Like its Triton sibling, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport usually loses the limelight to phase favourites – just like the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X.

That’s not as a result of it’s a foul automobile, removed from it. It stays one of many extra sharply-priced entrants within the body-on-frame SUV class as rivals proceed to push upmarket with their worth positioning.

Mitsubishi has utilized some working adjustments over the previous couple of years or so, including tyre strain monitoring throughout the majority of the line-up earlier this yr and bringing in new entry-level and flagship variants the yr prior.

Whereas the Triton is about to enter a brand new technology in 2024, the next-gen Pajero Sport isn’t anticipated till no less than 2025 in accordance with a current product roadmap – so the automobile you see right here has some life in it but.

On take a look at we have now the penultimate Exceed variant, which sits just below the blacked-out GSR however gives a lot of the identical luxurious and comfort gear at a worth level that can see you in a mid-spec rival.

Is it nonetheless price a glance in its twilight years?

How does the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport fare vs its opponents?

View an in depth breakdown of the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport in opposition to equally sized automobiles.

Mitsubishi

Pajero Sport

How a lot does the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed price?

The Pajero Sport Exceed 4×4 lists for $60,690 plus on-road prices. The corporate’s on-line configurator reveals $63,740 drive-away based mostly on a Melbourne postcode.

That cash barely will get you right into a base Everest Ambiente 4×4, or a mid-spec Isuzu MU-X LS-U 4×4. The up to date SsangYong Rexton Final is $58,000 plus on-roads, if you’d like a rival choose for worth.

Whereas it stacks up properly on paper in opposition to the established favourites within the phase, even the bottom Everest and MU-X characteristic extra complete security help and infotainment tech suites, largely on account of their relative youth in comparison with the Mitsi.

2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport pricing:

• Pajero Sport GLX 4×2: $44,940
• Pajero Sport GLS 4×2: $50,190
• Pajero Sport GLX 4×4: $49,490
• Pajero Sport GLS 4×4: $55,190
• Pajero Sport Exceed 4×4: $60,690
• Pajero Sport GSR 4×4: $62,440

Costs are earlier than on-road prices

What’s the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed like on the within?

Very like it was when this technology first launched virtually a decade in the past.

A digital instrument cluster and a much bigger central touchscreen have been added over the automobile’s life, however the design is in any other case largely the identical – balancing utility and luxury fairly properly.

In comparison with the outgoing Triton, the Pajero Sport was already a bit nicer largely because of the totally different centre console therapy that has a padded lining on your knees to relaxation on. The addition of a digital instrument cluster on high-spec fashions undoubtedly lifts the atmosphere and is a marked enchancment over Mitsubishi’s ageing analogue gauges.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel isn’t the smoothest or most supple conceal, and the identical goes for the seat trim which appears to be like a bit like toad pores and skin after a bit of wear and tear.

Electrical adjustment for the entrance seats is a pleasant contact, although the pews themselves aren’t the very best at school in relation to bolstering and help, significantly underneath your thigh if in case you have lengthy legs like me. The slippery leather-based trim doesn’t actually maintain you in both.

Total, the structure and ergonomics are practical, if a bit dated. Orange backlighting for the local weather controls and swatches of piano black trim wouldn’t be my first choose (significantly the latter) as gloss black is liable to scuffs and scratches – particularly in a automobile like this.

All of it feels fairly properly screwed collectively; though, its industrial origins shine by way of within the supplies used to line the cabin – no soft-touch surfaces in sight right here. It’s all very sturdy and laborious sporting, however removed from plush or upmarket given the $60,000 price ticket.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen options embedded TomTom navigation in larger grades like this Exceed, and likewise incorporates a DAB radio tuner along with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Whereas these are all helpful field ticks on the spec sheet, the actual fact there’s nowhere to retailer your telephone when it’s plugged in is just an oversight.

Audio high quality from the improved eight-speaker audio system can be effective, however there are higher programs on the market inside the phase.

Storage is in any other case effective, with first rate cupholders, a shelf underneath the centre stack for keys or a pockets, and shallow door bins with bottle holders. The front-centre armrest additionally acts as a lid to an honest cubby area as properly.

Hop into the again and there’s a great quantity of area for adults, and youngsters can be more than pleased again there.

Sturdy seize handles on the B-pillars and aspect steps make getting in simpler, although it’s on the narrower aspect. The elevated seat peak means head room is a bit tight for taller people like a few of my colleagues – although 6’1 me matches simply effective.

Facilities embody roof-mounted air vents and seize handles; rear USB ports (4 within the cabin all up); and a helpful 220V energy socket. Plus there are pockets in every seat-back and a flip-down armrest with cupholders.

The third row is helpful to have for emergencies, however is finest suited to youngsters. The ‘sporty’ design additionally means these rearmost home windows are fairly small, which means that smaller passengers could discover them more durable to see out of. The seats do fold down into the ground when not in use; although, as the photographs present not fairly as neatly as quite a few rival SUVs.

The additional seating row does affect boot area although. The bottom five-seat GLX has 673 litres of capability; whereas, with the third row folded the seven-seater solely has 502L.

With the third row in use this shrinks to 131L, and with each rows folded you get 1488L. The boot in five-seater mode measures 1370mm lengthy by 885mm tall by 1000mm between the wheel arch covers. A full-size spare tyre is mounted beneath the automobile.

What’s underneath the bonnet?

Underneath the bonnet is a tried and examined 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.

Outputs are rated at 133kW (3500rpm) and 430Nm (2500rpm), with drive within the Exceed despatched to Mitsubishi’s Tremendous Choose 4WD system by way of an eight-speed computerized transmission with Evo-sourced paddle shifters.

The Pajero Sport is a bit down on grunt in comparison with rivals, which lately maintain to a common benchmark of 150kW and 450-500Nm, and that’s mirrored in automobile efficiency in addition to issues like braked towing score.

In our current 4WD SUV Mega Take a look at the Pajero Sport proved to be the slowest automobile on take a look at, with a leisurely 0-100km/h time of 12.61 seconds and a ten.17s window between 80 and 120km/h. It was the one automobile to take greater than 18 seconds to finish the 1/4 mile, additionally.

For reference, the MU-X was over a second faster throughout all measurements, whereas the Everest Bi-Turbo was one other half-second faster once more in all workout routines.

Mixed gas consumption is rated at 8.0L/100km with CO2 emissions of 212g/km, whereas the gas tank measures 68L. We averaged an indicated 8.1L/100km over 440km of combined driving together with loads of each day commuting – not dangerous.

The Pajero Sport is also rated to tow as much as 3100kg with a braked trailer, which is under the final benchmark of three.5t on this phase. Towball obtain most is 310kg.

How does the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed drive?

Not a lot has modified for the Pajero Sport all through its life, maybe bar the eight-speed auto that was launched as a part of the mid-life facelift a few years again.

Being a bit older than a few of its rivals, common refinement of the powertrain isn’t up there with the very best in phase. It has a rumbly diesel clatter on start-up and idle; though, it’s nonetheless not too dangerous all issues thought-about.

In regular driving round city the Pajero Sport looks like most ladder-frame 4×4’s of its time; the controls are heavy, the diesel is lazy, and it lopes round like an enormous heavy factor.

That stated, the eight-speed auto is fairly good at protecting the turbo-diesel in its torque band for driving on the town and shifts very easily and reliably. You’d hardly ever really feel the necessity to pull on one of many paddles in regular driving.

I spent most of my time on this commuting to and from the CarExpert Melbourne workplace in the course of the week and whereas it felt like a step again in time, the Pajero Sport is without doubt one of the extra agreeable 4×4’s in each day eventualities. For instance, the outdated D-Max was a shocker to drive each day, and the Everest was a bit clumsy, if properly damped ride-wise.

There’s a little bit of noise from the diesel engine underneath acceleration whatever the depth, particularly should you’re evaluating the Pajero Sport to a car-based SUV like a Kia Sorento. Might be higher, however may very well be worse.

At the very least efficiency is fairly responsive and linear as famous earlier. When stopped there’s no idle cease/begin tech to save lots of gas and emissions and site visitors, so that you’re simply left with the drone of the diesel clatter in metropolis gridlock – dugdugdug.

The place the Pajero Sport begins to point out off its strengths is on the freeway, the place the engine and transmission can settle right into a quiet cruise. The trip settles with a extra wafty really feel reasonably than the wobbly and at occasions jittery vibe it may give you on the town when the rugged suspension and large wheels hit tram tracks and potholes.

It’s not a match for the superb locally-developed Everest, which nearly looks like a luxurious SUV at occasions, however given its age and worth level the Pajero Sport does a strong job at touring, and you’ll see why it has confirmed widespread with adventurous Australian familes.

We didn’t take the Pajero Sport off the crushed monitor on this explicit week, however we noticed spectacular outcomes in the course of the 4WD SUV Mega Take a look at. There it carried out fairly properly on the rollers, rolling again barely in 2H earlier than the traction management labored issues out – it was very spectacular in 4H, transferring ahead with barely any slip.

Its age confirmed within the flex take a look at, the place the door caught barely on the physique. It wasn’t the worst performer in that take a look at, nonetheless. Mitsubishi’s traction management system walked the automobile out of the moguls with a minimal of fuss, even within the road-oriented 4A four-wheel drive setting. With 4H and Mud Mode engaged it was “much more easy”.

It scaled Mogul Mountain with out an excessive amount of wheel slip, and the hill-descent management stored the automobile good and managed. Utilizing the throttle you may make the automobile descend sooner; though, you may’t use the cruise management buttons to do it as in some rivals.

Rev flaring was noticeable within the Pajero Sport going up Gravel Mountain, however it managed to scale the hill on the second try with its rear differential locked.

Driver help isn’t a selected energy for the large Mitsi, given it lags behind key rivals when it comes to inclusions.

Customary adaptive cruise management works fairly properly, however solely works till low speeds after which cancels itself. It doesn’t characteristic any type of cease/go or site visitors jam help capabilities like we’re seeing extra of lately from rivals.

Likewise an energetic lane protecting assistant – or departure warning, for that matter. The Exceed and GSR are the one variants within the vary to attain blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert programs, the previous of which may detect a automobile inside 3.5 metres of the Pajero Sport’s aspect or 70m from the rear bumper.

You additionally choose up a Multi Round View Monitor within the Exceed and GSR, which is helpful for visibility given the dimensions of the automobile however not the final phrase in decision or readability.

What do you get?

Pajero Sport GLX highlights:

• 5 seats
• 4×2 or 4×4
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Full-size spare tyre 
• LED headlights and DRLs 
• Electrical park brake with brake auto maintain
• Sensible key with button begin
• Leather-based-wrapped wheel 
• Single-zone local weather management 
• Water-repellent cloth seats, handbook modify
• Reversing sensors
• Reverse-view digital camera
• 8.0-inch touchscreen
• Wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• 4-speaker audio 
• Bluetooth telephone and streaming
• AM/FM/DAB tuning
• 4 x USB ports in cabin
• 1 x 220V plus and three x 12V sockets
• Roof rails and aspect steps 

Pajero Sport GLS provides:

• 7 seats
• 4×2 or 4×4
• Nightfall-sensing headlights 
• Automated rain-sensing wipers 
• Powered tailgate 
• Privateness glass
• Twin-zone local weather management 
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Tyre-pressure monitor system
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• 6-speaker audio

Pajero Sport Exceed provides:

• ​​GLS ‘Deluxe’ possibility pack
• Entrance parking sensors
• 8.0-inch color LCD info show
• Heated Entrance Seats
• 8-speaker audio system
• Distant Smartphone App:
  • Function tailgate
  • Examine automobile standing
  • Activate automobile finder perform
  • Apple Watch connectivity

Pajero Sport GSR provides:

• Black alloy wheels
• Black rear spoiler 
• Black bumper garnishes
• Black radiator grille 
• Black headlight garnish 
• Black roof rails 
• Two tone roof – black
• ‘Pajero’ Sport bonnet emblem 
• ‘GSR’ tailgate badge

Is the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed secure?

The Pajero Sport acquired a five-star ANCAP security score again in 2015, although the score is now expired. It’s price noting the crash rating was additionally based mostly on checks of the Triton ute.

This score was based mostly on a frontal offset rating of 15.22 out of 16 and a aspect affect rating of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian safety had been rated Good and Acceptable, respectively.

Customary security options embody:

• 7 airbags incl. driver’s knee
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Adaptive cruise management
• Rear parking sensors
• Reversing digital camera

Pajero Sport Exceed provides:

• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Encompass-view cameras

How a lot does the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed price to run?

Mitsubishi’s normal guarantee covers 5 years or 100,000km, however as long as you come to one in all its dealerships at every service this extends to 10 years or 200,000km.

Servicing at dealerships additionally allows you to make the most of Mitsubishi’s 10 years of capped-price servicing. The Pajero Sport requires servicing each 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport service pricing:

• Service 1: $399
• Service 2: $399
• Service 3: $499
• Service 4: $699
• Service 5: $499
• Service 6: $699
• Service 7: $499
• Service 8: $999
• Service 9: $599
• Service 10: $699

CarExpert’s Tackle the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed

The Pajero Sport places in a strong displaying, however it’s rapidly being outpaced by newer competitors.

With rivals just like the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X within the combine, the Pajero Sport isn’t essentially one in all my prime picks within the 4×4 SUV phase – significantly on this larger specification given the value level.

You may cowl extra bases on the protection and tech fronts in decrease grades of the Everest and MU-X for comparable if not much less cash, mixed with higher efficiency and towing functionality ought to these be priorities for you. The up to date SsangYong Rexton may also really feel extra trendy for much less cash.

However that’s to not say there isn’t quite a lot of good occurring right here. The Pajero Sport has remained widespread for quite a few causes and like its Triton sibling, stays a strong and dependable possibility amongst its opponents by performing properly throughout most metrics.

It’s very no-nonsense however drives with relative refinement and has loads of functionality out of the field to suite a variety of wants. There’s additionally a really lengthy guarantee on the proviso you service the Pajero Sport inside Mitsubishi’s nationwide vendor community.

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