New Pajero Sport provides excellent comfort

It has been a great year for the PPV (Pickup Passenger Vehicle) segment, with major brands rolling out a large number of new models.

 

Apart from the Ford Everest and Toyota Fortuner, another brand new model in this segment is the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, which is drawing a large number of customers due to its excellent value for money.

The Pajero Sport was first introduced in 1996 with the second generation coming in 2008, and cumulative sales have reached 400,000 units worldwide.

Introductory prices for the new Pajero Sport range from Bt1.138 million to Bt1.399 million for the top GTPremium 4WD model, with the company also offering free insurance and Bt14,000 worth of accessories (front/rear under garnish and tailgate spoiler). As of tomorrow, the retail price of the GT- Premium model will go up to Bt1.45 million while prices of the other 2WD models will be unchanged.

The Pajero Sport, which made its global debut at the BIG Motor Sale 2015 in August, is the derivative of the Triton pickup, but unlike in the past when the PPV and pickup shared the same front end, the new model comes with a totally different face.

According to Mitsubishi, designers wanted to give this model a totally different look compared to the pickup, and they certainly did a pretty good job. The Pajero Sport appears as if it comes from a Japanese sci-fi comic book, with futuristic styling that got me thinking spacecrafts.

The interior is equally impressive in design, and what’s more is the quality of the materials as well as small gimmicks here and there, showing how much attention has been given to details.

The media drive event of the Pajero Sport kicked off from Mitsubishi’s headquarters in Pathum Thani and took us to Khao Kor in Petchaboon, which has grown into one of the most popular winter destinations.

And it is this type of travelling that Pajero Sport owners would be carrying out, with all family members fitting nicely in the 7-seater PPV. Unlike the Toyota Fortuner and its bulky hanging seats, the Pajero Sport offers foldable third-row seats that result in a flat cargo space when not needed.

The long drive turned out to be a highly comfortable one, with the seats offering great comfort while the soft suspension setting provided a smooth ride – a big improvement over the previous model.

Power comes from a compact 2.4litre MIVEC turbo diesel that’s mated to an 8-speed automatic, which is being used for the first time in a Mitsubishi model. Mitsubishi says the new gearbox provides a 17-per-cent improvement in fuel economy and helps the Pajero Sport achieve CO2 emissions of under 200g/km, putting it in the lowest bracket of the new excise tax to be introduced in January.

The small engine displacement doesn’t mean less power, as the MIVEC engine pumps out a healthy 181 horsepower and 430Nm of torque. The 8speed gearing offers a good flow of acceleration throughout the speed range, although it may be a little confusing to use in manual mode.

As mentioned, the suspension comes with a comfort setting that provides excellent comfort, with shock and vibration ironed out effectively (for a PPV). But while the wheelbase is 2,800mm (50mm longer than the Fortuner), the front and rear tracks aren’t as wide, and this gives the Pajero Sport that slim, lanky posture.

The 4WD model features the latest-generation Super-Select 4WD-II system that features an “Off- road” mode that Mitsubishi claims gives better all-terrain performance and stability. Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control are also offered along with Automatic Stability and Traction Control.

Inside there is a bunch of interesting features including navigation, four cameras offering a bird’s-eye view and a guiding line – which is very helpful due to the vehicle size – a DVD player with a ceiling-mounted screen, split air conditioning for the front and rear, a four-way multi-function steering wheel adjustment, cruise control, an electric parking brake with a safety function and an automatic tailgate closing mechanism.

There’s a good number of safety features too – seven airbags, plus electronic driver assistance systems such as Forward Collision Mitigation System, Blind Spot Warning and 4wheel-disc ABS brakes with Brake Assist and EBD.

 

Competition within the PPV market is intense, but with the Pajero Sport, Mitsubishi has ensured a strong following thanks to a comprehensive package at attractive prices.