Isuzu MU-X vs Mitsubishi Pajero

What's the difference?

The MU-X has always had plenty of appeal as a daily driver – dependable, not dynamic – and it’s a proven 4WD wagon.

Some people don't like the noisy, sluggish engine, but I don't mind it because it delivers off-road.

There was already a lot to like about the seven-seater wagon in terms of its off-road capability, driver-assist tech, standard features, and simple all-round driveability, and the X-Terrain – which encompasses all of that AND adds some polish to the mix – is an impressive top-shelf addition to the MU-X line-up. Even if it's so pricey...

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 2WD seven-seater is a well-built and well-priced family-friendly wagon.

It's nice to drive, has a rather comfortable interior and – bonus – the vehicle on which it's based has proven credibility as a no-nonsense and highly functional touring vehicle.

But in 2WD guise it's missing something: namely Super Select II, which accounts for a considerable chunk of the 4WD Pajero Sport’s appeal – so the absence of that in this 2WD version is a significant negative, in my books.

The not-so-subtle point I’m trying to make? Sure, the 2WD Pajero Sport is a few grand cheaper than its 4WD stablemate and it's a solid value-for-money buy as is, but I reckon paying the extra cash to get your hands on a Pajero Sport that's equipped with Super-Select II is the better bet.

As I’ve said before, the MU-X has never been particularly exciting or boring in terms of design, just comfortably adopting a low-key, middle-of-the-road type design – sales gold, in other words.

But the X-Terrain has distinctive ‘X’ branding here and there – inside and out – and that adds a subtle class to this variant.

The X-Terrain is 4860mm long (with a 2855mm wheelbase), 1870mm wide (excluding mirrors), 1825mm high and has a listed kerb weight of 2195kg.

It has a wheel track of 1570mm and an 11.6m turning circle. 

Our test vehicle has the exclusive X-Terrain paint – slate grey metallic – which matches well with the X badging, bigger grille design, new headlights, three-tier LED tail-lights, and redesigned wheels.

The interior strikes a stylish note as well with red stitching on the dash, centre console and leather-accented seat trim.

The Pajero Sport is 4825mm long (with a 2800mm wheelbase), 1815mm wide and 1835mm high. It has an official kerb weight of 1980kg.

I don’t mind the styling of the Pajero Sport. It doesn’t look as bulky as many of its rivals and it manages to have a rather contemporary, but comfortably middle of the road, presence.

If you’re that concerned about keeping up appearances, perhaps take a look at a Pajero Sport in the metal, drive it, imagine yourself living with it day to day, then make up your own mind whether you think it suits you or not.

Easy.

The interior has a pleasant, familiar and practical feel about it and this is an easy space in which to swiftly become comfortable. 

Controls are easy to locate and operate and charging options are numerous – a mix of USB-A, USB-C and 12V up front, and USB-A for the second row.

Storage places include recesses for your everyday carry gear, a suitably deep centre console, as well as dual cupholders up front, cupholders in the rear fold-down centre armrest and bottle holders in the doors.

There are cupholders either side of the third row in the MU-X for passengers riding back there.

The MU-X has physical-button options to activate some functions (including to switch on the audio system, to adjust volume, access sat nav etc).

Seats are adequately comfortable and supportive through all three rows – yes, even the third row is roomy enough to prevent whining from whoever is stuck back there.

The cargo area is 311 litres with all three rows in use, 1119L with the third row flat and 2138L with the second and third rows folded.

The rear cargo area has a cargo cover, tie-down points, a 12V power outlet, a storage space under the rear cargo area floor and a space for tools inside the driver’s side rear cargo wall.

The interior has a practical and familiar feel about it. Sure, it’s a bit on the basic side of things – with cloth seats and rubber floor mats – and it certainly lacks the plethora of soft-touch surfaces some of its more expensive rivals may have, but this interior’s life-friendly sense is a bigger positive for it than any posh addition could be.

The front seats are rather supportive, with a real snug feel to them, and are manually adjustable, which is fine with me.

The reach- and height-adjustable steering wheel has paddle shifters for when your driving takes on more of a sense of urgency. 

The dash and 8.0-inch touchscreen media unit has an integrated sense to it. And this cabin’s all-pervasive sense of familiarity continues here with all of the buttons and dials easy to spot on the fly and, more importantly, operate without fumbling around for them.

Driver and front passenger have access to media and aircon controls, among others, as well as cup-holders in between the front seats, a bottle holder in each of the doors, and small spots here and there for your wallet, keys etc.

The second row is suitably comfortable and I sat behind my driving position and there was plenty of head and leg room. It’d be much squeezier for those of us who stand at six-feet (182cm) or beyond.

Second-row passengers have access to a fold-down arm-rest with cup holders, air vents and there are USB charge points and a power socket in the rear of the centre-console. 

The seat-backs have map pockets and the doors each have a bottle holder.

The second row is equipped with three child-seat top-tether points, and two ISOFIX points. It is a 60:40 split-fold configuration.

Passengers in the third-row seat have access to cup-holders and air vents, but that’s little compensation because the space back here is on the wrong side of tight. 

The third row is a 50:50 split-fold configuration.

In terms of packability, the rear cargo area’s volume is listed as 131 litres when all three rows are being used as seating; 502 litres when two rows are in use; and 1488 when the second and third rows are stowed away. 

Annoyingly, the third row is a real bugger to stow away and doesn’t fold flat into the floor. Maybe I’m missing a trick but this third-row strife was a source of more than a bit of frustration for the photographer and I – and we’re both experienced vehicle-based travellers.

The rear cargo area is equipped with power sockets and tie-down points. There is a shallow underfloor storage box back there as well.

Our test vehicle – a Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 2WD seven-seater – has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $49,190 (before on-road costs).

But our wagon had a stack of accessories, which included alloy front protection bar ($3879), towbar kit ($1386), towball cover ($7), rear cargo liner ($205), and carpet mat set ($230). That total accessories cost of $5707 (price includes recommended dealer fitment cost) brings this vehicle’s as-tested price to $54,897.

There is a 2WD GLX spec, a five-seater, which is slightly cheaper than our test vehicle, with an MSRP of $44,440.

The standard features list on the GLS is generous and includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia unit (with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite navigation), dual-zone climate control air conditioning, a power tailgate, privacy glass, automatic rain-sensing wipers and dusk-sensing headlights and, of course, seven seats.

I’ve mentioned the accessories above – and there are lot more of a variety of those available from Mitsubishi as well as from Australia’s bloody awesome aftermarket industry – so let’s get cracking with the yarn proper.

The MU-X has a 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 140kW and 450Nm and it’s matched to a six-speed auto.

These form part of a proven powertrain and while the MU-X may not be the most dynamic vehicle to drive – it’s acceleration is sluggish rather than punchy – it has a real tractability that nullifies any other niggles.

It has part-time 4WD, with high- and low-range as well as various drive modes, rough terrain mode, and a rear diff lock.

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 2WD variant does not have Mitsubishi’s impressive Super-Select II 4WD system, of which I’m a big fan, and that absence is a substantial negative against it, I reckon. But more about that very soon…

Official fuel consumption for this MU-X is 8.3L/100km and that's on a combined cycle. 

On this test I recorded 10.2L/100km. I did a lot of high and low-range four-wheel driving, so that fuel consumption is not too shabby.

The MU-X has an 80-litre fuel tank, so going by my on-test fuel consumption figures you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 784km from a full tank. 

The 2WD Pajero Sport has an offical fuel consumption of 8.0L/100km on a combined cycle. 

On our test, which included a stint of dirt-road driving, we recorded fuel consumption from fill to fill of 9.2L/100km.

It has a 68-litre fuel tank so, with that sort of fuel-consumption figure, you can reasonably expect a driving range of approximately 690km from a full tank, but that’s factoring in a safe-distance buffer of 50km.

In previous tests, the MU-X has been fine on road and more than adequate on gravel, dirt tracks, and during low-range 4WDing. But it’s been a jarring, skippy ride on irregular surfaces rather than as composed as it could – and should – have been. The culprit? Firm suspension, over-inflated tyres, too-tight trousers, who knows?

The good news is it seems like Isuzu has ironed out any issues in the suspension, minor or otherwise, because the MU-X is now is a lot better in terms of ride and handling than ever before. 

Off-road, the MU-X has always been a proven combination of its 3.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, clever six-speed automatic transmission, and an off-road traction control system that's been increasingly well recalibrated through a number of generations. 

The engine is tractable and gruff, it has plenty of grunt and, as long as you're not driving like a complete hoon, you can usually get through most obstacles without a lot of fuss.

It's this mix of mechanicals and driver-assist tech that make the MU-X such an effective 4WD package. And there are a number of reasons for that. 

For one, that engine delivers plenty of torque down low and in the mid-range torque and that's crucial for four-wheel driving. 

And another thing, Rough Terrain Mode – like a beefed-up and fine-tuned off-road traction control – proves very effective because it punches torque to the wheel with the most traction – while wheel spin on tyres that aren't touching dirt is minimised – and that way it keeps the vehicle moving through obstacles with safe and controlled momentum. 

As I’ve noted before though, Rough Terrain Mode is not a magic all-conquering solution, but it is another handy addition to the MU-X’s off-road toolbox.

And the MU-X also has a rear diff lock to back you up – and that's another valuable component. 

The MU-X has approach, departure and ramp-over angles of 29.2, 26.4 and 23.1 respectively.

A listed 235mm of ground clearance is about standard for this kind of wagon but, as I’ve said before, it seems vulnerable in the underbody, side steps and its plastic mud guards. So the underbody may touch dirt, depending on how challenging the terrain is. 

Wading depth is listed as 800mm.

But, as always, with focused driving, you’ll have lots of fun and you'll minimise any superficial damage or scuff marks to the MU-X.

The MU-X has plenty of potential as a touring platform, but, if you’re planning to do any off-roading beyond well-maintained tracks, then get rid of its road-biased tyres and replace them with all-terrain tyres.

The showroom-standard tyres on this MU-X – 265/50R20 Bridgestone Dueler HTs – are okay, but not really up to scratch if tough 4WDing is what you’re keen to do. I’d prefer an 18-inch wheel and tyre package with decent all-terrains.

The MU-X has a full-sized underslung spare and in terms of packability, the MU-X X-Terrain has a listed payload of 605kg, GVM is 2800kg and GCM is 5900kg.

If you are considering using your MUX as a tow vehicle, it's handy to know that it can legally tow 750kg (unbraked) and 3500kg (braked), which is the standard for large four-wheel-drive wagons. 

Be aware though that, as with any other vehicles, once you're towing anywhere near the maximum weight, your payload is greatly reduced.

This is mostly a smooth driving wagon while tackling daily duties on the blacktop and with some highway stretches thrown into the mix. 

Steering has a nice weight to it and the Pajero Sport is a nimble, highly manoeuvrable SUV, with a turning circle of 11.2m, even if it does start to reveal more than a bit of body-roll through more aggressive driving. No surprise and no worries – this is an SUV after all, not a sports car. 

Also, worth noting is the fact that our test vehicle’s alloy bullbar made it heavier at the front end thus affecting its handling somewhat.

Throttle response is sharp and the 2WD Pajero Sport retains the line-up’s punchy turbo-diesel engine and teamed with the eight-speed auto it makes for a quietly effective, rarely stressed working partnership, rather than an energetic match-up.

The suspension set-up here – double wishbones with coil springs and stabiliser bar at the front, and three-link, coil springs and stabiliser bar at the rear – yields a very firm ride and one which can tend towards jarring if you’re traversing chopped-up back-country bitumen or really anything beyond bitumen that's in good nick.

The tyres – Toyo Open Country A32 (265/60R18) – are well-suited to bitumen, not so much to off-roading, which is perfectly reasonable for this 2WD vehicle. Also, this rubber is on the correct side of quiet.

As mentioned earlier, Mitsubishi’s Super-Select II 4WD system is missing from this variant, obviously, as this is a 2WD. And that’s a crying shame because even if you never venture off the road, Super-Select II is very handy. In Pajero Sports equipped with it, you can drive in 4H (4WD high range) even on bitumen or any high-traction surface because 4H in this vehicle means that – and I’m directly quoting Mitsubishi’s offical system explanation here – “all wheels are driven via the transfer case with an open centre differential, this means all four wheels will send power to the ground while still operating independently of one another”.

If you drove like that in most other 4WDs – at speed in 4H on bitumen or the like – you’d risk transmission wind-up, but there’s no danger of that in a 4WD Pajero Sport because its centre diff is open, not locked, when 4H is engaged.

This gives the driver increased traction and so better control and that means it’s a safer all-round driving experience for everyone involved.

Unfortunately, none of those benefits are available in this 2WD variant.

Having said all of that, this Pajero Sport is very drivable, functional and still manages to retain respectable, if not high, levels of refinement.

The Pajero Sport has a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing in October, 2015.

Safety gear includes seven airbags (driver’s knee, driver and passenger front, driver and passenger front sides, and curtains) and this Pajero Sport’s suite of active safety and driver-assist tech includes AEB, adaptive cruise control, trailer stability assist, rear view camera and rear parking sensors, but it somehow misses out on blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

The MU-X has a six-year/150,000km warranty and seven years of roadside assistance. That warranty is okay in terms of years, but unlimited kilometres would be welcome.

Service intervals are scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs soonest. 

Capped-price servicing covers the first five scheduled services for 24MY and later vehicle models (up to five years/75,000km, whichever occurs first) – at a cost of $469 for each service.

Pajero Sport 2WD is eligible for Mitsubishi's so-called "10/10 Diamond Advantage" package, which includes a 10-year/200,000km warranty and 10 year/150,000km capped price servicing. But you need to ensure you get the vehicle serviced at an authorised Mitsubishi dealer to take advantage of the 10-year warranty plan.

Each capped price servicing extends free roadside assistance by another 12 months.

The servicing schedule and costs per service are: $399 (at 12months/15,000), $399 (24 months/30,000km), $499 (36 months/45,000km), $699 (48 months/60,000km), $499 (60 months/75,000km), $699 (72 months/90,000km), $499 (84 months/105,000km), $999 (96 months/120,000km), $599 (108 months/135,000km), and $699 (120 months/150,000km).