Isuzu MU-X vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

What's the difference?

So, engine aside, not much new for the 2024 MU-X, but I can confidently say this: if you’re not towing big loads all of the time, then the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel won’t just save you cash at the dealership, but at the service station, too.

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.

If you like the look of the 2023 Isuzu MU-X, then boy have I got good news for you, because the changes to the 2024 model occur under the bonnet, and nowhere else, really. That means you get the same simple, boxy exterior design, which emphasises capability over fanciness.

Yes, the MU-X design is more dependable than daring, but I reckon it works, with the three-row SUV cutting a fairly handsome figure, even if it is yet to receive the design tweaks just rolled out on the updated Isuzu D-Max.

Inside, though, it definitely presents as a little utilitarian, with some plastics that feel like they could survive a nuclear blast, and the 7.0- and 9.0-inch central screens both feel a little underwhelming by modern standards.

It all feels very comfortable and hard-wearing though, which is probably every bit as important, given the MU-X’s target market.

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.

Practicality has always been a sizeable MU-X perk, regardless of the engine. 

That starts with seven seats, and a back row where actual full-size humans can spend time — and there are not many three-row SUVs you can say that about.

I’m 175cm tall and while I wouldn’t pick row three as my first choice, I’d happily sit back there for short hops.

The middle row, too, is pretty spacious, though it is lacking in a few creature comforts, with just the air-con vents (but no temp controls) and a couple of USB ports to keep you company.

And remember when I said the brand was promising the 1.9-litre engine wouldn’t cost much in terms of capability? Well, Isuzu says the braked towing capacity for models fitted with the smaller engine is 3000kg, while the payload figure increases — now up to 735kg — mostly because the new engine is about 70 kilos lighter. Models fitted with the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel are still rated to tow 3.5-tonne. 

The MU-X stretches 4850mm in length, 1870mm in width and 1815mm in height and it sits on a 2855mm wheelbase, which means while there’s plenty of cabin space it’s not too ridiculous to park.

You’ll find 311 litres of boot space with all three rows in place, growing to 1119 litres with the second row folded flat and 2138 litres with just the front two seats in action.

Every MU-X model will offer at least 800mm in wading depth and 230mm ground clearance, too.

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.

Let’s focus on the new engine option here, with the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel delivering 110kW and 350Nm. They don’t sound like massive numbers, but Isuzu makes the point that the torque delivery is wide, with maximum grunt available from 1800rpm to 2600rpm, and 300Nm available from 1550rpm to 3700rpm, meaning there’s power there when you need it.

The new engine pairs with a six-speed Aisin tramsission and delivers power to two or all four wheels.

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.

Another perk of the smaller engine is a smaller fuel bill, with the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel promising to drink 7.4L/100km on the combined cycle - almost a litre less than the 3.0-litre 4x4 model, which is more like 8.3L/100km. 

Emissions drop, too, with the smaller engine rated at 196g/km of C02 combined, compared with 220g/km on for the 3.0-litre 4x4 model.

Impact on the hip pocket? Well, fewer trips to the service station for one. Isuzu says the 80-litre fuel tank should deliver almost 1100km of driving between refills.

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.

First things first, you can absolutely tow with the smaller MU-X engine. In fact, we attached a load weighing close to its 3.0-tonne maximum and the Isuzu just hunkered down and got to work.

It must be said, though, it’s nowhere near as effortless as when you have the bigger 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine up front, which dispatches heavy loads clinically and easily.

The smaller option has to try harder and rev higher, and while it’s easy enough on downhill runs or flats, it’s noticeably slower when heading up hill.

It does demand the question of how often you’ll be attaching close to its rated maximum on the towball, though. If it’s often, the bigger engine is definitely for you. But if it’s occasionally, or your tow loads are lighter, you can definitely make do with the 1.9-litre option.

On the road, the 1.9-litre engine’s power delivery is actually pretty well suited to the MU-X. It’s not fast, of course, but the width of the torque band helps deliver grunt when you need it (to a point) especially in the low-end, and I reckon the whole experience is a bit smoother and quieter than with the bigger engine, too.

You are missing some of that effortless grunt, of course, and you still can’t escape the usual diesel noise that permeates the cabin, but the lower fuel use for lower power feels like a fairly decent trade. 

It won’t be for everyone, and cross-country travellers and towers will no doubt go for the bigger unit, but for everyone else the 1.9-litre is a pretty sensible option.

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.

The maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating applies to Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vehicles built prior to January 1, 2023. Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vehicles built from 1 January 2023 are unrated.

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, blind-spot warning with lane change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The Pajero Sport’s AEB has a ‘AEB City’ classification, which denotes that it is a system which only “operates at lower speeds (usually between 10-50km/h)”, according to ANCAP.

It does not operate at higher speeds (“50-250km/h”), and it does not detect vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists, when it is travelling at speeds of more than 50km/h.

The second-row seat has three child-seat top-tether anchorage points and an ISOFIX point on each outboard seat.

Every Isuzu MU-X model gets a six-year, 150,000km warranty, as well as five years of capped price servicing, and up two seven years of roadside assistant. 

The service are 12 months or 15,000km, and each service costs $449 per year, or a total $2245 over five years.

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.