After recently reviewing the 2006 Mitsubishi Endeavor and feeling like it's almost forgotten among the long line of SUVs available these days, I realize I feel the same way about the Mitsubishi Outlander.

It's a nice enough vehicle, but what makes it really stand head and shoulders above the competition? Nothing really, besides maybe the company's excellent warranty program. That being said, I can't say a lot of negatives things about it either.

Like the Endeavor, the Outlander is a 5-seat SUV, though it's more 'sport' than 'utility' than the Endeavor. If you simply don't need a ton of room, the Outlander is the way to go. The inline 4-cylinder engine is best used in conjunction with the 4-speed automatic's manual mode. It was great fun getting the engine revving up and the vehicle really takes off at about 3,000 rpm.

The Outlander has the same wheelbase as the Honda CR-V but is a shade shorter, allowing for better handling. It's still high enough off the ground though that you won't want to be barrelling around corners but for the most part it stays solid and composed.

For 2006, the vehicle gets an extra trim level added (the SE) which comes strictly in AWD mode. It adds standard side airbags for both front seat occupants (along with the LTD) as well as anti-lock brakes (all trim levels) and some minor exterior changes. The full-time all-wheel drive keeps the Outlander sure-footed during all weather conditions we encountered (no snow considering it was the middle of June but it just shrugged off rain like it was nothing).

The more I look at Mitsubishi's models, the more I enjoy their styling (the Lancer Sportback being the one exception) and the Outlander fits right in with the rest. It definitely has a more aggressive exterior than a lot of the ho-hum designs from Toyota and Honda and this does give Mitsubishi something to brag about. The tinted windows, muscular styling and clear tail light lenses add a lot of personality to the vehicle.

I was worried that the Outlander would appear to fail miserably in terms of cargo space after driving a much the larger Mitsubishi 5-seater, but I was thankfully wrong. The rear cargo area is long and expansive and includes an optional tonneau cover to keep valuables out of sight. The rear seats split and fold down to make an almost-flat load floor that helps things out only marginally more than with the seats sitting upright.

The Outlander is a pretty decent choice if you're looking for a compact SUV. It has plenty of options to suit the needs of many a consumer in the market for this type of vehicle. Moral of the story: just like the Endeavor, don't let this one slip through the cracks if you're shopping for a compact SUV.