Faults:

1. Known fault, not addressed by manufacturer: at around 80 to 100 kms/hour a distinct whistling sound emits from the sub-standard rubber seal of the front windscreen, when air leaks into the car.

2. Driver side rear view motorized exterior mirror gets stuck half way when opening.

3. Rear passenger floor very uneven, looks and feels like a badly paved pedestrian sidewalk.

4. Cheap fabric and carpeting produces static (I never had this problem with 3 previously owned cars, by other manufacturers)

General Comments:

Good price for a 4x4 in its class (I paid Kd.5000 + KD.250 for the fog lights/roof rails and wood finish dashboard)

Cheap audio system (cassette deck.) Why do CD-players come as an option? They are so dirt-cheap these days.

Clumsy road handling

Cheap fabric and carpeting

You need to really put your foot down on the brake to halt the vehicle.

Extremely unsatisfactory initial engine pick up

Does not come with floor mats - wow! is this so expensive these days?

If you want a cheap 4x4, this is a good choice - but that's exactly what you get - a cheap quality product!

Faults:

Air conditioner compressor required a refill @8500 miles.

Dead battery @ 12000 miles.

General Comments:

This is the so-called Nativa, a decaffeinated version of the Montero Sport with no sporting pretensions at all.

The interior quality is average in the best of cases, with a notorious abuse of hard plastics.

The steering wheel resembles the ones used by budget Japaneses cars in the early 80's.

Regarding the brakes, the most remarkable aspect is that the vehicle transmits the sensation of being unable to stop despite how hard you push.

The handling is awful - the steering being excessively soft and loose. The vehicle constantly shakes while advancing over rough pavements. The poor handling and steering makes it difficult to control the vehicle at speeds over 100km/h, thus affecting the security in general.

The ultra-soft suspension seems not to aid a lot in this respect.

The engine delivers plenty of power quickly - but is not really efficient in terms of fuel consumption. Very fuel-thirsty.

Ineffective brakes along with pathetic handling abilities renders the vehicle ideal for getting the kids to school everyday with their luncheons and the family pet, or for going out to a picnic with your wife and mother-in-law on a Sunday afternoon in the nearest municipal park. Usage as a serious SUV or mild off-road work is definitely not recommended.