The cargo area is vast with numerous tie-down hooks and a well-designed under-floor storage compartment. The entire cabin is extremely roomy with liberal helpings of leg and headroom. Visibility in all directions is generally good. The small front windows at the bottom of the "A" pillars give the impression of more sight because more light penetrates inside, but they are ultimately useless.
Technical
The 3.8L V6, also used in the Galant and now in the new Eclipse, develops
225 hp at 5000 rpm and 255 lb/ft of torque at 3 750 rpm. A Sportronic manual mode 4-speed automatic transmission is the only gearbox offered with the Endeavor. The base LS can be delivered as a FWD or an AWD vehicle whereas the XLS and Limited get standard all-wheel-drive. The suspension is fully independent and the braking system is comprised of 4-wheel discs.
On the road
Mitsubishi's 3.8L V6 is very torquey and punchy from the mid-range on. The Galant, in which it is also available as mentioned, is very quick. Low-end grunt is on the short side, however the engine runs so slickly that it is more of a minor annoyance than a problematic issue. The pleasant resonance that the engine gives off is unlike most other V6s. As a note, this same motor puts out 260 hp in the Eclipse and Mitsubishi has already toyed with the idea of a Ralliart edition of the Endeavor. I must say that I am looking forward to the possibility of a little more oomph in this truck. Estimated fuel consumption from Natural Resources Canada for the truck is of about 12L per 100 km. In my testing, I managed a more realistic 16 to 17L per 100 km in mixed highway and city driving.
The 4-speed automatic transmission shifts crisply however there is a large drop in engine speed between shifts. This unfortunately hinders acceleration that could otherwise be relatively quick. The full-time viscous-coupled AWD system works very well. There is no hold-up in the way power is transferred from one end of the drivetrain to the other.
The brake pedal is easy to modulate and nice and firm. Response to inputs is near immediate and stopping distances are very reasonable. Steering feel is quite car-like and precise. The on-center sense is also very good.
Whether you are driving in the city or on the highway, the smoothness of the operation of the Endeavor is very surprising (actually, it is very serene). The suspension has generous travel, which makes it able to soak up road irregularities like a breeze. The chassis, also shared with the Galant, is very solid and precise. The ride is probably better than a Galant Station Wagon would be. I would consider the total package to be one of the best car-to-SUV platform adaptations in its category; better than the Highlander.
Safety
The car has standard dual front and side air bags, ABS brakes with
electronic brake force distribution, and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The front-wheel-drive LS has standard traction control. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the car 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) for the driver and 4 out of 5 stars (a good result) for the passenger in frontal impacts and 5 out of 5 stars for both front and rear passengers in lateral impacts. The IIHS has rated it "Good" overall in frontal impacts.
Technical
The 3.8L V6, also used in the Galant and now in the new Eclipse, develops
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On the road
Mitsubishi's 3.8L V6 is very torquey and punchy from the mid-range on. The Galant, in which it is also available as mentioned, is very quick. Low-end grunt is on the short side, however the engine runs so slickly that it is more of a minor annoyance than a problematic issue. The pleasant resonance that the engine gives off is unlike most other V6s. As a note, this same motor puts out 260 hp in the Eclipse and Mitsubishi has already toyed with the idea of a Ralliart edition of the Endeavor. I must say that I am looking forward to the possibility of a little more oomph in this truck. Estimated fuel consumption from Natural Resources Canada for the truck is of about 12L per 100 km. In my testing, I managed a more realistic 16 to 17L per 100 km in mixed highway and city driving.
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The brake pedal is easy to modulate and nice and firm. Response to inputs is near immediate and stopping distances are very reasonable. Steering feel is quite car-like and precise. The on-center sense is also very good.
Whether you are driving in the city or on the highway, the smoothness of the operation of the Endeavor is very surprising (actually, it is very serene). The suspension has generous travel, which makes it able to soak up road irregularities like a breeze. The chassis, also shared with the Galant, is very solid and precise. The ride is probably better than a Galant Station Wagon would be. I would consider the total package to be one of the best car-to-SUV platform adaptations in its category; better than the Highlander.
Safety
The car has standard dual front and side air bags, ABS brakes with
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