Mitsubishi is building great vehicles that people have finally begun taking serious notice of. Sales across all its model lines are growing steadily and they have captured an unusually large segment of the prized youth market. The new Mitsubishi Endeavor, an above average midsize sport-utility vehicle (SUV) should shortly be giving the likes of Honda, Toyota, Ford and GM another run for their money.
   Mitsubishi attracts that unusually large cadre of young buyers with its sporty image, bold styling, performance-based engineering, realistic pricing, and outstanding financing incentives. With all that going for it, the new, American-made Endeavor should be a hit.
   The Endeavor’s flashy styling is reminiscent of Mitsubishi’s 1999 SSU concept vehicle, which made the rounds of the auto shows back then. It definitely doesn’t look like your typical soccer mom’s SUV.
   With three trim levels, the base LS, mid-range XLS and top-of-the-line Limited (LTD), Endeavor pricing starts at $25,597 and tops out at approximately $32,000.
   This 2004 model, which I had the opportunity to drive at a press event in Phoenix early this year, was designed specifically for the U.S. market as part of Mitsubishi’s “Project America,” — the automaker’s plan to develop and build its core products in this country. To that end, the Endeavor was styled in California, engineered in Michigan and is built in Illinois.
   According to Mitsubishi brand manager Janis Little, the Endeavor is the first in a series of six Mitsubishi vehicles to be put on a new platform, which will also to be used by the updated Galant sedan and the sporty Eclipse. That’s good news for the increasing number of buyers who want a midsize SUV that delivers car-like ride and handling rather than the stiffer ride and sloppy handling provided by truck-based sport utes.
   The 4-door Endeavor fits into the Mitsubishi SUV lineup right between its hot new compact Outlander and its big — but not overly large — Montero Sport and slightly larger Montero. Like most car-based crossover SUVs, the Endeavor comes in either front or all-wheel drive configurations. With no-range gearing, it’s designed primarily for on-road use but can handle fairly difficult off-road chores as well. While the truck-based Montero rides like a truck when roads get a little rough, in comparison, Endeavor occupants can feel some road imperfections, but it rides and handles much more like a car because of its agile all-independent suspension.
   On the road, I found the handling to be impressive and the steering quick — especially for an SUV. That’s courtesy of the supple suspension, rigid chassis, large 17-inch wheels and a wide track stance. Under the hood there’s even a plastic engine intake manifold that reduces the engine’s center of gravity.
There’s an anti-skid and traction-control system that’s optional for the upscale Limited, and front side torso airbags, which are optional for the XLS and standard on the Limited.
   The brake pedal has good linear action, and stopping distances with the four-wheel disc-brake setup are short. Anti-lock brakes are standard on the LS and XLS all-wheel-drive versions and also on the Limited.
   Under the hood is a potent 3.8-liter, 215-horse, 24-valve, overhead-cam V6 similar to the one in the Montero. It’s married to a responsive 4-speed automatic transmission with an easy to use manual shift feature. It delivers exceptionally strong acceleration, but is a little noisy during full-throttle acceleration — and it demands a diet of premium fuel.
    Weighing in at about 4,000 pounds, with estimated mileage at 17 in the city and 23 on the highway with front wheel-drive and 17 and 21 with all-wheel drive, the Endeavor is no gas mileage champ. On the up side, the V6 is loafing at 2600 rpm doing 75 mph, and the 21.4-gallon fuel tank provides decent cruising range on the highway.
   The Endeavor is pretty well equipped, making it a great value for the money. Even the bottom-of-the-line front wheel-drive LS boasts a significant amount of standard equipment, including AM/FM/CD, air conditioning, remote keyless entry as well as power windows, door locks and mirrors. The XLS adds items like a better sound system, and leather upholstery is standard on the Limited.
   Inside, occupants will find seats that are comfortable and supportive, but rather firm. The interior boasts sculpted forms, metallic-finish surfaces and cupholders that are conveniently placed at the front of the console — which also has two power outlets on its front and one on the back. Front doors have storage pockets, and the glove box and center console bin are quite deep.
   Although many SUVs claim to seat five adults, the truth is, most only can seat four with any real degree of comfort. The Endeavor however, can comfortably accommodate that elusive fifth — and tall — adult.
   There’s no third-row seat, although the Montero offers one. Mitsubishi instead decided to give tall second-row occupants lots of legroom rather than cramping them to make room for a tight third seat.
   There also is a split-folding rear seat that flips forward to enlarge the cargo area, which is even impressive with that seat in its normal spot.
   The white-on-black instrumentation is easy to read, and has some really cool ice-blue lighting. The oversize sound and climate controls are a welcome change from the small controls found in too many vehicles. However, the audio system settings are difficult to see because they’re displayed on a small LCD dashboard screen.

Whines: The Endeavor does have some torque steer (pulls a bit to one side) during acceleration in the front wheel-drive version — especially on wet pavement — but has no such fault with the all-wheel-drive setup. The rear door openings are rather narrow.

Bottom Line: The new Mitsubishi Endeavor is car-like in the way it handles and rides. It’s roomy, comfortable, quite fast for an SUV and both practical and very fun to drive. It’s seriously competitive with rivals brandishing more prestigious nameplates, and is not only value priced, but has outstanding financing incentives as well. Quite simply stated, the Mitsubishi Endeavor is one of the best-designed new crossover SUVs on the market today.