The 2023 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is a car that can fulfill more than one need. It is a good school buggy because of its size and height. Due to its history, it can also be used off-road. Get a car that can do both, as they say.
The Pajero Sport has been around since 2015, but it’s not sold in the US; it’s the new name for what Mitsubishi was calling the Challenger. It’s a midsize SUV built on the same foundation as the Triton pickup. The full-size Pajero was going downhill, so the midsize pickup took its name and stood in the shadows, like the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado for the full-size Land Cruiser.
The so-called midsize SUV is a lot of cars for many owners, but it costs less than a large SUV. Pajero Sport is an excellent example of this idea. It has seven seats, plenty of cargo space, and the right size to match. The only problem Mitsubishi has is that every other automaker has found the same lucrative market and is fighting tooth and nail on every sale.
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2023 specifications
- Base price AU$47,740 (AU$61,775)
- The car has a 2.4-liter turbocharged in-line diesel engine, 8-speed automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive.
- Power: 178 horsepower at 3,500 pm
- Torque: 317 lb-ft at 2,500 pm
- There are seven seats, and the curb weight is 4,610 pounds.
- He can pull 6,600 pounds.
- The space behind the third row is 4.6 cubic feet, the area behind the second row is 17.7 cubic feet, and the space behind the first row is 52.5 cubic feet.
- Height from the ground: 8.6 inches
- Off-road angles: approach 30 degrees, crossing 23 degrees, exit 24 degrees
- Fuel economy: 24 mpg city: 33; Interstate: 29; Both: 29
In short, it’s a good family hauler and a solid four-wheel-drive off-road wagon, but the two-wheel drive models have a hard time justifying their higher price tag than other crossovers that are just as good for driving around the mall.
The basics
The Pajero Sport, which is in the midsize range, uses a method many automakers use. It’s an SUV that can go on the road, but it’s built on a ladder-body pickup base to handle rough terrain. With Everest, Ford used the same plan. Fortuner is Toyota. All it takes to make a work truck more family-friendly is an SUV bodywork and a few changes to the suspension and engine. Since the Challenger was introduced in 1996, Mitsubishi has used the same recipe, making crossovers softer on unibody platforms.
Pajero Sport looks rugged and tough on the outside. It gives you faith that the car is ready to go off-road. A big part of this is the extra bull, which quickly turns the front end from bland to strenuous. Without the tape, it doesn’t stand out much. He stands tall and proud but sometimes doesn’t know what to do. When it doesn’t have off-road parts, the chrome accents and rounded edges make it look like it can’t decide whether to be a desert wanderer or a big food hauler.
Inside, the Pajero Sport has a lot more than you might expect. The 2020 update gave it a new look, but the control screen looks dated. On lower-end models, the instrument cluster contains two analog gauges and a small display. This is a nice change from the top digital tools that are so popular right now.
Overall, it appears to be made to last. The plastic looks like the inside of a sturdy and beautiful truck. The main touchpoints, such as the steering wheel, shifter, and center console, are nicely finished, and the piano’s black color looks good when it’s not too dirty or stained.
The best word to describe the 2.4-liter turbo-diesel is “proper.” This is not a criticism; It’s just a way of saying how well it does its job. Although it’s not much power, it has all the torque a good diesel should have. Thanks to its smooth eight-speed automatic transmission, it’ll have no trouble getting underway. It also gets good gas mileage, especially for a seven-seat SUV, and weighs more than 4,600 pounds. I only regret owning a 2WD model and couldn’t see how well it worked off-road. The full-time 4WD system for the 4WD types is the same as that of the Triton. They can handle almost anything with an accurate low range and a locking center differential.
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport for driving
Pajero Sport is easy to get along with as a car. It has fewer beeps and annoying beeps than other cars, which may be because the current model has been made since 2015. Whichever way you look at it, the GLS does everything you’d expect from a midsize SUV.
Mitsubishi Pajero is a family car. It is easy to get in and out and load groceries. The role is easy to use and feels great. Driving around mall parking spaces and school pickup areas is straightforward, except where the middle turning circuit makes it more challenging. This is where much of the handling shines. It’s easy to turn the wheel quickly when making a three-point turn.
While this happens, good power never lets you write checks the movers can’t cash. It’s a nice car to drive on the highway. Around town, a high seat gives you a good view, and you’re usually big enough and strong enough to take the lead on any compact consolidation that comes your way.
The Highs and Lows
It has a sufficiently high ground clearance and an all-wheel drive system that can easily cope with a standard track. The interior is comfortable and roomy, and the seats are fine for long highway trips. Also, the two rear rows fold in all the usual ways, giving you plenty of space for people or things, depending on what you need. It’s a car you can ride in and drive, on or off the road, because the switches are simple and the car is easy to get on. Also, gas mileage isn’t bad either.
The shortcomings of the Pajero Sport are mainly due to the model’s age. Even a refresh for 2020 wasn’t enough to modernize the car. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto may be available on the infotainment system but only through a wired link. On the other hand, the simple interface is very slow and outdated. Other problems include the electric parking brake, one of the few in the industry that does not turn off when the vehicle is started by default. There is also the question of who the two-wheel drive cars are made for. A vehicle with cheaper flex roads seems to be the better option for anything other than towing.
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport features and options
The base Pajero Sport GLX costs about 47,740 Australian dollars, which is about 32,000 US dollars at the current exchange rate. It has five seats and two-wheel drive. The GLS (AUD 53,240 as tested) is the next step. It has seven seats, dual-zone climate control, and a power tailgate. The top-of-the-line GSR, which costs AU$ 65,490, features a black roof, hood, and 18-inch wheels.
In 2023, competition will be the hardest thing for Pajero Sport. Not that the Pajero Sport is too expensive, but other midsize SUVs seem to be a better deal. If you remove the trailer and pack bulls from this tester, you can get the 2023 Pajero Sport GLS for about AU$ 53,240. If you spend more than A$60,000, you can sit in a similar Ford Everest instead. Ford has more power and a more modern interior, including a beautiful portrait display for the infotainment system.
Also in the race is the Toyota Fortuner, which is slightly more expensive than the Mitsubishi. You pay more for a Toyota, but all their cars come with four-wheel drive. But it is not as new as Ford. Toyota and Mitsubishi are from 2015, but the new Everest isn’t out until 2022. If you love Mitsubishi, you might want to wait for the new Pajero Sport, which is said to be out in 2024.
fuel economy
The Pajero Sport’s fuel economy is a pleasant surprise. The Australian government says it gets 24 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined. Ten years ago, a large SUV like this couldn’t get 24 mpg in the city. But the efficient diesel engine works well with the eight-speed automatic gearbox to make driving fun and get excellent gas mileage.
Although it carries 1300 pounds more than the 1998 Mercedes E-Class, it does it better. In this way, Mitsubishi has done an excellent job. Is it as clean as an electric car (EV) or a hybrid car? No. But if people continued to drive big SUVs every day, it would be better if they were more fuel-efficient than they were in the past.
At the same time, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is not the best in its class. At 28 and 26 mpg, respectively, the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest get better gas mileage, especially in the cities. Official figures show that tailpipe fouling is slightly worse than a regular car, which isn’t surprising for a large SUV.
value and judgment
The 2023 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is one of the cheapest midsize SUVs you can buy. Some cars can stay on the market almost unchanged for decades because they offer something unique. Since the Pajero Sport doesn’t do that, Mitsubishi has to cut costs where possible. Compared to its competitors and depending on your tastes, it’s a good deal, but not a great deal. Those who want a car that looks new will not be happy in the end.
With “the grass is always greener on the other side” and all that, it’s easy to think “forbidden fruit” foreign cars like this are more attractive than they are. But in this case, the US SUV market doesn’t miss much.
Overall, though, the Pajero Sport is a good car that lives up to what it says on the spec sheet. He can pull a trailer, take the kids to school, and carry groceries without issues. And it will do so with the gas mileage we could only dream of in the ’90s. It’s also getting ancient. Suppose you can find one, that’s great. If not, you might want to look at the next Competition or Pajero Sport, which Mitsubishi already owns.
