Mitsubishi is riding a surge

Mitsubishi is on a surge.

The Japanese manufacturer had trundled along with a clutch of reasonably decent products that had some flair, but not enough to make a big dent in the competition.

Though its cars — the Diamante, Eclipse, Galant, Lancer and Mirage — showed sales gains overall, the company barely held its own in truck territory with its dated Montero Sport and Montero SUVs.

That changed with the introduction of the Outlander, a car-based compact SUV that competes handily against the likes of the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV-4, the Saturn Vue and the Subaru Forester.

Now comes the 2004 midsized Endeavor, which has the unenviable task of going bumper-to-bumper against car-based sport utes such as the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Murano and Buick Rendezvous.

Fortunately for Mitsubishi, that area of the market seems to be expanding, as well as gaining ground against the truck-based units. A word about the difference: Truck-based SUVs are, as the name indicates, built on platforms similar to pickup trucks, with the body bolted to a solid steel frame. They are more rugged and suited to off-road carousing, especially when equipped with all-wheel drive or part-time four-wheel drive.

Car-based SUVs, on the other hand, usually have unit bodies, like cars, and come off the same platform as a company’s sedans. For example, the Highlander is based on the Toyota Camry and the Pilot comes from the Honda Accord. Similarly, the Endeavor is based on the new Galant platform.

The car-based SUVs often can be ordered with front-wheel drive as well as all-wheel drive and, although they can do limited off-road duty — the Endeavor has 8 inches of ground clearance — they are more appropriate for trips to the shopping mall or the children’s soccer fields.

Moreover, they tend to get better fuel economy, and they usually handle and ride better than their truck brethren.

All that applies to the new Endeavor. In virtually every respect, it’s directly competitive in the midsize car-based SUV class. Where it differs is in its styling, which has a rugged, in-your-face demeanor that looks almost as trucklike as its Montero siblings.

The only thing it lacks to be a leader in the class is a third row of seats like the Honda Pilot. But the Mitsubishi folks argue that customers who want that amenity can move over to the big Montero. Never mind that the Montero is a big truck.

The Endeavor comes in three versions — the LS, XLS and Limited. Each is available with front-wheel drive or an all-wheel drive that operates automatically, without any action from the driver. Prices range from $26,192 for the front-drive LS to $33,792 for the tested Limited with all-wheel drive.

There’s not much you can add to the Limited AWD. It comes with side air bags, antilock brakes, leather upholstery, a motorized sunroof, heated front seats and outside mirrors, automatic climate control, a seven-speaker stereo system with a six-disc, in-dash CD changer, remote locking, a cargo-area cover, fog lights and a roof-mounted luggage rack.

The only option on the test car was a $300 towing package. With that, the Endeavor can tow up to 3,500 pounds. This is not a hauler, however. Its forte is carrying four passengers in comfort. Forget the center seating position in back.

With the back seats occupied, there’s 41 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold the seats and the cargo volume jumps to more than 76 cubic feet for those runs to the home improvement store. Mitsubishi says the Endeavor can handle the proverbial 4-by-8 sheet of plywood.

The edgy exterior styling carries over to the interior, where the stylists have designed a center stereo/climate control stack that resembles a funky boom box — the better to appeal to the young, if not the young at heart.

There’s a big center armrest in front that folds up out of the way to reveal a large open area — with storage beneath — that can easily accommodate a purse or briefcase.

Motivation comes from a strong 3.8-liter V-6 engine that delivers 215 horsepower through a four-speed automatic transmission. The engine has good low-speed grunt, so it gets off the line quickly. Zero-to-60 acceleration comes up in a whiff under eight seconds. Cruising is quiet and refined, with some engine sounds but little wind or road noise. However, with a load the Endeavor does exhibit some weakness climbing steep hills, forcing the transmission to downshift to compensate.

There’s a manual-shift mode so the driver can make his own gear choices, but there are times when a five-speed automatic would be welcome. The ride is not soft, but it’s not punishing, either. Where the Endeavor shines is in dry-road handling. It turns quickly and accurately on mountain roads and in clogged city traffic.

As with most SUVs, the Endeavor has a plethora of cup holders, cubbies for storage and 12-volt electrical outlets — a total of four.