If you want a car that’s ready for anything and everything, the default answer will almost certainly be an SUV. Few other cars can match its combined ability for passenger capacity, cargo flexibility, terrain conquering talent and ease to drive.

Many manufacturers realize this and have their own respective bets in this battle. Yet hardly fazed by all this is the youngest among them, the Mitsubishi Montero Sport.

With three rows of seats, go anywhere 4x4 and a massive 3.2 liter engine to haul it all, the Montero Sport promises to deliver the perfect mix of multi-passenger versatility and off-road power.

The Montero Sport shares its basic architecture with the Strada. The resemblance is easily seen with the vehicle’s front fascia as the trapezoidal headlamps and diagonally slanted grille inserts are clearly lifted from the Strada.

Owners will delight in the chrome mirrors and massive flairs that house the 17-inch wheels, while a sleek profile keeps things nice and subtle towards the rear.

The back grows a shoulder, subtly similar to the Pajero Fieldmaster, but the rear is all original with attractive tail lights that reach toward the Mitsubishi logo in the center.

Inside is a plush interior of leather seats, molded door trims and titanium and wood grain accents. The two-tone dashboard is crowned by a 3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. Speed, tachometer and various other info are separated into three dials. In the rightmost is a diagram of the wheels that displays if the car is in 2H, 4H or 4L mode.

On the center control panel, between the two air con vents, sits a multi-information display revealing real time fuel consumption, a compass, altimeter and barometer. This can be adjusted via the buttons immediately below it, while the climate controls are further below, separated into three dials.

Audio is handled by the MP3, USB-ready and Bluetooth-capable head unit that allows for hands free use. Whatever music medium you have will be routed through six speakers with tweeters.

Finally, resting on the center divider is the 4-speed automatic transmission with Invecs II Sportronic mode and Super Select 4WD.

The key feature of the Montero Sport, however, is its flexible seating configuration. The second and third row can be folded flat to allow for large and bulky cargo, or folding just half of the second row grants space for long items.

The third row simply hides into the floor for normal cargo needs. The cargo area also has small recesses to neatly hide tools, straps and any other small equipment.

With everything loaded and ready, the Montero Sport can pull whatever you’re hauling thanks to the largest engine in its class: a 3.2 liter common rail turbo intercooler diesel engine that produces 163 PS and 35.1 kilogram meters of torque.

This power can be transferred directly to the rear wheels that benefit from a hybrid rear differential LSD or to all four wheels with the Super Select 4WD.

It shouldn’t have trouble putting the power down in rough terrain either as double wishbone coil springs with a stabilizer suspend the front while 3-link coil springs with a stabilizer keeps the rear up. This suspension system also gives the Montero Sport the best ride among its competitors.

Safety hasn’t been forgotten either as all passengers have their own seatbelts, dual stage SRS airbags are standard and ABS and EBD bring the car to a stop without drama. This top-of-the-line model also features additional safety gadgets like the tire pressure monitoring system and reverse sensors.

It may have started with a pickup but the numerous luxury appointments, tech features, flexible seats and plush ride clearly show that the Montero Sport is a totally different creature from the Strada it borrows its ladder frame from. Comfortable, stylish and effortless SUV enjoyment comes at the price of P1,680,000, making it the most affordable of its competitors.

It’s been a long wait for fans of the Montero Sport, but this latest iteration proves that Mitsubishi has done their homework well, creating a desirable SUV that is all it was anticipated to be.