2001 Mitsubishi Montero

Though not everybody warms to the Montero's Japanese road-warrior styling-some love it, some are already tired of it-nobody, but nobody, complains about the way it performs off-road. "Took the Montero to Death Valley over the weekend. We followed miles and miles of washed-out mining trails, up and down mountains-off pavement, it's amazing." The interior has also proven to be a really well-thought-out habitable place for lots of people and lots of stuff. One staffer called the cabin "Lexus like," which is nothing but a compliment. "Big" is the operative word here: big sunroof, big cargo area, big rig overall. Maybe a bit too big, or at least too heavy, for its 200-hp V-6, but the engine only feels really stretched when fully loaded. The transmission's sequential shift action adds an extra measure of control for downhill grades, on-road or off. Our only expense to date has been the addition of a quart of oil, plus a few drops of coolant; everything else is shipshape and problem-free.