Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 3,2 DI-D GLS

The Pajero Sport is Mitsubishi’s attempt to plug the yawning gap between the Outlander and Pajero in its product line. It certainly looks the part, but are we looking at an ingenious niche-filler or an ill-fated addition to a highly competitive segment?

It’s fair to say that over the years, Mitsubishi’s SUVs have fallen victim to the success of their one-ton pick-up stable mates. If you were to play a word association game with the name Mitsubishi, ninety-nine per cent of the time the first response would be “Colt”. So in the same vein, uttering Pajero Sport will have the other person stammering something along the lines of “um...that’s the three-door one isn’t it?” Brandishing a picture of the Pajero Sport would then issue a response akin to “Oh, you mean Triton”. 

This response is understandable, as the Pajero Sport shares much of its styling and componentry with Mitsubishi’s distinctive pick-up. In fact, from the nose to the B-pillar they’re practically the same vehicle – the only differences being a mild stylistic tweak of the grille and projector-style headlamps that make a nod to the Pajero. This isn’t a bad thing, as the Triton is a distinctive model that blends some passenger car panache with just a dash of the requisite toughness SUV buyers are after. The main change comes on the shape of a passenger-friendly rear section sporting strong haunches, a distinctive v-shaped rear window and almost Alfa-esque brake light clusters. 

Perched on the double-cab Triton’s ladder frame chassis, and possessed of the same high-riding suspension setup and 16-inch alloys shod with chunky 265/70 R16 offroad tyres. As such, the Pajero Sport’s ride and handling characteristics are very much of the old-school pick-up variety – read a fair bit of body roll under cornering and easily upset by large road corrugations, but otherwise fairly civil if driven within its limits. 

Power is provided by Mitsubishi’s 3,2-litre turbodiesel engine developing 120 kW and 343 N.m of torque - figures identical to those of the 3,0-litre turbocharged oil-burner in its direct rival, the Toyota Fortuner 3,0 D4-D Auto. It’s quite an agricultural-sounding unit, but suits the rugged nature of the Pajero Sport being mated with a smooth 4-speed automatic transmission. It doesn’t feel especially torque or powerful, but the car’s somewhat damped steering, high ride height, and offroad-orientated dynamics seem to mask the fact that it is capable of punting the vehicle along at a respectably brisk pace. Much like the chassis and the driving dynamics, the SuperSelect 4x4 system and rear diff-lock are also somewhat old-school affairs with the former requiring the hoik of a stubby lever in neutral to shift into 4x4 high/low. Having done so, however, the Pajero Sport can tackle some serious terrain thanks its 215 mm ground clearance and good axle articulation. 

In keeping with the Pajero name, the Sport features a well-appointed interior with seating for seven occupants that can be folded flat, with some effort, to present a sizeable cargo area. The rearmost seats are typically for kids/short journeys, but at least feature their own ventilation controls. Space in the first and second rows is fairly generous, but the high floor means finding a comfy driving position can be challenging. Thankfully, there’s not much left wanting in terms of specification with such features as, PDC, ABS, air-con, CD sound system, power steering, electric windows, leather upholstery and cruise control being thrown in as standard. 

So it’s well-equipped, agreeable enough on the eye, capable offroad, and easy enough to live with on a daily basis. With a pricetag of R414 000, the 3,2 DI-D GLS commands quite a premium for what is essentially a family wagon built on an old-fashioned ladder chassis. Having said that, droves of Toyota Fortuner buyers don't seem to mind that their SUVs have bakkie genes.