Mitsubishi Montero Sport: How does it stack up against its rivals? 

The Mitsubishi Montero Sport has been in the Philippine market since 2005. In the present day, it remains one of the marque’s best-sellers, and is a popular choice as a family car. Some even use it as a company car, or even as a work vehicle. And that isn’t surprising at all since it uses the same sturdy platform as the Mitsubishi Strada. 

The Montero Sport in Jet Black Mica 

Being a midsize, seven-seater SUV however, the 2021 Mitsubishi Montero Sport has several rivals in the local market. So how does it fare against these in terms of specs? Let’s find out. 

Mitsubishi Montero Sport: Summary of specs 

As mentioned, the Montero Sport is a seven-seater midsize SUV. Most of its variants come with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive (RWD) layout, while the top-spec GT variant has a front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout. 

In terms of size, the Montero Sport is 4,828mm long, 1,815mm wide, and 1,835mm tall with its antenna and roof rail. Its wheelbase is also 2,800mm in length, and it has a ground clearance of 218mm. 

It's one stylish SUV that's for sure

Powering all of the Montero Sport’s variants is a 2.4-liter turbodiesel mill called the 4N15. At most, this engine can produce up to 179 horsepower and 430 NM of torque. As mentioned, only the Montero Sport GT comes with a 4x4 drivetrain, while the rest has 4x2. For transmissions, the sole variant that uses a six-speed manual is the entry-level Montero Sport GLX. The rest meanwhile uses an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

For interior comfort, the Montero Sport’s AT variants come standard with automatic air-conditioning with rear vents, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, a push-to-start button, and a digital gauge cluster. Also standard on all trims is an eight-inch touchscreen headunit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.  

Apart from those, the Montero Sport GT trims also come with a power lift tailgate, and adaptive cruise control. The 4x4 version also has the Super Select 4WD-II system. Also, only the GT trims get leather covered seats. 

The Mitsubishi Montero Sport's interior

For safety, all AT trims are equipped with anti-lock braking, ISOFIX child seat tethers, trailer stability assist, hill-start assist, and active stability/traction control. The top-spec GT adds on to those with driver assist features like rear cross traffic alert, blind spot warning and lane change assist, forward collision mitigation, among others. 

For airbags, the GT 4WD has seven, the GT 2WD has six, while the rest has two. 

Currently, the Montero Sport has four variants in the Philippine market. Their prices range from Php 1,568,000 to Php 2,298,000. For a detailed listing, visit Mitsubishi Montero Sport price Philippines.

Mitsubishi Montero Sport vs Toyota Fortuner 

Just like its Mitsubishi rival, the Toyota Fortuner is a pickup truck-based midsize SUV. It is also a front-engine, rear-wheel drive, or 4x4 vehicle, and it can also fit up to seven occupants. 

If we compare the Mitsubishi Montero Sport vs Toyota Fortuner in terms of size, the Toyota model is shorter in length, but a bit wider. To be specific, it measures 4,795mm long, 1,855mm wide, and 1,835mm tall. Its wheelbase is 2,750mm, which is shorter than the Mitsubishi-made SUV. It also has less ground clearance at 193mm. 

The Toyota Fortuner LTD

Unlike the Montero Sport, the Fortuner has two engine options. The lower trim levels from the Fortuner V to the Fortuner G uses a 2.4-liter turbodiesel capable of making up to 148 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the higher-spec Fortuner Q and LTD trims use a 2.8-liter mill that can produce up to 201 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. Suffice to say, the 2.8-liter Fortuner variants are significantly more powerful than the Montero Sport.  

Like the Montero Sport though, only the Fortuner’s entry-level version is available with a manual. More specifically, a six-speed gearbox. The rest of the variants meanwhile, uses a six-speed automatic tranny.  

As with the Montero Sport, the higher-specs of the Fortuner are equipped with an automatic AC with rear vents, a push to start button, and cruise control. All trims however come with a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, although only the top-spec Q and LTD have leather seats and a digital gauge cluster. 

The Toyota-made SUV's interior

For entertainment, the Fortuner either gets an eight-inch touchscreen or a seven-inch touchscreen. The larger headunit is available on the Fortuner V, Q, and LTD variants, while the Fortuner G gets a seven-inch screen. The aforementioned eight-inch screen also has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 

For safety, the top-spec Fortuner LTD and Q trims come with a pre-collision system, lane departure alert, downhill assist control. All variants however are fitted with ISOFIX, anti-lock braking, and traction control. 

For airbags, the LTD and Q variants have seven, while the V and G variants have six.  

Prices for the Fortuner range from Php 1,633,000 to Php 2,414,000 (LTD Pearl). 

Mitsubishi Montero Sport vs Ford Everest 

If we compare the Mitsubishi Montero Sport vs the Ford Everest, they’re also quite similar. To be specific, both of them are also based on pickup trucks, and both also have a front-engine, RWD, or 4WD layout. Just like the Fortuner and Montero Sport however, only the Everest’s top-spec Biturbo Titanium can come with a 4x4 drivetrain. 

When it comes to size, the Ford Everest is 4,893mm long, 1,862mm, wide, and 1,836mm in height. Its wheelbase is 2,850mm long, and it has a ground clearance of 225mm. To sum it up, it is longer and wider than the Montero Sport. It also has slightly more in the way of ground clearance. 

The Ford Everest Sport

As for engines, the Everest’s top-spec variant uses a 2.0-liter biturbo diesel. At most, this can make up to 210 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. The said engine is then paired with a 10-speed automatic. And yes, it is significantly more powerful than the Mitsubishi SUV’s 2.4-liter mill.  

Its other engine however is a 2.0-liter single turbo diesel with a maximum output of 177 horsepower and 420 Nm of torque. It also uses a 10-speed automatic tranny, but otherwise, it is comparable to the Montero Sport’s output. And yes, the Everest lacks a manual variant. 

Inside, the Ford-made SUV also gets a push-to-start button, dual-zone automatic AC with rear vents, and leather seats. Of note, these are standard on all Everest variants. Also common on all trims is an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Remember that these features that are available on the entry-level Everest Trend, aren’t available on the Fortuner G and Montero Sport GLX. 

The Everest Sport's interior

For safety, the Everest comes standard with anti-lock braking, stability control, and hill launch assist. The top-spec model also has autonomous emergency braking and semi-auto active park assist, both of which are not present in its competitors. Other driver-assist features on the Everest Titanium+ include forward collision alert, lane keep assist, among others. 

For airbags, all Everest variants are kitted out with seven.  

Currently, the Everest has four variants in the Philippines. Their prices range from Php 1,738,000 to Php 2,299,000. 

Mitsubishi Montero Sport vs Isuzu mu-X 

Another competing model to the Montero Sport is the Isuzu mu-X. Like the Montero Sport, it is also based on a pickup, and it also has 4WD or rear-wheel drive layout.  

Regarding the size, the Isuzu SUV is marginally longer than the Montero Sport with its length of 4,825mm. It also has a width of 1,8690mm, and a height of 1,825mm. That also means that it is wider, but only slightly taller. As for its wheelbase length, it measures 2,845mm. That’s 45mm more compared to the Mitsubishi Philippines. Its lower-spec LS trims also have more in the way of ground clearance since it measures 220mm. The LS-A variants however, have the most at 230mm. 

The Isuzu mu-X

Like the Fortuner and Everest, the mu-X gets two engine options. One is a more economical 1.9-liter turbodiesel that can make up to 147 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque. The LS-A variants, on the other hand, come with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel that can churn out 174 horsepower and 380 Nm. So if we’re comparing the Montero Sport vs the Isuzu mu-X in terms of engine output, the Mitsu wins by a small margin. 

For transmissions, the 1.9-liter can be paired to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. The 3.0-liter versions however, are only available with a six-speed automatic transmission. 

As for interior amenities, the LS-A gets automatic AC, while the entry-level LS gets a manual AC. The LS also has fabric seats, whereas the LS-A gets leather. Unlike the Montero, Fortuner, and Everest, the mu-X only gets a tilt-only steering wheel. It also has an analog gauge cluster, and the push-to-start button is limited to the top-spec LS-A 4x4 variant. All trims do get an eight-inch touchscreen, but the said screen only has Bluetooth and iPod connectivity.  

The mu-X's interior looks really similar to the one fitted in the old D-Max

For safety, the mu-X comes standard with anti-lock braking, ISOFIX, etc. The LS-A variants do come with stability control and two airbags. The 3.0-liter LS-A variants however, add on to those with hill descent control, hill start assist, and traction control. Compared to the other three SUVs we’ve talked about so far, it appears that the mu-X has the least on-board tech. 

Regarding price, the Isuzu mu-X for the Philippine market starts at Php 1,350,000 for the entry-level version. The top-spec variant meanwhile, can be had for Php 2,145,000.  

Mitsubishi Montero Sport vs Chevrolet Trailblazer 

While the Chevrolet Trailblazer has been dropped from the Chevrolet Philippines’ model lineup, many will still want to know how it fares against the Mitsubishi Montero Sport. That said, the said Chevy is once again, based on a pickup truck. It also has a 4x2 or 4x4 variant, and of course it uses a diesel. 

In terms of size, the Trailblazer is 4,887mm long, 2,132mm wide, and 1,840mm in height. Its wheelbase is 2,845mm in length, and a ground clearance of 219mm. That said, it is longer and wider than the Montero Sport. It also has a longer wheelbase and just about the same amount of ground clearance. 

The Chevrolet Trailblazer Phoenix

Propelling most of the Trailblazer variants is a 2.8-liter turbodiesel capable of producing up to 200 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. That said, this engine is more powerful than the one on the Montero Sport. The said engine is then paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. 

The entry-level Chevy SUV however, uses a smaller 2.5-liter turbodiesel mill that can produce up to 163 horsepower and 380 Nm of torque. It is also the only variant that uses a six-speed manual. In turn, the only 4x4 Trailblazer variant is the top-spec Z71. 

For the Montero Sport vs Chevrolet Trailblazer interior features comparison, both have the capacity to seat up to seven. As for features however, it is much more comparable to the utilitarian mu-X in that the lower-spec Trailblazers have fabric seats, while the higher trims have leather seats.  

Inside the Chevy Trailblazer

All Trailblazer variants also lack a push-to-start button, and all come standard with a manual AC. As for entertainment, it does have an eight-inch touchscreen as standard. The said screen provides Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay connectivity. 

Like the other SUVs on this list, the Chevy Trailblazer is equipped with anti-lock braking and ISOFIX child seat tethers. It does come standard with speed-sensing door locks. The higher trims have a more comprehensive safety kit with stability and traction control, lane departure warning, hill-start assist, etc.

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