Mazda CX-9 vs Mitsubishi Pajero
What's the difference?

Mazda CX-9

$18,990 - $42,990

2021 price

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Mitsubishi Pajero

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2022 price

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Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2021 Mazda CX-9

2022 Mitsubishi Pajero

By Justin Hilliard

By Marcus Craft

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.5L

Diesel Turbo 4, 2.4L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Diesel

Fuel Efficiency

8.4L/100km (combined)

8.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

New 10.25-inch display
Seven-seater's versatility
Comfortable ride

Price-tag
Decent all-rounder
Seven seats

Dislikes

Expensive AWD option
Six-seater's compromises
Older ANCAP safety rating

No Super Select II
Not as refined as rivals
Lacks some safety tech

2021 Mazda CX-9 Summary

The second-generation Mazda CX-9 may have been on sale in Australia for nearly five years now, but it remains the second best-selling large SUV using unibody construction (as opposed to old-school, off-road-focused body-on-frame).

That said, it is getting on a bit, so Mazda’s given it an update with a twist for 2021, hoping to inject a little bit more life into its flagship model.

And when we say twist, we mean it. After all, who would’ve thought there’d ever be a six-seat CX-9? Well, we’ve checked it out to see if it’s the version we needed all along. Read on.

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2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Summary

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is one of the quiet-achieving top-sellers in the Australian 4WD market and now 2WD five- and seven-seater variants have been added to further expand the popular SUV wagon line-up.

With sub-$50,000 price-tags being touted, is a 2WD Pajero Sport worth your consideration?

We had a seven-seater variant for a week to see how it stacks up against its 2WD rivals and its own 4WD stablemates.

Read on.

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Deep dive comparison

2021 Mazda CX-9 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero

Verdict

The CX-9 is still a great option for families looking for a large SUV, even if it is starting to show its age as new rivals continue to launch with newer technologies.

That said, the availability of a luxury-focused six-seat configuration (Azami LE AWD) for the first time might be enough to convince some buyers to give it further consideration.

But for others who need the versatility of seven seats, this is still the CX-9 we’ve all come to know and love – but just a little bit better – particularly in its best-selling Azami AWD form.

Verdict

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.

Mazda CX-9 vs Mitsubishi Pajero What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Mazda CX-9 vs Mitsubishi Pajero
What's the difference?