2006 Mitsubishi Endeavor Delaware

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For some reason, we kept forgetting the Mitsubishi Endeavor's name. Throughout our test, when someone would ask us what we were driving, we'd say, 'The new Mitsubishi…um…' Which is strange; the Endeavor is hardly new.

When it entered the competitive market a few years ago, this mid-size SUV took over the spot once held by the Montero Sport, and it's arguably the most carlike sport-ute that's not actually a crossover. And yet, for that unique position, it lacks distinction.

The Endeavor is just about the perfect middle-of-the-roader, a city-bred SUV that conjures images of the parking lot at Outback Steakhouse rather than the actual outback. Considering the rate of suburban expansion these days, that might be the perfect environment. For 2006, the Endeavor is updated with a revised front end design and interior updates.

The styling suggests a postmodern station wagon. The Endeavor is tall and wide, with a long, sculpted hood that carries some of the beaky look of Mitsubishi's Galant sedan. The front end is cleaned up slightly, with new chrome trim and a revised bumper. It won't be mistaken for a Galant wagon, thanks to massive fender flares that sculpt the sides and standard roof rails. At the rear, there's another redesigned bumper that tucks under, shortening the Endeavor's apparent length. 17-inch fill those wheel wells, but the street tread on the 235/65 tires suggests that the Endeavor leads toward on-pavement performance rather than mud-pit antics.

The interior is straight-up suburbia. Our base-model test truck featured comfortable cloth seats and a cool oversized, two-tiered console that's big enough to swallow our largest CD case. There's also enough plastic to prevent it from being mistaken for a luxury vehicle. Mitsubishi's trademark blue dash lighting is equal parts distinctive and hard to read. The wide body makes for a generous cabin with seating for five. The rear-seat cushions collapse forward for a flat load floor, and the Endeavor will swallow up to 76.4 cubic feet of cargo, and over half of that is available with the seats up. It's broad enough to handle four-foot wide sheets of plywood, if necessary. The Endeavor is available in LS and Limited trim levels, which are distinguished primarily by equipment. For those who want the Endeavor's interior to have as much flash as the aggressive exterior, the Limited offers front and rear climate control, a premium sound system, a trip computer and steering wheel controls. Optional equipment includes a leather interior, heated seats and a sunroof. A rear-seat DVD entertainment system is also available.

Recent Mitsubishis have a reputation for being pleasant on the road, and the Endeavor rewards in that respect. The 3.8 liter V6 under the hood offers up 225 horsepower and generous torque courtesy of an uncomplicated single overhead-cam layout. Performance is on par with the rest of the V6-powered, mid-size SUVs out there. A four-speed, manually-selectable automatic transmission is standard equipment, and the Endeavor is available with front- or all-wheel drive. Properly equipped, the Endeavor will tow up to 3500 pounds.

The fully independent suspension owes more to the car side of the spectrum than the truck side. Lightweight MacPherson struts up front and a cargo-friendly, low-mounted multi-link rear contribute to a smooth ride that's free of the usual bounce found in truck-based sport-utes. The Endeavor's width ensures a sure-footed stance on the road, though we wouldn't want to tackle a slalom in the thing, even with its rack and pinion steering. It's happy on the freeway, exhibits minimal waddle through the turns. Anti-lock brakes and a tire-pressure monitoring system are standard, and two-wheel drive Endeavors get standard traction control. On the Limited AWD model, Mitsubishi's Active Traction and Skid Control (M-ATSC) system is available. M-ATSC keeps the Endeavor on the straight and narrow by applying the throttle and brakes when necessary.

The Endeavor doesn't stand out with sporty-feelings or beg for the outdoors; it's about as close to a tall station wagon as you can get. Mitsubishi has carefully edited almost all of the truckishness out of this truck. The Endeavor was a "crossover" SUV before the PR people even coined the term, in fact. Pricing starts at $26,599 for the LS two-wheel drive model and climbs to $32,999 for the well-equipped Limited AWD.


Specifications:

All specs are for the 2006 Mitsubishi Endeavor.
Length: 190.2 in.
Width: 73.6 in.
Height: 69.6 in.
Wheelbase: 108.3 in.
Curb weight: 4079 lb.
Cargo space: 76.4 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Towing capacity: 3500 lb.
Base price: $27,999
Price as tested: $30,594
Engine: 3.8 liter SOHC V6
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic transmission,
Horsepower: 225 @ 5000
Torque: 255 @ 3750
Fuel capacity: 21.4 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/22


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