Face it. Think of an off roader and the Pajero is one of the first cars which come to your mind. The Pajero Mistubishi has been selling in India till date is the dated 2nd generation 1990's model which has really grown old now and could no longer face the competition from the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour. So, Mitsubishi's brought a new Pajero to India under the name "Pajero Sport". But, unlike the other Pajero's selling in India (the Pajero SFX and the Montero) this SUV is NOT based on a Pajero at all. Infact, it's based on the Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck. This is somewhat similar to the Fortuner (based on the Hilux) and the Endeavour (based on the Ranger) which are both based on pickup trucks.
But, does the fact that it's based on a pickup truck hamper with it's off road capabilites ? The answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT. It's as much as an off roader as the Pajero SFX and is far ahead of the Pajero SFX in many departments.
The + ve's:
- An SUV which doesn't deterred by the sight of muck and rocks.
- Much better build quality.
- Powerful 177 Bhp engine. (the Previous SFX model produced 108 Bhp in comparison)
- Faster. Much faster.
The - ve's:
- Lack of an automatic option.
- Prices high as of now because it's a CBU from Thailand.
- Fuel Efficiency could be improved.
- Fuel tank size is reduced to 70 liters. (the SFX had a 92 liter fuel tank).
The Interiors:
The new Pajero's dashboard looks impressive. The quality is an amazing improvement over the previous Pajero SFX. The plastics look and feel good. The steering is chunky and feels nice to hold. The steering comes with one steering music controls. 
Photo courtesy : Mitsubishi India
The wood and beige trim on the doors looks elegant. The door build quality feels nice.
Photo courtesy : Mitsubishi India
The multi mode center information display. Gone are the old school analogue dials of the SFX.
Photo courtesy : Mitsubishi India
The 2nd row of seats is comfortable. The large windows lend an airy feeling to the cabin. There's an armrest too. The seats fold down to create an expansive boot. The 2nd row comes with air con vents too. On an overall, the seats are quite comfortable in the 2nd row.
Photo courtesy : Mitsubishi India
The 3rd row of seats is just enough for children or for short adults. I found it tough to sit here comfortably.
Even though the interiors may have their share of short comings, they're a great improvement over the previous Pajero, the SFX as well as they seem much better than those of the Endeavour. They seem to go head on against the interiors of the Fortuner.
The Exteriors:
Looking at the front of the Pajero Sport, there's one thing clearly visible - the front has been directly lifted from the Triton pickup truck with minor bumper changes. But, this isn't bad at all. Infact, this is a really good thing ! There's the dual segment grille which complements the headlamp design. The headlamps look aggressive and seem very similar to those of the Mitsubishi Paris Dakar Pajero. The swooping bonnet looks wicked. The skid plate design integrated well into the lower lip of the front bumper.
The Dual Segment front grille with the chrome Mitsubishi logo adorning the triangular cavity between the 2 grille slots.
From the side, the Pajero Sport looks like a very big and burly car. It stands tall and seems to have really good ground clearance too. The chrome door handles look good on the Pajero Sport's side profile. However, the wheels on the Pajero Sport look a bit knobby and tiny.
The wing mirrors are chrome plated and are really big. They also come with electrical controls and can be opened / closed from inside the cabin.
The rear of the car isn't as amazing looking as the front. There are those curvy tail lamps which aren't as nice as the tail lamps on the Fortuner, or the Endeavour. I feel that they should've been a little more chunkier.
The spare wheel's located below the boot.
The Powerplant:
This is the Pajero Sport's engine. It's a 2.5 liter diesel 4 cylinder engine and it pumps out a competition beating 178 Bhp at 4000 RPM and 40 kgm from 2000 - 2500 RPM ! Despite being 500 cc smaller than the Toyota Fortuner's engine, it produces more power as well as torque than the Fortuner's engine.
The engine is mated to a 5 speed manual transmission and the car is equipped with Mitsubishi's Super Select 4WD system using which you can change between 4WD and 2WD upto a speed of 100 km/ph.
The engine propels the car from 0 to 100 km/ph in about 13 seconds and that is really good for a two ton off roader based on a pickup truck !
Final Verdict:
The Pajero Sport is an amazing product at its price point. It costs around 24 lakhs EX SHOWROOM and that's because it currently comes to India as a CBU from Thailand. The prices could drop to around 20 lakhs EX SHOWROOM, if Mitsubishi imports the Pajero Sport as a CKD. This car is an excellent choice for an off roader. But, the only thing which i'm uncertain about is Mitsubishi's after sales service. Otherwise, if you've got 25 lakhs to splurge on an SUV, it's this or a Fortuner, no questions asked.
- Naayl Humza,
14 year old car enthusiast.
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