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What's the difference?
The Mitsubishi Outlander was launched more than two decades ago and through four generations has proven to be a solid performer in Australia’s highly competitive SUV market.
The latest generation arrived in 2021, which includes petrol-only and petrol plug-in hybrid models, competes in the ‘Medium SUV under $60K’ segment where more than 20 rivals fight for buyers.
Toyota’s RAV4 is the current sales leader, but the Outlander is within striking distance and closely hounded by quality rivals including the Nissan X-Trail, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson.
To be such a strong seller in such a competitive market means the Outlander must be ticking many boxes with buyers and Mitsubishi wants them to tick even more, with convenience and safety updates for the 2024 model year. We recently tested one of the top-shelf models to see why the Outlander is such a popular choice.
The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport has a solid reputation as a very capable off-road vehicle and it also functions well as a daily driver, without ever being truly exceptional.
The top-spec GSR packs plenty of standard features onboard, so, with the next Pajero Sport not due to arrive here until 2025, is the current-generation seven-seater worth your consideration? Read on.
Apart from the cramped third-row seating (for adults at least) and space-saver spare, it’s difficult to find anything else deserving criticism. The Exceed combines sharp styling, a plush interior and upmarket appointments with the performance, practicality and all-round competence required for the Outlander – particularly in Exceed model grade - to justify its place as a leading contender in Australia’s medium SUV market. Worthy of a test drive and serious consideration.
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.
Exterior styling is richly contoured with fine attention to detail in the bold multi-element design of the grille and headlights that projects a prestige look.
The sumptuous interior, with ‘diamond-quilt’ stitching prominent on the seat-facings and door trims, adds to the upmarket appearance. Occupants are pampered by lots of soft-touch surfaces, exposed seam-stitching and a visually-pleasing mix of contrasting tones.
The interior has a bright and airy feel, particularly with the panoramic sunroof and optional light grey leather trim in our example. However, a darker upholstery shade might be more practical for young families, given inevitable scuffs and stains would be less visible.
Second-row legroom is spacious, even for my adult ‘kids’ (LOL) who are both more than 180cm tall. They have about 40mm of knee clearance when sitting behind the driver’s seat in my position, which shows efficient use of floor space.
However, the prominent contour in the roof lining required to accommodate the sunroof imposes on headroom for taller people.
Adding 5+2 equals seven so that includes a third row of seating, which folds flat but can be easily raised and head-rests installed (these are stowed beneath the luggage area floor) to allow seven-seat versatility.
However, providing adequate legroom for adults in these seats requires the second-row to be slid so far forward its occupants have their knees pressed into the front seat backrests. So, in real-world use, the third-row seats are strictly for small kids.
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.
With its 1760kg kerb weight and 2355kg GVM, our test vehicle has load capacity of 595kg, of which up to 80kg can be carried on the roof.
However, given five adults and two kids could use up most of that seven-seat load capacity before you could think of adding luggage, it’s important to keep an eye on these load ratings when preparing for a trip.
The Exceed is also rated to tow up to 1600kg of braked trailer and with its 3955kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time), it can legally tow its maximum trailer weight while carrying its maximum car-load. That’s a handy set of numbers for most recreational tasks.
In addition to USB-A and USB-C ports plus a 12V accessory socket, storage for driver and front passenger includes a large-bottle holder and bin in each front door, a single glove box and an overhead glasses holder.
The front of the centre console has open storage up front, two cup/small-bottle holders in the centre and a box at the rear with padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.
Second-row passengers, in addition to USB-A and USB-ports, air-vents and a climate control panel on the rear of the centre console, get a bottle-holder and small bin in each door. There are also large lower pockets on each front seat backrest, plus two small upper pockets handy for loose items.
The 60/40-split second-row seat also has a fold-down centre armrest containing two cup/small-bottle holders.
When folded flat this also provides a handy opening in the seat's backrest through which long and narrow items can be carried (suitably secured of course), stretching from the tailgate to the dash if need be. Third-row passengers have small storage bins on each side.
The carpeted luggage area offers another 12-volt outlet and retractable load-anchorage hooks. Load volume starts at (VDA) 163 litres with all seats upright, which expands to 478 litres with the third-row folded and up to 1473 litres (or more than 1.4 cubic metres) with the second and third rows folded.
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.
Our test vehicle is the Exceed 5+2 Seat (fancy name for a seven-seater), which is one rung below the premium Exceed Tourer 5+2 Seat on the Outlander’s nine-model petrol-only ladder comprising 2WD and AWD variants.
It’s available only with a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, eight-speed CVT auto and all-wheel drive transmission for a list price of $52,640. Our example is equipped with light grey leather-appointed seat trim and 'White Diamond' prestige paint which are extra-cost options.
Being a sub-prime model, you’d expect it to come loaded with features and the Exceed doesn’t disappoint, starting with 20-inch two-tone alloys with 255/45R20 tyres plus a space-saver spare. We’d prefer a full-size alloy spare as found in lower-grade models, given the Exceed's AWD rough road capability.
The Exceed includes all the features in the well-equipped Aspire AWD 5+2 Seat petrol model below it and adds tri-zone climate control with rear seat control panel, panoramic sunroof, hands-free power tailgate, power front passenger seat as well as driver and front passenger seat memory and heating.
There's also an aluminium gearshift trim panel, rear door roll-up sunshades, unique illumination in front door trims, 10-speaker BOSE premium sound system, 12.3-inch digital driver display, heated steering wheel, front LED sequential indicators and 'Mi-Pilot' driving assistant (see Driving).
Plus, there’s a leather-rimmed and heated steering wheel, leather-wrapped gearshift, wireless phone-charging, full LED lighting including DRLs and front/rear fog-lights, 360-degree camera view, front/rear parking sensors, driver’s head-up display and much more.
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.
The Exceed’s refined 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine produces 135kW at 6000rpm and 244Nm of torque at 3600pm and can use 91 RON fuel.
The smooth and responsive CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) 'eight-speed' has overdrive on fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth ratios which ensures low rpm and fuel consumption at highway speeds. Sequential manual-shifting is also available using steering wheel-mounted paddles.
Mitsubishi’s full-time all-wheel drive transmission offers six drive modes controlled by a console dial. These comprise 'Normal', 'Eco', 'Tarmac', 'Gravel', 'Snow' and 'Mud'.
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.
Mitsubishi claims combined cycle average consumption of 8.1L/100km and the dash display was showing 9.0L/100km at the completion of our 378km test, which comprised mostly city and suburban driving with up to five adults on board.
Our figure, calculated from fuel bowser and trip meter readings, was not far from the Outlander’s at 9.8L/100km. So, based on our numbers, you could expect a real-world driving range of around 560km from its relatively small 55-litre tank. That range extends to 680km based on the Mitsubishi's official consumption number.
And the good news is the Outlander Exceed runs happily on 91RON 'standard' unleaded.
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.
Drivers of different stature can find comfortable driving positions, as confirmed by the 20cm difference in height between my wife and me.
With ample adjustment available in the steering wheel and multi-way powered seat, she enjoyed driving the Outlander and praised the seat memory function, which could quickly change from my settings to hers with the push of a button. Very handy when you share driving duties.
The driver’s seat is comfortable and supportive, with ample side-bolsters on the backrest providing good lateral support for the upper torso.
A large left footrest provides a solid platform to brace against and padded elbow-rests on each side enhance driving comfort, particularly on long trips.
Overall, it’s a refined and comfortable vehicle which feels like it has solid build quality. The ride quality is smooth and supple over bumps with negligible tyre, engine and wind noise, particularly at highway speeds where the engine requires a leisurely 1800rpm to maintain 110km/h.
The driver’s head-up display on the windscreen works efficiently, by displaying signposted speed limits and the vehicle’s road speed in your line of vision. It would be hard to come up with a viable excuse for exceeding the speed limit using this system!
We also trialled the numerous selectable drive modes. Although the Normal setting provides ample performance for most requirements, we found the Tarmac mode was the most engaging and rewarding for road use wet or dry, with all-wheel drive traction and optimised gearshift calibrations combining to provide spirited performance.
We also had an ideal opportunity to test the Mi-Pilot semi-autonomous driving assistant while crawling along in dense freeway traffic triggered by major road maintenance works.
Given this required lots of stop-start driving, the Mi-Pilot maintained a safe distance from the car in front and slowed, stopped and accelerated in unison, without driver input. And only light hand-contact with the steering wheel was required for the Mi-Pilot to maintain its lane-keeping function.
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 Outlander scored a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment in 2022 and features a comprehensive menu of passive and active features as you’d expect, including front, side and centre airbags for driver and front passenger, plus driver’s knee and side-curtain airbags.
There’s also AEB plus lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic emergency braking (when reversing), trailer stability assist for safer towing and lots more. Plus there’s two ISOFIX child-seat anchorages and three top-tethers.
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.
Mitsubishi covers the Outlander with a five-year/100,000km warranty with 12 months roadside assist.
Extended 10-year/200,000km warranty and 10 years capped-price servicing is available if the car is always serviced within the Mitsubishi dealer network.
Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km, whichever occurs first. Capped-price servicing for 10 years totals $4340, or a reasonable $434 annually.
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.