The baby Pajero has been missing from the Mitsubishi fleet for a bit.
A short wheelbase, three-door machine was the first Pajero to arrive here back in 1982. It disappeared from the line-up in 1999, forced out by a pricing structure which saw it too expensive against five-door, four-wheel-drive rivals.
This time Mitsubishi reckon the price differential to the five-door Pajero is right. The short wheelbase Pajero in 2007 kicks off the NS model range from $40,990, there's now around an $10,000 difference between short and long wheelbase versions at the bottom of the pack.
But it is a different story stepping up to a diesel-powered, automatic X version of the short wheelbase machine, that one attracts a premium price of $49,990.
It is, this Pajero, a useful machine around the town and through the scrub. It also can shine as a back-track racer. And it does contain a swag of comfort and convenience features; there are advantages to this shorter, Dakar-inspired style of machine.
At the front, through to the B pillar behind the front seats, the smaller Pajero looks the same as the full-sized wagon.
It's just that rear that's truncated, just those front two doors and then a big side window and a stubby tail with spare wheel hanging off the back.
The advantages are straight-up handy, there's more room in the car parks, there's more room out and around the gum trees. And it is easier to negotiate big dips and gullies.
The two-door Pajero appears to turn on a five-cent piece and would have a driver readily believe it's shorter than the official 4.3 metres (the five-door is 4.9m). It must be the combination of little shorter body length, big windscreen and back window plus that high-riding position which allows this Pajero to be much appreciated in tight spots.
Access to the rear seats is pretty good, with the front passenger seat folding and sliding forward with ease.
Space back here is ample (despite leg and headroom being marginally tighter than a five-door) for a couple of adults and (carefully packed) there remains luggage room for a camping weekend for a family.
There is the usual array of features from power windows to airconditioning to trip computer. The CD stereo system puts out decent sound though the volume control buttons on the dash are not as intuitive as an old-fashioned knob (there are also audio controls on the steering wheel).
This short Pajero had the 3.2 litre, turbocharged diesel engine, backed with the five-speed automatic transmission. This is the dearest of the powertrain combinations with 125kW at 3800rpm, 381Nm of torque at 2000rpm and fuel consumption at 10.5 litre per 100km according to factory figures.
It is helped some here with a little less kerb weight over the longer wheelbase, five-door Pajero, depending on specifications, up to 300kg.
So the short Pajero has a sporting urge to match the back-track racing stance.
It moves off the line OK and runs up to town and highway speeds without complaint; flicking through the five ratios in manual mode better helps the package get ahead of the traffic.
Four-wheel-drive high can be selected on the move and there remains four-high locked and four-low locked for tougher off-road tasks. All the 2007 Pajeros run Mitsubishi's All Terrain Technology package with stability and traction control, hill-hold assist, ABS and the Super Select II four-wheel-drive system.
There is, on the open road, a little more road noise coming from the rear and the ride on 18-inch wheels, while good, does not quite match the longer wheelbase model. There can be a bit of fore-aft body pitch and some bump-thump from the independent suspension over bigger bumps.
These are small prices to pay for a very competent bush machine that doesn't crowd out the city carparks.
The appeal of the three-door Pajero is more limited these days but Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited are looking at selling only some 1000 SWBs out of 9000 Pajeros a year. The three-door model offers another point of difference on the showroom floor, a hero machine.
MMAL reckon there are young couples around the towns looking for something stylish and older, empty nesters who will appreciate the full-size capability of the more compact machine. MItsubishi believe there will be rural buyers for the base R model and “fashionably conscious urban buyers” for the X versions.
Mitsubishi should be thanked for offering the choice.
Mitsubishi Pajero R
THREE-DOOR, $42,990
Engine: 3.2 litre turbocharged common rail diesel
Power: 125kW @ 3800rpm
Torque: 358Nm @ 2000rpm
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Dimensions (mm): 4385 (L), 1875 (W), 1880 (H), 2545 (Wheelbase), 225 (ground clearance)
Wheels: 18-inchTURNING CIRCLE: 10.4m
Kerb Weight: 2085kg
Approach/Ramp/Departure: 36.7deg/25.2deg/34.8deg
Ground Clearance: 225mm
Towing: 2500kg
Fuel Tank: 69 litres
