Where exactly does one place the Mitsubishi Endeavor in the grand scheme of SUVs? It feels too big to be a compact SUV but too small to be considered a full-size. Other popular crossovers such as the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Suzuki Grand Vitara all cost considerably less while larger SUVs like the Ford Explorer and GMC Envoy are considerably more expensive.

Maybe this is what Mitsubishi wants to do with the Endeavor - not pit it against leaders of any one particular market, which is probably a smart thing, especially now with it aging while so many other vehicles are improving by leaps and bounds every year.

To be honest, the Endeavor is a nice SUV, but is already running the risk of being forgotten among all the other choices in the sport utility segment.

Last time we drove the Endeavor was in 2004. Back then, its V6 produced more power than most anything in its class. A couple of years later, and it's horsepower and torque ratings have barely inched ahead (225-horsepower and 255 lbs.-ft of torque). These numbers are nothing to scoff at - the vehicle has decent get-up-and-go - but many other compact SUVs now are offering V6s where they never did before. The Toyota RAV4, as an example, has a V6 that produces 269-horsepower and 250 lbs.-ft. of torque.

On its own merits, I have few complaints with the Endeavor. The price tag of the Limited trim level may seem a little pricey, again compared to other five seaters, but it offers a lot of standard features including A/C, steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, heated seats (which come standard in every Endeavor), fog lights, roof rack, sunroof and antilock brakes.

The Endeavor is very user friendly, with one of the easiest-to-decipher centre stacks you could find in an SUV - the entire thing juts out, putting it within easy reach for the driver and the front passenger, and it incorporates big knobs, big buttons and large lettering.

Oddly enough as well, the Endeavor seemed to act more like a compact SUV in some ways than its little brother, the Mitsubishi Outlander. Most notably, the Endeavor actually had better-than-expected fuel economy, a tight turning circle, and was just as easy to step in and out of.

The only transmission available is a 4-speed automatic with a Sporttronic mode that allows the driver to manually choose gears. For a 4-speed, this works surprisingly well, whether you're aiming for improved fuel economy or more gusto when acceleration is needed.

The rest of the Endeavor is what most people would probably want from this kind of vehicle - a cushy ride, room to spare for up to five people as well as high seating positions, power everything and the choice between front-wheel and all-wheel drive.

There's no doubt you could do a lot worse when shopping for an SUV.