Mitsubishi Pajero Review: A Beast of an SUV
The 4th generation Mitsubishi Pajero, a 7-seater, 5-door SUV with an automatic transmission and 3,200cc displacement, is one tough vehicle perfect for extreme off-road drives.
Cheap Mitsubishi Pajero Models For Sale
With the Pajero series, Mitsubishi outdid themselves. It is an excellent grand wagon for Africa, Australia, Asia and other places in the world where off-roading may be necessary. While the Pajero is often closely compared to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, it has carved itself a big niche in the SUV market for off-road driving thanks to its abundance of features and durability.
In this review, we will take a closer look at the used 2009 model of the Mitsubishi Pajero GLX series to get a better idea of its features and capabilities.
Interior & Comfort
The 4th generation of the Mitsubishi Pajero comes with many features, in particular for driver and passenger comfort. Firstly, the cabin is spacious, bearing in mind that the Pajero is a big vehicle. While it is not a body-on-chassis model, it is far ahead of its smaller counterparts like the Honda CRV, RAV4, and others in terms of its size.
Back Seats
The seats are soft and comfortable, and made with easy-to-clean fabric in the case of accidental spills. Passengers in the second row of seats have enough space to seat even larger passengers without their knees being pressed into the seats in front of them.
The third row is made of seats that stash into the floor after use. It can take some a little time to set up these seats, but they do come in handy for children and smaller passengers.
Front Seats
The driver’s dashboard is well-thought-out, with all important switches and knobs within arm’s reach for easy adjustability. Additional features include a digital compass and elevation reader that are useful for when driving off-road, along with control over the vehicle’s power windows, mirrors, and more.
Seating for the driver features lumbar support for the back, and both the driver and front passenger seats are easily adjustable.
Features & Driveability
Practicality
No matter whether you’re driving on- or off-road, both the driver and passengers are in for a very smooth ride. This 5 door (also available in a smaller 3 door version), 7-seater 4WD vehicle is very practical for off-road as well as for on-road driving thanks to its height and greater visibility. It handles like a marvel on rough terrains and at the same time, it handles beautifully on urban roads.
Passenger leg space is great, and this applies to both second and third row passengers. However, the third row of seats are best suited for smaller people or propping up luggage and cargo while on the go. Convenient cup holders are also included in the back row for any accompanying passengers.
Driveability
The Mitsubishi Pajero feels quite solid in the driver’s hands. In the first place, this is a full-time 4WD vehicle with a 3,200cc diesel or, less popular for this kind of car, petrol engine and a monocoque chassis, meaning that the vehicle derives its structural support from its shell.
Other features that make driving this car fun and safe include the independent suspension, ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, and engine brake assist control. In addition, its active traction control and hill hold assist features are some of the most important when you are driving off-road. These features can attest to the fact that this vehicle was made to contend with all kinds of off-road conditions.
While great for off-road, you can drive this very versatile car across cities and highways comfortably as well. In fact, the included super select system enables the car to pop from rear wheel drive and vice versa at speeds of up to as much as 100 km/h. If you are looking for a versatile car that is responsive to all kinds of road conditions, then the Pajero is a great buy.
Its tank capacity comes in at around 88 liters, with a fuel consumption of about 9.1 liters for every 100 km. However, depending on the conditions and style it’s being driven in, this amount may differ from driver to driver.
Thanks to its ample amount of space, there is a lot of available storage in the Pajero. This includes door pockets in both front and rear doors, expansive glove compartment, floor console with tray, cup holders and a big boot, which can be further extended to create more space by folding the rear seats.
Safety, Pricing & Verdict
Safety
In this article we had a brief look at some of the safety features of the Pajero, in particular its active traction control and engine brake assist functions. In addition to these, other safety features include high-quality safety belts, driver and passenger front SRS airbags, curtain ARS airbags, smart braking, a multi-mode anti braking system, and active stability control.
Other useful components include reverse camera, 3-point emergency locking retractor, seat belt warning lamp, and childproof rear door locks. Overall, the Mitsubishi Pajero was made with maximum safety in mind, and as many safety features as is possible for this price range have been included.
Pricing and Verdict
There are thousands of opinions about the Mitsubishi Pajero, with many people swearing by it. It is a great car and although it has ever been in the shadow of the Prado, it is still an incredible car in its own right.
For use as an urban family car for traveling upcountry in Africa in some places that lack proper roads, this SUV, with its many off-road driving assist features, does not disappoint at all. It has high ground clearance and minimal body roll, making it faster than most SUVs.
A used Mitsubishi Pajero (such as the 2009 4th generation), is often the priced between $2,000 and $6,000, depending on the model and year. Manual as well as automatic transmissions are available.
