Mitsubishi Pajero 2020 Review

The Mitsubishi Pajero is old. But does old mean bad?

With its giant steering wheel and wooly response, it drives like a bus. Which is actually a pleasant change compared to some of the ultra-perky, super-touchy turbo-petrol SUVs getting around today.

The Mitsubishi Pajero a relaxing machine to cruise in and driving it on a daily basis was oddly comforting. The high-riding position and upright windows create excellent vision, the olde-worlde suspension smooth and cushy during the commute.

Currently running a 3.2-litre turbo-diesel engine (141kW/441Nm), acceleration is best-described as adequate, but far from prompt. Or quiet. The pleasant driving only occurs when the radio is on, in order to avoid the rattle and clatter from the diesel engine.

To be fair, the Pajero engine does a decent job of lugging around its roughly 2350kg of mass. Sadly the five-speed automatic gearbox feels archaic in operation, and the giant shift stick feels about 12 years old. It's actually 14.

It's could do with an automatic park brake with auto-hold to make a little easier, but there's something oddly reassuring having a manual hand-operated park brake. It's like having a tea-cosy. You don't need it but when you have one you love it to bits.

It's okay through corners, the independent suspension giving the big rig a moderately level attitude in corners and roundabouts, but the brakes leave a lot to be desired and I wonder about the safety levels of a car like this given its age.

It has a five-star ANCAP safety rating that carries over from 2013, but that just proves that the Australasian New Car Assessment Program needs reworking. By using a seven-year-old test result, it ignores the fact that this vehicle would be lucky to get a two-star rating by today's testing standards.

Despite now offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the current fourth-generation Pajero was first introduced in 2006, making it a 14-year-old proposition today.

By comparison, most new cars are completely renewed every eight years, on average, and that timeframe looks set to reduce in line with technology advancements and the especially the advent of EVs – which could see new cars completely renewed every six or so years.

Such vehicle renewal brings with it crucial safety and technology updates like autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, adjustable suspension and lane departure assistance – features missing on this grey-haired wanderer.

Despite that, the Pajero still finds around 3000 Aussie buyers every year which is decent, but the seven-seat machine can't touch its traditional rival, the Toyota Prado, in terms of overall sales popularity.

Where the ageing seven-seat large SUV really excels is off-road, its ground clearance of 225mm and solid approach and departure angles (36 and 25 degrees) combining with an diligent 4x4 system to good effect.

A 700mm water fording depth is also very good and it stands to reason that being a 14-year-old machine should ensure most mechanical kinks have been effectively ironed out.

Again, the Super Select II 4WD system is old, but it works.

Featuring a locking rear diff and four modes (2H, 4H, and 4H locked diff and 4L locked diff), the low-ratio mode that drops gearing from 1.0 to 1.9 gives the big SUV impressive rock crawling abilities, allowing it to tackle far more challenging conditions than your average SUV.

Despite its monocoque set-up (most rugged large SUV's have a ute-like ladder-frame chassis) and independent front and rear suspension, it has good wheel articulation and doesn't mind a bit of off-road abuse.

Although it's known as a solid tow vehicle, with a 3000kg trailerable limit, you can only achieve that figure with a towball download is 180kg or less. You can go as high as 250kg on the towball if the trailer weighs 2500kg or less.

But with the general rule of thumb being towball download limits at around 10 per cent of towing capacity, have 180kg on the towball is unlikely going to see more than 2000kg mass on the trailer without potential safety and balance issues.

I'd be reluctant to haul a 3000kg caravans with this rig.

The first thing I noticed upon hopping into the cushy leather-accented seats of the Pajero GLS flagship model-grade was the lack of reach adjustment on the steering wheel. While you can shift the wheel up and down, you can't pull it closer or push it further away from your person, which is annoying for long-armed, short-legged freaks like the author.

There's no disguising the Mitsubishi Pajero's age and while it may be sold as a 2020 model, it feels decades old in every respect.

Yes, it has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay now which makes urban mapping, phone calls and music streaming fuss-free, but the overall design of the cabin is dated like a plaid suit.

The heating and cooling controls are a blast from the past, the steering wheel buttons are big and old and the gearshifter looks and feels like the central armrest from a 1982 Toyota Corolla.

Soft-touch dash plastics are a bit of a surprise, the 1980s patina creating an ironic/chic nostalgic aura in the cabin. The only thing missing here is a tape cassette deck.

There are two USB ports and Bluetooth telephony is offered, but the latter is average at best, the 50c microphones in use will make the ears bleed on the receiving end of the call. You’re better off mounting your phone in the cradle and using the microphone on the phone.

The trip computer has limited functionality but there are a few plus points for the cabin.

For starters it's big. There are seven seats spanning three rows with ample space in the first two rows – the high-mount third row seats are for small kids only.

A large and usable 1069-litre boot (sans third row seat) means this is a genuine road-tripper, its 88-litre tank providing it a decent range, but a dual-tank option would be nice for those who want to properly lose themselves in the Outback.

The beefy Rockford stereo feels a bit out of place in the car and although it delivers high-fidelity audio – the family loved listening to Tubthumping by Chumbawamba – it felt a bit Super Nintendo. Weirdly passé; but kind of cool.

At the end of the day the Pajero has passed its used by date. The seven-year warranty is nice as is two years free serving; and as an alternative to the Prado and generally very reliable, it's still finding a few hundred buyers each and every month in Australia. But I reckon a lot of that is most probably because it's heavily discounted by dealers.

Mitsubishi would have ameliorated the manufacturing costs of the vehicle a decade ago and can probably hack a fair chunk off the price without hurting profits. Even the official website has an offer for $57,490 drive-away, a saving of at least $5000 on regular prices, which do not include on-road costs.

But it's been axed in Japan and axed in the UK and with poor emissions, low levels of safety and a lack of modern features compared to its rivals, this sort of vehicle can only be recommended if you're looking for a reliable bush-basher that has slightly above-average towing capabilities and a time-warped interior.