It wasn’t many decades ago when SUVs were a rare sight on the road. Back then, those who purchased an SUV often needed a vehicle that could be put to work. Whether it was towing, going off-road, or hauling loads of equipment when not carrying the family, SUVs were designed to be multi-purpose workhorses.
Sadly, in 2024, there aren’t many SUVs left which can perform in the manner in which they were originally designed. Not many can seat seven, few can tow over 3 tonnes, and even fewer possess any off-roading capability. Some options exist, but many of those will make a considerable dent in your wallet.
Fortunately, Mitsubishi still has the Pajero Sport – a ute-derived 7-seater SUV, with off-roading and towing capability, attainable for a reasonable cost.
The Pajero Sport has remained virtually unchanged since being released in 2016. It promises the same qualities as before, but it’s a nine-year-old design that some would say is beginning to feel its age. The question is, can the Pajero Sport still keep up with the few newer, more modern SUVs in 2024?
What We Like and Dislike About The 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Proven reliability Simple, usable interior Super Select 4WD system 3-tonne towing capability Much cheaper than the competition | Beginning to show its age Sub-par infotainment Ride quality No locking differential |
What’s In the 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Range?
Technically, there are two variants of the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport available for New Zealand buyers. There’s the Pajero Sport VRX and the Pajero Sport VRX Black Edition, the latter of which is our test vehicle.
Both SUVs are effectively the same, except the Black Edition has blacked-out exterior features, including black alloys, door handles, roof-rails, wing mirror facias and body-kit. These features would otherwise be finished in chrome, if the Black Edition was not selected.
The Pajero Sport VRX starts at $59,990, while the Pajero Sport VRX Black Edition will set you back extra, at $62,990
The Pajero Sport is powered by a 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine, producing 135kW of power and 437Nm of torque. The engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, and features selectable all four-wheel drive.
There are seven standard colours available for the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport:
- Deep Bronze
- Pitch Black
- Blade Silver
- White Diamond
- Graphite Grey
- Redwood (Deep Red)
- Impluse Blue
For more information on Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, check out the Mitsubishi New Zealand website.
How Does The 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Compare To Its Competition?
SUVs are everywhere, but SUVs which are capable off-road, can tow over 3-tonnes and carry seven passengers, are a much rarer breed. With the departure of the Toyota Fortuner from the segment, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport has no close rival at its price point.
| Make/Model | Engine | Power/Torque (kW/Nm) | Fuel (L/100km) | Towing capacity | Price |
| Toyota Land Cruiser Prado VX Hybrid | 2.8-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel mild hybrid | 150/500 | 8.7 | 750/3500 | $93,990 |
| Ford Everest Wildtrak | 3.0-litre V6-cylinder turbodiesel | 184/600 | 9.7 | 750/3500 | $85,490 |
| Isuzu MU-X | 3.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel | 140/450 | 9.5 | 750/3500 | $83,490 |
| GWM Tank 500 Lux | 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol hybrid | 255/650 | 8.5 | 750/3,000 | $74,990 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero Sport | 2.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel | 135/437 | 9.2 | 750/3100 | $59,990 |
First Impressions Of The 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
Well, it looks much the same as it did when it arrived in New Zealand in 2016. No surprises there.
The surprising part is the Pajero Sport is starting to be dwarfed by other SUVs in 2024. Don’t get me wrong, the Pajero Sport is still an objectively large 7-seat SUV, but it seems smaller relative to some of the newest SUVs on sale.
It’s not entirely subjective, either. The Pajero Sport has tighter dimensions compared with both the Ford Everest and the new Land Cruiser Prado. Even the new Mitsubishi Triton has grown 115mm wider, whereas before, both it and the Pajero Sport had the same width.
I wouldn’t count this as a mark against the Pajero Sport. If anything, the Pajero Sport seems right-sized for New Zealand roads, whereas everyone else seems to be putting on weight.
Shifting back to aesthetics, our test vehicle is the Pajero Sport Black Edition, which adds a bunch of blacked-out exterior trims, including black wheels.
It might be your cup of tea, but I prefer silver wheels. In other words, thanks – but no thanks, I’ll save the $3,000 for accessories.
What’s The Interior Like In The 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport?
The Pajero Sport’s cabin has remained virtually untouched since it arrived in New Zealand dealerships in 2016. For that reason, it is starting to show its age on the inside, particularly as many modern vehicles become increasingly tech-focused.
It also doesn’t help that Pajero Sport is the oldest vehicle in its segment. Its competitors have already introduced new models, many within the last three years.
Although, the Pajero Sport is the cheapest in this segment, and by some margin too. As standard, it’s equipped with plenty of features, and it isn’t aging so badly that it isn’t passable in 2024.
If anything, the analogue nature of the Pajero Sport will be its appeal to some. Inside, it’s simple and usable. The materials are basic, but sturdy. There’s some piano black in high use areas (which scuffs easily) but the rest should survive some prolonged bashing. In other words, you aren’t likely to be too precious about this cabin, which enhances its usability.
Of course, the Pajero Sport isn’t for total luddites. It still carries some fresh technology to keep it current. In particular, the Pajero Sport has a large, high-res digital dash cluster, which offers some basic levels of configurability.
On the other hand, the infotainment unit is showing its age compared to the competition. This infotainment has the basics, like Bluetooth, Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Otherwise, its simple interface isn’t particularly responsive, and the screen resolution and colour levels aren’t great.
Fortunately, the audio system is reasonable, and it does have quite a few useful exterior cameras onboard – but again, they’re average resolution.
If you’re the type that’s inclined to connect your phone and forget about it, this won’t bother you. Instead, you’ll get to enjoy the practical utilitarian aspects of the Pajero Sport – those which we’ve mentioned.
Speaking of practicality, the Pajero Sport has a sizable boot when the seats are folded. Interestingly, in order to achieve a flat load floor, the 3rd row seats split into two sections – with the back of the seat folding into the floor and the base folding up against the 2nd row.It’s a clever solution, given that space underneath the vehicle is limited – on account of the ladder chassis and its high ground clearance. Although, the seat base will not stow with the 2nd row reclined (and took me a while to work that out). So, I’d recommend reviewing the owner’s manual first.
What’s The 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Like To Drive?
By now, you’ve likely noticed all the comparisons we’ve been making between the Pajero Sport and Mitsubishi’s new Triton.
If you weren’t otherwise aware, the Pajero Sport isn’t a ground-up SUV like the Pajero SUV, which was around until 2021. Instead, the Pajero Sport is based on the Mitsubishi Triton, or more specifically, the previous-generation Triton that was around when the Pajero Sport was being developed.
The same goes for the Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X and the recently departed Toyota Fortuner, each having been adapted from their own brand’s ute.
Even though the Pajero Sport shares an engine and its ladder-frame chassis with the previous-gen Triton, there’s plenty which is unique to the Pajero Sport. Among those is a different gearbox, along with a different rear sub-frame and suspension set-up – more on this later.
Underneath the bonnet, the Pajero Sport utilises a 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine, producing 135kW of power and 437Nm of torque, which is paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
The Pajero Sport’s performance figures aren’t as strong relative to today’s competition, but the Pajero Sport still delivers a convincing display of performance. The engine has decent off-the-line pull, and that performance is carried well through the mid-range. Its performance does fizzle out towards the top end, but that’s often the case with most turbodiesel engines.
The 8-speed automatic gearbox is unique to the Pajero Sport within Mitsubishi’s range. The gearbox is produced by Aisin, which was originally developed for the early Lexus LS460, and later used by Toyota in the Land Cruiser.
In terms of performance, its closer ratios keep the Pajero Sport within its powerband for longer, and assists with low-end torque delivery. The gearbox is also well calibrated for the real world. It doesn’t hunt for gears when climbing hills, or when downshifting under heavy throttle. However, I did notice slight rev-hang on the upshift under heavy throttle.
On the whole, the performance of this engine is still adequate in 2024. Although, I ought to admit that you’ll notice some deficiencies if you’ve recently spent time in the new Triton. The Triton’s new engine produces boost more consistently across the rev range, and has improved refinement, throttle and mid-range response.
An obvious example of the difference is when passing or merging onto the motorway. The Pajero Sport needs to downshift before there’s any meaningful power delivery. Conversely, the new Triton feeds in performance before the downshift, making those passing manoeuvres quicker and smoother.
Of course, this is more praise towards the Triton than it is criticism of the Pajero Sport.
Also, as an owner, you may have greater peace of mind with the older engine underneath the bonnet. That’s because it’s been around for nearly a decade, any issues are a known quantity.
Sure, Mitsubishi offers an excellent new-vehicle warranty, but do you want to be one of the first to encounter a new problem? I’m sure your doctor would have a view on that.
Reliability is important for anyone, but especially so if you intend to use your vehicle for off-roading or towing. Fortunately, the Pajero Sport delivers faithfully on both accounts.
The Pajero Sport features Mitsubishi’s Super Select on-demand four-wheel drive, which uses a Torsen style limited-slip differential in the centre. This allows for selectable four-wheel drive use on-road, while having the capability to be fully locked in low-range for off-road use. It would seem that Mitsubishi is quite confident in the capability of this system, because there’s no locking differential available on the Pajero Sport models. Still, no locking differential is a strange omission for an off-roader.
In terms of towing, the Pajero Sport is rated to tow 750kg unbraked, or 3.1-tonne braked. There’s no towing mode for the drivetrain, but these modes are designed to configure the gearbox to hold a certain gear longer when accelerating and to downshift earlier beforehand. The Pajero Sport’s 8-speed gearbox has enough ratios to remain within its powerband, so the lack of a tow mode isn’t a deal breaker. Also, the Pajero Sport does have other supporting features for towing. In particular, it has software called Trailer Sway Assist which is designed to detect trailer yaw, and can apply brakes to the wheels on one side, to counteract the sway.
Although, the major appeal of the Pajero Sport (or any ute-derived SUV) is that it can function as a 7-seater family vehicle, when you’re not bush-bashing or hauling boats.
For many of its buyers, the Pajero Sport will only be doing this for a fraction of the time. For the remaining majority, the Pajero Sport will spend its life unladen and on tarmac.
Also, without the need to carry heavy payloads (unless you have fat children), the Pajero Sport doesn’t require rudimentary leaf springs, like those found on the Triton.
Instead, the Pajero Sport utilises multi-link rear suspension. Most utes have a bumpy-ride when unladen, but the Pajero Sport’s multi-link rear suspension, along with added weight over the rear axle (from the body, and not an empty tray) improves its road-manners considerably.Â
However, you’ll never completely get away from the Pajero Sport’s ute underpinnings, even with re-designed suspension. The Pajero Sport still rides firmer than most of its competition, and over rough sections of road, it can be quite jarring.
When the speed limit increases and the roads get twistier, the Pajero Sport retains reasonable composure. The nose is easier to turn in than expected, and its body control is passable. That said, the Pajero Sport is still a stiff, ladder-chassis SUV with high-ground clearance – anything better than bad is exceptional.
Even though the Pajero Sport is based on an older architecture, it still has many of the safety systems you’d expect in a modern vehicle. Again, this might also be a good thing depending on your preferences. It doesn’t have lane-keep assistance, but neither does the new Triton. It also doesn’t have the new Triton’s driving attention monitor either – a system which is best described as agitating.
2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport – Specifications
| Vehicle Type | 7-seat 4WD SUV |
| Starting Price | $59,990 |
| Price as Tested | $62,990 |
| Engine | 2.4-litre 4-cylinder twin-turbo diesel |
| Power, Torque (kW/Nm) | 135/437 |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| Spare Wheel | Full size |
| Kerb Weight (Kg) | 2,080 |
| Length x Width x Height (mm) | 4825 x 1815 x 1835 |
| Cargo capacity (litres, seats up/ seats down) | 502/1488 |
| Fuel tank capacity (litres) | 68 |
| Fuel Economy (L/100km) | Advertised Spec – Combined – 9.2 Real-World Test – Combined – 9.8 Low Usage: 0-6 / Medium Usage 6-12 / High Usage 12+ |
| Towing Capacity (Kg, unbraked/braked) | 750/3,100 |
| Turning circle (metres) | 11.2 Small: 6-10m / Medium 10-12m / Large 12m+ |
| Warranty | 5-year/130,000km new-vehicle warranty 10-year/160,000km powertrain warranty |
| Safety information | ANCAP Rating – Unrated Rightcar.govt.nz – 5 Stars – QNS495 |
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