Pretty bloody good.
The Pajero is similar to the Jimmy in that it is very easy to position on any track because you know exactly where each wheel is at any time – and that applies even moreso when you’re low-speed 4WDing than it does for high-speed driving on bitumen or gravel tracks.
Sure, it can seem a tad underpowered every now and then, but don’t be shy in ‘giving it the boot’ and you should be right most of the time.
The easy-to-operate Super Select II has four modes: 2H (two-wheel drive, rear), 4H (4WD high range but, in this, safe to use at high speed on bitumen), 4H LC (4WD/all-wheel drive with locked centre diff; suitable for off-road driving at 30km/h or so) and 4L LC (4WD with locked centre diff and low-range gearing engaged; suitable only for low-speed 4WDing (below 30km/h). Turns out 4H is a good state of play for general driving.
The Pajero’s off-road measures – 225mm ground clearance (minimum, unladen), 700mm wading depth, and approach (36.6 degrees), departure (25) and ramp-over (22.5) angles – are sound without being anywhere near class-leading. I never neared the 700mm fording depth, but I did put the Pajero in a few deep-dish mud-holes.
Armed with good low-range gearing, engine braking and diff locks, the Pajero can get through very rough terrain, especially with 4L LC engaged (centre and rear diffs locked).
It has coil springs all-round and rides on 18-inch Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 All-Terrain tyres (265/60R18), which don’t help its off-road cause, and it has a full size spare.
With regards to cargo carrying for trips away, the Pajero has a maximum payload of 711kg, a max roof load of 100kg, towing capacity of 3000kg (braked) and 750kg unbraked.