Mitsubishi Pajero review (04/07/2012)
Not that I minded driving the Pajero. It’s just that when you go from one extreme to another, it can be a little difficult to get your head around. But having said that, I must point out that there is a stretch of road I particularly like as being an excellent yardstick for the prowess of any motor.
This piece of the Republic’s highway network is at once a fast section of road, but also with a multiplicity of corners and a welter of altitude changes. Just shy of 19km long, it is a good test of any sort of machine.
I mention this by way of telling you that a really smart car will be able to complete the stretch in just over ten minutes; an average car will not do it in anything under 15.
Although you might not normally think of a commercial as being either of the above, I tested the Pajero there recently and it managed to complete the distance in 13 minutes. No dramas, no scary carry-on.
I was, I have to say, taken aback. I would have been delighted if it had managed to cover the prescribed distance in 15 minutes, but to do it in the same sort of time that should be achieved in a small fast hatchback, well, that was seriously impressive.
Of course, Pajero drivers, by and large, will not really be interested in such trivia, but they might note that with some 147 kW on tap from the 3.2 litre four cylinder in-line DI-D turbodiesel powerplant at 3,800 rpm and a massive 441 Nm of torque at just 2,000 rpm, this machine is not just a traditional load lugger. Far from it. Traditionally the Pajero has been a simple workhorse which boasted low-cost ownership, frugality, reliability and decent residual values as part of its core appeal. It now adds a performance characteristic to those other long-standing virtues.
Of course, the market for commercials has changed drastically over the last few years, but the Pajero, along with such models as the Land Cruiser, has always had an appeal for both urban and rural buyers. For the former it has rugged, go-anywhere appeal and for the latter, it is an easy car to drive — even in towns and cities — and is as reliable as the Angelus. For both, it is also a bomb-proof owning experience and comes at a cost quite a deal less than many competitors.
I thought my trial of the car over the aforementioned favourite stretch of testing road would prove to me that the Pajero is now as it ever was — spirited but without any real on-road ability. I was quite wrong. This is truly a go-anywhere, anytime, sort of machine. The naked figures generally don’t lie and in this instance the 180kph top speed and 0-100kph ability of 9.5 seconds belie any impression that this was a tardy machine.
It is fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox and you will find that through the gears the Pajero just keeps on giving; it might be a workhorse, but to use a racing analogy, it has plenty of speed in its pedigree.
But that’s not all, because this machine will also manage a bit of wading — to a depth of 700 mm — and it is also capable of taking on 45-degree inclines. For the ‘off-roader’ insiders, its approach/ramp break over/departure angle are 34.3/26.0 and 35.5 respectively. Also, its towing capacity is some 3,000 kg. This thing will do it all — and more.
According to Mitsubishi, while the car’s emissions have been lowered by 15%, the company has still managed to improve consumption to 7.8 l/100 km (36.2 mpg).
Now, if the car’s off-road abilities are fairly legendary thanks mainly to the Super Select 4WD system which offers the benefits of 2WD, 4WD and differential-locked 4WD all in one package, then its on-road ability is not bad either.
Fitted with ABS with EBD, electronic traction control and stability control with brake assist, the Pajero can be driven fast and safely without bother. It rides reasonably well for a 4x4 and it handles with particular aplomb.
However, one small problem I had with it was the lack of elbow room and in tight manoeuvres I consistently found my right elbow snagging the driver’s door arm rest. Apart from that, however, it was comfortable, very well kitted-out – cruise control, Bluetooth, air con, electric mirrors with integrated heating and indicator functions, remote central locking with keyless entry, leather steering wheel and gear knob and remote audio controls — and easy to live with.
The styling changes have also added an air of dynamic solidity to the deal and I found it easy on the eye for such a big, practical and solid machine.
Exterior styling features include 18” alloys, front fog lights, a chrome grille, roof rails and side steps. And it is also very well put together.
Mitsubishi is also offering the option of extending the warranty by two years. A three-year warranty is standard but in my view the five-year option is what they should be offering. Not only would such a move be well regarded by potential punters, but it would also signify Mitsubishi’s own belief in its products.
