.
•How many? 80,000 first 12 months.
•Who'll buy? About 60% men, Mitsubishi says; married but probably no kids, about 37 years old, with $80,000 annual household income.
•How big? Slightly longer and wider than a four-door Ford Explorer SUV, but with less room inside. Endeavor is 190.2 inches long, 73.6 inches wide, 67.3 to 70.2 inches tall, depending on roof rack accessories, on a 108.7-inch wheelbase. Weight ranges from 3,847 to 4,156 pounds, depending on model.
Cargo space behind rear seat is 40.7 cubic feet; with rear seat folded, 76.4 cubic feet. Rated to tow 2,000 pounds (FWD) or 3,500 pounds (AWD). FWD models rated to carry 1,115 to 1,203 pounds of people, cargo and accessories, depending on model. AWD rated to carry 1,094 to 1,171 pounds.
•How thirsty? FWD is rated 17 miles per gallon in town, 23 on the highway. AWD is rated 17/21. Premium fuel is specified.
•Overall: Right look, right feel, wrong price.
peter78
Super Moderator
Here is a link to a Midsize Crossover SUV Comparision. The Endeavor came in first and the Highlander came in last. Go figure.
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/comp...ml?tid=edmunds.e.comparison.content..1.Honda*
Here is the Summary:
"The Mitsubishi Endeavor offered a combination of our favorite aspects of all the vehicles in the test. Its performance and handling had the ability to make us smile; it provided a comfortable ride; its cabin was spacious and well-tailored (if not a little avant-garde); it ran well over rugged terrain; and its exterior design was aggressive. It did nothing spectacular, it just did a lot of things well. That was enough for us to award it number-one ranking in our 2003 Midsize Crossover SUVs Comparison Test. "
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/comp...ml?tid=edmunds.e.comparison.content..1.Honda*
Here is the Summary:
"The Mitsubishi Endeavor offered a combination of our favorite aspects of all the vehicles in the test. Its performance and handling had the ability to make us smile; it provided a comfortable ride; its cabin was spacious and well-tailored (if not a little avant-garde); it ran well over rugged terrain; and its exterior design was aggressive. It did nothing spectacular, it just did a lot of things well. That was enough for us to award it number-one ranking in our 2003 Midsize Crossover SUVs Comparison Test. "
Thai
Elite Member
Test Drive: 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor
Review and photos by Russell Purcell
Mitsubishi is a company with a long history of building sport-utility vehicles - their Montero models have been popular in markets around the world for 20 years, and now consists of two distinct models. Last year the company chose to expand its model offerings to include a mini-ute (Outlander) and for 2004, a more mild-mannered cross-over, the Endeavor - all in a concentrated effort to gain a larger share of the burgeoning SUV market.
Cross-over vehicles are often hit or miss with regards to styling. Due to the reliance on the platforms of other models, there are often design limitations. In the case of Mitsubishi
Review and photos by Russell Purcell
Mitsubishi is a company with a long history of building sport-utility vehicles - their Montero models have been popular in markets around the world for 20 years, and now consists of two distinct models. Last year the company chose to expand its model offerings to include a mini-ute (Outlander) and for 2004, a more mild-mannered cross-over, the Endeavor - all in a concentrated effort to gain a larger share of the burgeoning SUV market.
Cross-over vehicles are often hit or miss with regards to styling. Due to the reliance on the platforms of other models, there are often design limitations. In the case of Mitsubishi
