The rear gate opens out from the driver's side like a door. It would be more convenient here in the U.S. if the door swung from the other direction, particularly when picking people and their luggage up curbside at the airport. The spare wheel is mounted on the outside of the door, conserving interior space. This also eliminates struggling underneath the truck for the spare if you have a flat. A roof rack is standard, though this one does not feature adjustable tie-downs.

Don't confuse the Mitsubishi Montero with the smaller Montero Sport. The Montero is bigger and more luxurious. The Montero has a nicely molded massiveness that commands respect on the road. This apparent massiveness is no illusion: Redesigned for 2001, this newest-generation Montero is 4 inches wider and 2 inches longer (both in wheelbase and overall length) than before. And it's built on a unitbody chassis. Yet despite being slightly taller, the new model's step-up entry is conveniently 2 inches lower than was the pre-2000 second-generation version.