The SUVs large liftgate and handy pop-up glass window, ideal for smaller items, make accessibility easy too. The space is also nicely finished in rich carpeting, and features high quality plastic trim. I was surprised at how much effort the Japanese brand put into its luggage compartment actually. I recently spent a week in Cadillac's new SRX and at nearly $80,000 as tested its cargo bay was nowhere near as impressive. The same could be said for the rest of the cabin really, with Mitsu beating its premium rival in design and matching it in quality. Even the Endeavor's large sunroof, albeit not as massive as Cadillac's, was trimmed to a higher standard with controls that felt better to the touch.
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| Surprisingly, the Endeavor's interior supercedes the much more expensive Cadillac SRX in terms of design and at the very least matches it in quality. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
While it's hardly fair to compare a vehicle that starts at less than $34,000 to one that nears the mid-$50K mark, but it only goes to bring question to the domestic company's price point. As tested, the Endeavor Limited 4WD model rang in at $43,848 - its glass sunroof adding an additional $1,150 to the bill. Mitsubishi offers a $1,300 DVD entertainment system as an alternative option, bringing up the price of a totally loaded Endeavor to $43,998. While that might sound like a lot of money, take into consideration that a similarly equipped Ford Explorer or GMC Envoy lists for over $55,000 apiece.
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| All said the Endeavor speaks to my personal priorities better than most sport utility vehicles. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
So what's it missing that these pricier competitors lack? Not much really. Mitsubishi doesn't offer a navigation system yet, an item that is becoming more and more popular especially in this class. The company made mention one would be coming mid-cycle though, which for most new cars would be about two years time. The only other negative I could come up with is that only a 4-speed automatic gearbox is offered when many rivals feature a 5-speed unit. To be fair the engine's more than adequate torque production makes the need for additional shifting intervals less apparent, but more gears do allow an engine to remain in its sweet spot thus delivering more instantaneous power. I sure didn't notice a problem as Mitsubishi has done a fine job optimizing its drivetrain, but the brand's marketing department has one less juicy tidbit to dangle in front of prospective customers.