The third era Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is approaching a serious milestone – get able to want it a cheerful tenth birthday in 2025!
That’s a protracted innings for a contemporary automobile, and a few fashions age extra gracefully than others. Mitsubishi has up to date the present Pajero Sport a number of occasions over its lengthy life, however immediately’s rivals are younger and more energizing.
For the reason that flip of the last decade, Ford and Isuzu have all launched new variations of the Everest and MU-X, respectively. In the meantime, the Pajero Sport seems a lot the identical because it did again in 2015.
The automobile on take a look at here’s a pre-update mannequin. There are exterior beauty tweaks and a brand new three-spoke steering wheel for 2024, nevertheless it’s hardly a serious replace. Costs are up as nicely, to the tune of $1700 for the GLS on take a look at right here.
The massive, cumbersome Triton-based SUV clearly nonetheless holds enchantment to Australian new automobile consumers, as 4356 had been bought over the primary half of this yr.
However is it time to pivot in direction of more energizing steel, leaving the Pajero Sport to get pleasure from a quiet retirement?
How does the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport evaluate?
View an in depth breakdown of the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport towards equally sized autos.
Mitsubishi
Pajero Sport
How a lot does the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport value?
The GLS on take a look at right here sits in the course of the Pajero Sport vary, as the most affordable of the seven-seat variants.
Our tester was optioned with Impulse Blue exterior paint ($740) and the Deluxe Possibility ($2350), bringing the overall drive-away value to $63,030 for Victorian consumers.
To see how the Pajero Sport traces up towards the competitors, try our comparability device.
What’s the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport like on the within?
The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is sort of a massive time machine – clamber in and also you’re transported again to 2015.
Be aware there are slight variations between the Pajero Sport on take a look at right here and the MY24 replace. The latter has the brand new Triton’s steering wheel, and the Exceed and up obtain up to date graphics of their 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster.
From the driving force’s seat your eyes are instantly drawn to the old-school infotainment and instrument setups on this GLS spec.
Entrance and centre is the 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, with its pixelated graphics and fundamental set of options. You get a dated navigation system, DAB radio, a alternative of audio outputs, and never a lot else.
As such, I defaulted to smartphone mirroring each time I fired up the Pajero Sport, which requires a wired connection. Apple CarPlay was dependable, and it disguises the shortfalls of the system.
The instrument cluster can also be a throwback, with a small central show flanked by analogue gauges. For a household off-roader like this it’s not so unhealthy, and the display nonetheless shows essential information similar to journey data, gas economic system, and 4WD settings.
Of all the inside know-how within the Pajero Sport, the local weather controls have held up finest. It has a row of bodily buttons complemented by user-friendly rotary knobs and an oblong display, which isn’t too dissimilar from many trendy setups. The GLS variant positive aspects dual-zone local weather management over decrease grades.
It represents a quick distraction from the remainder of the cabin, which stays frozen in time. Take the twin USB-A shops positioned immediately beneath, for instance.
Materials high quality advantages from the non-compulsory Deluxe Package deal fitted to our tester, consisting of leather-based seats (powered up entrance) and a surround-view digital camera.
Seat heating would’ve been good for the $2350 you spend, although. The pews are a bit of slippery and never essentially the most comfy I’ve sampled, though you sit good and excessive with a commanding view of the street.
Surrounding surfaces are trimmed in a mix of sentimental and onerous plastics, in addition to some faux-leather. Every part seems hard-wearing, which inserts the rugged, workmanlike character of the automobile.
The primary contact factors are nice to return into contact with – the centre console is delicate and there’s padding on the door panel to relaxation your elbow on.
Equally, the steering wheel feels delicate but sturdy and comes outfitted with strong steel shift paddles. The button format is a bit messy, although.
For a big SUV, the Pajero Sport ought to supply extra cabin storage. Skinny door bins and an unimpressive centre console undermine the ample area out there, so bigger objects will find yourself within the beneficiant glovebox.
There’s a cellphone slot underneath the sprint, and a sun shades holder that pops down from the ceiling.
House can also be a problem again within the second row, each from a passenger consolation and storage perspective.
I used to be nearly in a position to get comfy behind my driving place, however leggy adults will likely be cramped. Headroom can also be a problem for taller adults – the bench doesn’t slide both, so there’s no method to enhance the scenario.
Between the ceiling-mounted air vents, massive home windows and light-coloured headliner the rear rows at the least really feel vibrant and ethereal, which retains claustrophobia at bay.
Storage is restricted to average-sized door bins and map pockets, with flimsy retractable cupholders positioned within the armrest. Two USB-A shops are there to maintain the youngsters on-line.
Contemplating what’s on supply within the second row, I used to be shocked to seek out that third row passengers get an honest deal.
The second row folds over itself, enabling simpler ingress into the ‘back-back’.
As soon as seated, you’ll discover there’s sufficient room for youngsters and smaller adults, and the reclined chairs present a snug seating place. Facilities embrace cupholders, ceiling vents and a 12V outlet.
With the college footy group occupying all seven seats, the Pajero Sport has 131L of boot area. Drop the third row and also you get 502L, which is extra usable however lower than the 673L within the base five-seat GLX.
No matter configuration, it’s much less cargo room than you get in an Isuzu MU-X or Ford Everest.
With that mentioned, further space for storing is obtainable underneath the boot ground in seven-seat Pajero Sport fashions. Not like the bottom five-seater, the GLS additionally comes with an influence tailgate.
To see how the Pajero Sport traces up towards the competitors, try our comparability device.
What’s underneath the bonnet?
The 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is completely powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, which produces 133kW of energy and 430Nm of torque.
To see how the Pajero Sport traces up towards the competitors, try our comparability device.
How does the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport drive?
Many features of the Pajero Sport are courting after almost a decade of manufacturing, nevertheless it stays aggressive within the driving stakes.
The automobile is ready up for off-road duties, outfitted with drive modes to configure the automobile for various off-road surfaces, switchable four-wheel drive with low-range, hill descent management, and a rear differential locker.
Not like rivals just like the Isuzu MU-X and Toyota Fortuner, the four-wheel drive system within the Pajero Sport might be operated on sealed surfaces with out danger of differential binding. Which means when it rains, you might have the added safety of four-wheel drive traction on the college run.
You additionally get 218mm of floor clearance, 30-degree method and 24-degree departure angles, 700mm wading depth, and an 11.2m turning circle.
It’s at residence off the blacktop, which makes up an enormous portion of the enchantment of the Pajero Sport. A number of reasonably priced 4×4 seven-seaters trump the Mitsubishi for luxurious and refinement, however not all are as succesful when the tarmac disappears – as we found throughout our 4WD SUV Mega Check.
On the street, the Pajero Sport feels much like different ladder-frame SUVs such because the Isuzu MU-X and Ford Everest.
The two.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine produces 133kW, which is par for the phase except for the 154kW Ford Everest, and its 430Nm of torque is a bit of down on ute-based SUV rivals.
As such, the Pajero Sport will get round at an informal tempo. Attempting to power some urgency results in a number of noise and minimal progress – we’ve beforehand recorded a 0-100km/h dash of 11.7 seconds – so the motor works finest when operated gently and easily.
The transmission may even thanks, because it’s programmed to maintain revs down and save gas. Don’t let these massive, metallic paddle shifters tempt you into some motorsport-inspired driving.
It feels comparatively refined when pushed sensibly, and also you get first rate gas economic system. This take a look at produced a mean of 11L/100km, which might be chalked all the way down to peak-hour commuting, however the official declare of 8.0L/100km tops each the Skoda Kodiaq and Isuzu MU-X.
Auto-hold is readily available once you get caught in site visitors, as I usually did in Melbourne. It’s a useful function that offers your proper foot a break.
In addition to being down on grunt, the Pajero Sport lacks any actual dynamism when taking over corners, each in city and rural settings.
The delicate, floaty suspension tune makes the Pajero Sport really feel extra comfy than some rivals within the metropolis, though it’s not a category chief. There’s numerous physique roll on twisty roads, regardless of the Sport title.
Sluggish, heavy steering at low speeds contributes to the cumbersome driving expertise, particularly when matched up towards an Everest or MU-X. With that mentioned, the surround-view digital camera got here in useful when parking this cumbersome beast at crowded procuring centres.
The Pajero is finest outfitted for cruising on the freeway, moderately than lumbering across the metropolis.
The diesel engine settles down properly at a cruise, and the delicate suspension offers the Pajero Sport a relaxed feeling on the authorized restrict in Australia. Overtakes require some advance planning although; once you put your foot down the transmission takes its time kicking down, and the four-cylinder diesel isn’t what you’d name a monster.
Adaptive cruise management does the job, though the four-cylinder underneath the bonnet typically lacks the grunt to return to the set velocity in a well timed method after slowing in site visitors.
What do you get?
The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is available in 4 trim ranges and two seating configurations.
Pajero Sport GLX normal gear:
5 seatsRevised 18-inch alloy wheelsAutomatic LED headlightsLED fog lights, daytime working lightsRain-sensing wipersPower-folding exterior mirrors8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment systemWired Apple CarPlay and Android AutoDAB digital radioPaddle shiftersElectronic parking brakeAdjustable velocity limiterKeyless entry and startThree-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustmentClimate management air-conditioningBlack fabric upholstery4-speaker sound system
Pajero Sport GLS provides:
Two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels7 seatsDual-zone local weather control6-speaker sound systemTyre strain monitoringAutomatic headlightsRain-sensing wipersRear ground storage boxPrivacy glassPower tailgate
Choices
The next non-compulsory options had been fitted to our take a look at car.
Impulse Blue paint: $740Deluxe Possibility – powered leather-based seats, surround-view digital camera: $2350
Worth as examined: $63,030 D/A (Victorian postcode)
Is the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport secure?
The 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is presently unrated by ANCAP, as its five-star score from 2015 expired after six years.
Normal security options embrace:
7 airbags incl. driver’s kneeAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Adaptive cruise controlReversing cameraRear parking sensors
The Pajero Sport Exceed and GSR acquire blind-spot monitoring, entrance parking sensors, a surround-view digital camera (with a steering wheel swap) and rear cross-traffic alert.
How a lot does the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport value to run?
Mitsubishi’s normal guarantee covers 5 years or 100,000km of driving, however you may lengthen this to 10 years or 200,000km of protection offering it’s serviced on time by means of a Mitsubishi vendor.
The 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport requires servicing each 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport isn’t the worth household 4WD it was once.
It’s dated inside, with much less space for storing and fewer options to get enthusiastic about. Key security tech can also be lacking in comparison with newer rivals, and the Pajero Sport doesn’t make a lot sense for the college run.
Positive, it’s been strong off-road in our earlier testing, however that’s particular to 1 group of consumers. Aggressive pricing as soon as set this massive household four-wheel drive aside, and will excuse its rising checklist of flaws. That’s not the case.
For the worth of the GLS with Deluxe Possibility examined right here, consumers who received’t head off-road can get behind the wheel of a totally loaded Nissan X-Path Ti-L with 1000’s to spare.
Should you’re set on a ladder-frame SUV for combined college run and campground duties, it’s a small step to a Ford Everest Ambiente or Isuzu MU-X LS-T. Each supply a extra refined driving expertise, and the Isuzu specifically matches the Pajero Sport in the case of inside niceties like leather-based trim.
No matter the way you possibility it, the Pajero Sport doesn’t look or really feel notably luxurious. Which means you’re smarter to go for the GLS with out the Deluxe Pack, pocket the additional money, and make investments it in a driving vacation… or some off-road modifications.
With a barely decrease sticker value the Mitsubishi makes extra sense as strong, rugged household transport.
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