Volvo XC60 vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

What's the difference?

The Volvo XC60 Ultimate B5 Bright is a fine example of a family car that actually caters to families. There are plenty of practical features inside to help everyday living and it has a good amount of occupant and boot space for the class. I like how it handles on the road and its running costs are reasonable for a luxury SUV. It's not as flashy as its rivals but it's still stylish.

My husband and son spent a lot of time in the XC60 and they have enjoyed a high-level of comfort on our journeys together. We all love the built-in booster seats in the back row because of the independence they offer.

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is a very capable off-road vehicle and it also functions quite well as a daily driver. And in top-shelf GSR guise, it has plenty of standard features onboard. 

This 4WD wagon is infrequently outmatched when faced with serious 4WD challenges and, even though the whole package is feeling more than a bit dated, the Pajero Sport still represents a decent value-for-money option in an increasingly expensive car market.

The XC60 looks mature and graceful with its wide stance and well-proportioned body. The pronounced bonnet and stylish grille confirm its luxury SUV credentials.

The LED headlight design has been inspired by ‘Thor's Hammer’ (gotta love that Scandi heritage!) and the chrome accents around the windows accentuate the optioned darker tint.

Despite having a stately kerb-side presence, it’s not a boring looking car. The 20-inch dual-coloured alloy wheels and sleek body panelling help the XC60 appear almost sporty. Overall, its exterior design looks like it will age well.

The interior style of the XC60 can be summed up in two words - understated elegance.

The cabin isn't as flashy or wowing as some of its rivals and that might be because it lacks the visual impact of customisable ambient lighting, or because the chunkier dashboard looks more solid and dependable than sleek and fancy.

Regardless, the high-quality leather-accented upholstery and trim options elevate the space to earn the 'luxury' tag.

There is a plethora of soft-touchpoints throughout the car and visual highlights like chrome accents, an illuminated crystal shifter by Orrefors and a solid-feeling steering wheel.

SUV wagons based on utes (Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X et al) all share a similarly inoffensive generic kind of look.

The Pajero Sport is easy enough on the eye.

Families will appreciate the XC60's cabin. Both rows of seating are roomy for the class and the front seats are supportive and comfortable with multiple adjustments available.

However, there is an electric toggle dial that controls the lumbar-, side-, and under-thigh supports as well as the massage function, but flipping between modes can be a bit confusing at first.

I enjoy having the practical two-position memory function on both front seats, as I’ve been travelling a lot with my husband and the heat/ventilation features on the front seats have been great during a recent run of strange weather.

The back seats are well-cushioned and the bench is wide with three adults being able to sit without too many grumbles. 

I have plenty of room for my 168cm height and my seven-year old is able to get in and out without any trouble thanks to the higher ground clearance.

Our absolute favourite feature is built-in child booster cushions in the outboard seats. They have two height positions to accommodate different heights/weights and it’s been wonderful for my son to have the autonomy of buckling himself in. But also just awesome for my husband and I because it’s one less thing to think about! 

Storage throughout the car is good for the class with the front enjoying a mid-sized middle console, large glove box, two cupholders and two large drink bottle holders. The extra-large storage bins in the front doors are also very handy. 

In the rear, you have two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest, two map pockets and two drink bottle holders in each door.

The other amenities are great with the individual climate control and four sets of directional air vents – ideally located on the back of the centre console and on the B-pillars. 

Charging options are solid with both rows enjoying two USB-C ports and the front also getting a 12-volt outlet and wireless charging pad. The boot has a 12-volt socket, too.

Onto the other technology, the 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is responsive and relatively easy to get around once you spend some time with it. Along with the Google subscription, you also get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster shows the navigation map and the head-up display incorporates directions, which is great.

The cluster itself isn’t customisable, though, and I like fiddling with things like that to personalise the driving experience.

Another practical feature is a secondary key fob which can be programmed to control the maximum speed the car can travel and the audio volume.

I'm sure this would be handy for parents of any P-platers out there who often borrow the family car.

The key fobs are easily distinguishable. too. The spare for our test vehicle is a bright orange colour, so there are no 'whoops, I grabbed the wrong key' arguments, either.

The boot space is a great size at 483L offering plenty of room for holiday luggage. The back seat has a 60/40 split and a ski-port to open up storage options.

The loading space is level and there is a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor. You can adjust the height of the car using the air suspension and I love a powered tailgate.

The Pajero Sport is 4825 millimetres long with a 2800mm wheelbase. It is 1815mm wide, 1835mm high and it has a listed kerb weight of 2125kg.

Up front, the seats (power-adjustable driver and front passenger) are very supportive, with a nice wrap-around feel to them.

The steering wheel has paddle shifters for sporty shifting and it is reach- and height-adjustable.

The dash and 8.0-inch touchscreen media unit are nicely integrated, but that screen is too small – and that’ll be rectified somewhat with the likely introduction of a 9.0-inch screen in the 2025 Pajero Sport. 

All buttons and dials on the current Pajero Sport are easy to locate and operate, even when you're bouncing around off-road.

Second-row passengers have access to three top tether points, two ISOFIX points and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. There are USB charge points and a power socket in the back of the centre console bin.

The second row is rather comfortable. I sat behind my driving position and there was plenty of head and legroom. 

Passengers in the third-row seat have access to cupholders and air vents.

In terms of packability, the Pajero Sport’s cabin is quite narrow compared to most of its rivals and there are plenty of other SUVs and 4WD wagons around that offer more room inside for people, gear and dogs.

Boot space is a listed 131 litres with the third-row seats in use and there are power sockets and tie-down points in that rear space. 

Fold the third row out of the way and cargo space increases to 502 litres. With the second and third rows stowed away, there is a combined 1488 litres of cargo space.

All in all, the Pajero Sport’s interior is a functional space, but it’s feeling a bit dated.

For reference, the 2024 Triton will be 15mm longer (5320mm, with a longer wheelbase 3130mm) and 50mm wider (1850mm) than the current generation model. And with the 2025 Pajero Sport set to follow suit, that’ll mean more space in the wagon’s cabin for driver, passengers, gear and your dogs. 

The 2024 Triton’s newly developed ladder-frame chassis is claimed to have a 40 per cent increase in bending rigidity and a 60 per cent increase in torsional rigidity over the current generation.

The upcoming Triton will also get a towing capacity boost from 3100kg to 3500kg, bringing it in line with its rivals.

So, following on from the Triton’s changes, the 2025 Triton-based Pajero Sport will be bigger, heavier and with greater towing capacity.

The MY23 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GSR has a recommended retail price of $65,440 (excluding on-road costs), but our test vehicle also has premium paint ('Terra Rossa', $200), electric brake kit ($689), towball ($41), carpet mats ($236), and towbar kit ($1495), pushing its price as tested to $68,101 (excluding on-road costs).

Standard features include an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), paddle shifters on the steering wheel, leather-appointed seats, power-adjustable and heated front seats, LED daytime running lights, 'Multi Around Monitor', dual-zone climate control, 18-inch black alloy wheels and a power tailgate.

Exterior paint options for the GSR include our test car's Terra Rosa as well as 'White Diamond' and 'Black Mica'.

For your information, the 2024 Mitsubishi Triton offers more than a few clues as to how well the 2025 Pajero Sport will be equipped and upgraded.

The upcoming Triton has been revealed to have a refreshed interior, a more modern multimedia system (with a bigger screen at 9.0 inches), and more driver-assist safety tech (including AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection as standard across the range). 

So, it’s likely the 2025 Pajero Sport will benefit from those changes, as well.

Volvo is aiming to offer only fully-electric powertrains from 2026 and the new XC60 B5 petrol variants feature a mild-hybrid element designed to improve fuel economy, especially in stop-start traffic.

Our test vehicle has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol powertrain with a maximum power output of 183kW and 350Nm of torque. It’s an all-wheel drive and has a smooth eight-speed auto transmission.

The Pajero Sport has a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine, which produces 133kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm at 2500rpm, and it has an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This is not a dynamic combination, but it’s a well-proven and respectable one. 

The GSR has Mitsubishi’s 'Super Select II' 4WD system and a rear diff lock. The Super Select dial sits to the rear of the shifter and enables the driver to switch from '2H' (two-wheel drive), '4H' (4WD high range), '4HLc' (4WD High Range with locked centre diff) and '4LLc' (4WD Low Range with locked centre diff).

The driver is able to safely switch between 2WD (2H) and 4WD (4H, 4HLc) at speeds up to 100km/h.

The GSR has a button-operated off-road mode system – with 'Gravel', 'Mud/Snow', 'Sand' or 'Rock' settings, each of which tweaks engine output, transmission settings and traction control to best suit the terrain – and hill descent control. 

The 2024 Triton will retain the current-generation’s engine but it will have a twin-turbo and it will produce more power: 150kW at 1500rpm over the current engine’s 133kW at 3500rpm. The new Triton will have a maximum tuned torque figure of 470Nm; the outgoing Triton produces 430Nm.

The upcoming Triton will keep the six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2025 Pajero Sport will have that new twin-turbo engine, but it’ll paired with an eight-speed auto.

The official combined cycle fuel figure is 7.6L/100km and my real-world usage averaged 8.1L/100km.

That’s pretty economical given that I cover a good mix of open road and urban driving and am not precious with the power.

Based on the combined cycle number and the large 71L fuel tank, expect a driving range of around 934km. To give you an idea of time between fills, I drove it for 14 days before having to fill up.

You can’t sneak in any blends or lower grade fuel though as Volvo recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded be used.

Official fuel consumption for the Pajero Sport GSR is 8.0L/100km on a combined cycle.

Its real-world fuel figure on this test, from pump to pump, was 9.6L/100km. 

The Pajero Sport has a 68-litre tank, so, with that sort of fuel-consumption figure, you can reasonably expect a driving range of approximately 680km from a full tank, but that’s after having already factored in a safe-distance buffer of 30km.

The XC60 is a relaxing car to drive, it does what you expect it to do most of the time. It has enough power to handle open-road touring with ease and while the suspension is on the firmer side, the ride feels well-cushioned.

The only time it skips a beat for me is when you're easing off the accelerator, slowing down, but then need to pick up speed again.

Say, when you find a gap in traffic and begin to merge. There can be a short delay before acceleration happens and it feels somewhat clumsy. But these moments are few and far between.

The cabin is quiet, with minimal wind and road noise. Our family had no issues chatting. It only gets loud inside when heavy rain hits that big panoramic sunroof.

Adaptive steering makes the XC60 feels nimble and horribly tight city streets less daunting. It’s easy to manoeuvre in a small car park, as well.

The clear 360-degree camera system and sensitive front and rear parking sensors also help to make light work of a parking. 

The Pajero Sport is reasonable on-road, although it is quite sluggish, not very dynamic, a bit noisy and there’s quite a lot of body-roll through sharp turns.

But it is a very nimble and capable off-roader, largely because the driver is able to tap into a few different things that have been engineered into the car to help them conquer tough low-range challenges.

The GSR has selectable off-road modes, including Gravel, Sand, Mud/Snow (when in high-range 4WD) and Rock (when in low-range 4WD).

Each of these modes adjusts engine output, transmission settings and braking, the aim being superior traction to suit specific conditions and terrains. 

But one of the major points of difference with its rivals is the fact the GSR has Super Select II 4WD. You can switch, via a dial to the rear of the auto shifter, from 2H into 4H (four-wheel drive, high-range), if you're not already driving with 4H engaged, and that gives you the best traction possible in low-traction conditions, which you may face on back-roads and dirt tracks.

There's no risk of transmission wind-up because the centre diff is open when 4H is engaged in the Pajero Sport, so Super Select II 4WD adds an extra element of safety and sure-footedness to your driving experience.

Then turn the dial to 4HLc (four-wheel drive, high-range, locked centre diff) and you're ready to take on more difficult terrain but at lower speeds, because the centre diff is no longer open.

If you're keen to tackle even harder stuff than high-range territory, turn the dial to 4LLc (four-wheel drive, low-range, locked centre diff) and the Pajero Sport has an opportunity to excel in low-speed low-range four-wheel driving.

So, along with decent high- and low-range gearing and a centre diff-lock – which is activated when 4HLc (4WD high-range, locked centre diff) or 4LLc (4WD low-range, locked centre diff) is selected – the Pajero Sport has a rear diff lock, which is engaged/disengaged via a button in front of the shifter and this further help you to easily maintain safe forward momentum. Hill descent control sustains a controlled low speed of 3.0-4.0km/h all the way down steeper, longer hills.

Its riding on Toyo Open Country A32 all-terrain tyres (265/60R18 110H) but it would perform even better with more aggressive rubber.

Wheel travel is okay, ground clearance (218mm) is reasonable, although you still have to mind your driving line through rough terrain and be mindful of approach (30 degrees), departure (24.2) and ramp-over (23.1) angles. Wading depth is listed as 700mm.

All-around, the Pajero Sport is an effective off-roader, and does everything in a safe and controlled way.

It’s not often common to associate a luxury brand with reasonable on-going costs but the Volvo XC60 is offered with very competitive pricing and terms.

The five-year/unlimited km warranty is normal for the class but you can pre-purchase a three-year/45,000km or a five-year/75,000km servicing plan.

The three-year plan is priced at $1750 (averaging $583 per service) and the five-year plan is priced at $3000 (or an average of $600 per service). Both plans are cheaper than a pay-as-you-go option and are inexpensive compared to some rivals.

Servicing intervals are good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

The Pajero Sport is covered by a 10-year/200,000 kilometre new car warranty, (whichever occurs first and when all scheduled services are completed at a Mitsubishi dealership), 10 years of capped price servicing, and four years of roadside assistance.

Service intervals are set for 12 months or 15,000km, and capped price servicing covers the first 10 regular services at those scheduled 15,000km/12 month intervals.

The average cost per service (over 10 years) is $599 – and that’s been calculated by CarsGuide’s crack team of bean-counters.