Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Subaru Forester

What's the difference?

The Pajero Sport is reasonable on-road, more than satisfactory as a daily driver and it’s still a very effective 4WD.

This is a proven touring vehicle and while this update treatment doesn’t add a whole lot to the Pajero Sport package – and nothing in terms of power, torque or performance in general – it’s easily enough to tempt those who aren’t patient enough to wait for the next-generation version to arrive here.

To many people, this review won’t matter. There’s a large part of Subaru’s customer base that come back knowing they’ll get a practical, capable car regardless of refinement - something the brand’s rivals can’t quite match.

But even those people will be pleased to find the new Forester is a huge step-up over the last one in many areas. Sure, it’s a little late for Subaru to be joining the hybrid game in 2025, but it’s not the only brand from Japan that’s been slow on that front, and the brand’s philosophy hasn’t always been focused on efficiency anyway.

In a vacuum, the new Forester is a great adventure companion, but anyone considering a mid-size family SUV and not requiring the AWD and clearance the Forester has on offer could do better elsewhere.

For anyone else, there’s still only one option that really ticks all the boxes - and now it’s much better than before.

Just get the petrol if you’re going anywhere that could damage a tyre.

Most of the Pajero Sport’s latest round of upgrades is focused on styling refreshes, inside and out.

The upgraded interior in the GSR includes quilted two-tone burgundy and black synthetic leather upholstery.

This adds a welcome touch of understated class to an interior which is otherwise looking and feeling old.

The Pajero Sport now also has a three-spoke leather steering wheel and revised digital instrument display graphics, which may be difficult to discern for those unfamiliar with the previous renderings.

Outside, the GSR retains the distinctive Pajero Sport shape, albeit now with updated upper and lower grilles, front and rear bumper enhancements and black headlamp extensions (those are range-wide inclusions), as well as black door mirrors, door handles and tailgate handle.

The new Forester is a slight departure from the characterful previous generation, and to this writer’s eye that’s to its detriment. It’s not unpleasant to look at, but it doesn’t look so much like a Forester anymore.

I wouldn’t be the first to say it looks like it had at least one pass through the North American Ford design centre, but even putting that aside, the rounded front is a less interesting design treatment than we’re used to seeing from Subaru.

Its side profile shows off its boxy, practical nature, however, and from the rear it looks much more Subaru-like than from the front.

In Sport guise, particularly, the Forester’s bronze trim and wheels are a decent give-away that the brand was going for a more premium look.

Inside, the Forester doesn’t look enormously different from the last generation, especially when it comes to buttons, shifters, and the big vertical 11.6-inch touchscreen, the latter right out of other Subaru models that have been around a while.

But perhaps that was deliberate, because some of the new Forester’s best features are those that follow the notion of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

The Pajero Sport cabin is practical, but now, as a result of the upgrade, it has more of a premium look and feel. Sure, it’s still on the wrong side of aged and it’s cramped, but at least it has a layer of gloss to it.

From front to back, it’s a well set-up space. The driver and front passenger seats (both power-adjustable) are very supportive, with a nice wrap-around feel to them. The other seats are also fine.

The reach- and height-adjustable steering wheel has paddle shifters for energetic shifting if you get the urge.

The dash and touchscreen media unit are nicely integrated, but that 8.0-inch screen is too small – and thankfully the likely introduction of a 9.0-inch screen in the 2025 Pajero Sport will sort out that issue.

The cabin’s familiar feel includes the fact that all buttons and dials are easy to locate and operate, even when you're bouncing around off-road.

The second row is comfortable and roomy enough, though the entire cabin tends towards the squeezy end of the spacious spectrum. Having said that, I slotted in behind my driving position and I had plenty of head, knee and foot room. 

There are three top tether points, two ISOFIX anchors and a fold-down armrest with cupholders in the second row. There are USB charge points and a power socket in the back of the centre console bin.

Third-row seating is a bit of a straight-up-and-down affair with a flat seat base, but passengers back there – god bless ’em – have access to cupholders and air vents.

In terms of packability, the Pajero Sport’s cabin, as mentioned, 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.

With the third-row seats in use, boot space is listed as 131L. There are power sockets and tie-down points in that rear cargo area. 

With the third row stowed away, there’s a claimed 502L of cargo space, which is pretty handy. With the second and third rows stowed, there’s a claimed 1488L.

Perhaps the best selling point for the new Forester is that it hasn’t changed a whole lot inside. It’s spacious for its class and has physical buttons for a lot of things, while making sure the key controls like climate are always accessible on the touchscreen without needing to navigate through menus.

The steering wheel and gearshift look familiar and the general layout of the Forester seems to follow the brand’s established pattern of convenience over anything that could be annoying or complicated.

The software on the big screen is the same as any recent Subaru SUV with big buttons and a simple menu structure that means you rarely get lost. It’s not cutting-edge, but it works, much like a lot of the elements of this car.

The seats are comfortable and the seating position and steering wheel adjustment work well regardless of grade.

One element of the interior that works particularly well is visibility. Subaru made the headrest a little narrower to assist with shoulder checks and make looking over to the back seat easier. The result is a clear view, not only of the interior but also through those annoying side angles your wing mirrors might miss.

The back seat is also plenty spacious, with ample knee, foot and hip room in the second row’s outboard seats. Head and shoulder space is also fab. There’s little risk of feeling cramped in the back, even for a proper adult, especially if there’s a sunroof for that extra light.

Behind the second row, there’s 496 litres of boot space in non-hybrids, and 484L in hybrid variants, plus a switch in the boot to drop the second row from the tailgate.

That allows for 1174L and 1162L in petrol and hybrid models, respectively, though a big downside for the hybrid models is the lack of spare wheel, just a repair kit.

No spare tyre in a car you expect to be able to take off-road isn’t good enough, and it’s the key reason the Forester doesn’t score a full 10 for interior practicality. A shame, because the rest of the cabin is built for ease.

Pricing for the petrol-only Subaru Forester kicks off from $43,490, before on-road costs, putting it north of entry-level variants from rivals like the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4. It's even a little more expensive than its rivals' cheapest all-wheel drive variants.

The most affordable Nissan X-Trail AWD is $41,065 and the Mitsubishi Outlander AWD is $42,490. Even the cheapest Mazda CX-5, which isn’t an entry trim level, is $42,960.

But what the new Subie has going for it is that even from the base variant it's well-equipped. New 18-inch wheels, auto LED headlights with self-leveling, cornering lamps, roof rails and a front windscreen de-icer make the Forester AWD (its entry variant’s name) ready for a bit of adventuring.

Inside there are cloth seats and it’s got fairly standard trim, but things like dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and electric folding rear seats are all great for comfort and convenience. And a wireless phone charger and big 11.6-inch multimedia touchscreen (with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay) make for an up-to-date list of features for a car in 2025.

There’s also plenty of tech in terms of running gear and safety, which I’ll get to later in the review.

The Forester AWD Hybrid has pretty much the same features, as well as paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust regenerative braking and costs $46,490.

Stepping up a grade, the $46,490 Forester AWD Premium (this grade isn’t available as a hybrid) adds auto-dipping and folding door mirrors and auto door-mirror adjustment to the driver monitoring system, plus there’s a sensor for a hands-free tailgate as well as electrically-adjustable front seats and sat-nav.

The Forester AWD Sport comes in at $48,490, or in AWD Hybrid Sport guise for $54,990, and adds a sunroof, water-repellent seat trim, a digital driver display, green stitching for the steering wheel and a dark metallic set of 18-inch wheels.

Finally, the top-spec AWD Touring costs $50,990 in petrol and $55,990 as a hybrid, with low-profile roof rails, leather-accented seats, a leather gearshifter, ventilated front seats and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with subwoofer and amplifier.

The Pajero Sport has a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine producing 133kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm at 2500rpm – and that’s matched to a eight-speed automatic transmission.

This is a solid but lacklustre combination – it’s agricultural, truck-like and it takes a heavy right foot to punch it off the mark. But overall, I don’t mind the driving experience.

This is a respectable and well-proven combination, more than a bit sluggish and far from dynamic, but it does the job. 

The GSR has Mitsubishi’s 'Super Select II' 4WD (a full-time 4WD system), selectable off-road modes and a rear diff lock.

The Super Select dial is positioned at 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 of 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. It also features hill descent control. 

The 2025 Pajero Sport will have the new Triton’s twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine (producing 150kW and 470Nm) and it’ll be paired with an eight-speed auto.

Both Forester drivetrains use the brand’s existing all-wheel drive tech and a continuously-variable transmission, but the hybrid does something Subaru is keen to point out its rivals’ don’t.

The petrol version is powered by a (136kW/247Nm) 2.5-litre naturally aspirated flat-four ‘boxer’ engine that's largely unchanged.

The hybrid consists of the same type of engine with different valve controls and lower outputs of 121kW/212Nm. 

The key part is it’s assisted by a 90kW electric motor that, rather than being mounted to the rear axle and engaging when traction is needed, is placed before the transmission and sends electric power to all four wheels. Total outputs for the Hybrid variants are 145kW and 276Nm.

The Pajero Sport has an official fuel consumption figure of 8.0L/100km on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle.

I recorded 9.8L/100km on this test. I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing and the Pajero Sport was never working hard.

The Pajero Sport has a 68L fuel tank, so, going by my on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 694km from a full tank. 

Subaru claims the Forester drinks 7.9L of petrol (minimum 91 RON) per 100km or 6.2L/100km in hybrid guise.

The latter's a bit of a let-down given Toyota’s RAV4 hybrid in AWD guise comes with a 4.8L/100km claim and that system's been around for ages.

Both Foresters have a 63-litre fuel tank, so could theoretically travel a maximum 797km (petrol) or 1016km (hybrid). 

Don’t expect to manage that in real-world driving, though. The trip computer reading for the last car I drove on test (a hybrid) was 7.8L/100km after a mix of highway and off-road running.

There have been no power, torque or driver-assist tech changes to this upgraded Pajero Sport – you’ll have to wait for the next-gen version for those – so no surprises lay in wait when driving.

But that’s okay, because the Pajero Sport in its current guise is a solid daily driver – not spectacular, but far from atrocious.

The Pajero Sport is 4840mm long (with a 2800mm wheelbase), 1815mm wide, 1835mm high and has a kerb weight of 2130kg.

Compared to other similarly-sized 4WD wagons, the Pajero Sport is narrower and has a higher centre of gravity, so it’s nimble – the turning circle is a respectable 11.2m – but it also feels a bit floaty on roads and tracks, but not despicably so.

The Pajero Sport is reasonable on sealed surfaces, although it is sluggish, noisy and there’s quite a lot of body-roll through sharp turns, especially compared to some of its more refined rivals, such as the Ford Everest.

But it is a very capable off-roader, mostly because the driver has access to a raft of technical advantages engineered into the Pajero Sport aimed at making 4WDing a safer challenge.

One of the major points of difference it has with its rivals is 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-grip conditions, which you may face on rough back-roads and dirt tracks peppered with loose rocks and potholes.

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 want 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.

Turn the dial to 4HLc and you're ready to take on more difficult terrain but at lower speeds.

So, along with decent high- and low-range gearing and a centre diff-lock – 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.

The GSR also 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 the acquisition of superior traction to suit specific conditions and terrains. 

The Pajero Sport is riding on Toyo Open Country A32 all-terrains (265/60R18 110H), which are decent tyres, but it would perform even better with more aggressive rubber.

Wheel travel is adequate, ground clearance (218mm) is reasonable, although you still have to mind your driving line through rough terrain and be mindful of this 4WD’s approach (30 degrees), departure (24.2) and ramp-over (23.1) angles. Wading depth is listed as 700mm.

While it’s never been regarded as a tow rig in the same vein as something like the Toyota LandCruiser or the Nissan Patrol, the Pajero Sport offers sensible claimed towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 3100kg (braked).

Payload is listed as 645kg (so about standard for this size 4WD wagon), gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 2775kg and gross combined mass (GCM) is 5565kg.

On paper, the new Forester hasn’t changed to a great degree. With that engine and the late-ish introduction of a proper hybrid system, you might expect the Forester to be undercooked. 

Sure, Subaru is playing catch-up and it would be a fair to say adding a hybrid grade to its mid-size SUV in 2025 puts it behind the curve, but Subaru is leaning into its niche.

Subaru’s very happy about being able to claim the Forester is the only hybrid mid-size SUV on sale where the one hybrid motor drives all four wheels mechanically thanks to its 'symmetrical' all-wheel drive system. Then there’s the "class-leading" 220mm of ground clearance.

But as well as being capable off the road, the Forester needs to be a decent day-to-day companion. Fortunately, it’s both.

The new Forester’s road manners are a surprising step-up over the previous generation’s, which felt soft and agricultural at times.

Subaru touted the new car's incremental improvements, but behind the wheel it feels like they add up to a far superior experience. The Forester is still a little noisy - mainly wind and road noise - but many of the elements that were once a let-down are much more refined.

The CVT doesn't complain so much when called upon to pick up the pace, and the steering feels much sharper. The former could be down to a huge increase in sound-shielding, the latter likely due to Subaru’s use of the dual-pinion steering system borrowed from the WRX.

Subaru says it “reduces mechanical resistance and eliminates unwanted feedback from the motor”. It seems to have done exactly that.

Perhaps most noticeable is the suspension, which feels more tied-down and stable than before, without sharpening up too much and becoming uncomfortable. Subaru says revised spring rates, better under-body aero and a more rigid chassis all contribute.

The hybrid and petrol have different suspension set-ups, the latter feeling softer in terms of damper response but still far more confidence-inspiring than the previous-gen Forester.

It all comes together to create a driving experience that’s easy and comfortable at traffic speeds and fun and engaging at high speeds on, for example, the smooth winding back-roads of New Zealand’s South Island.

The problem for Subaru is that despite having introduced a new hybrid system, the petrol-only Forester is just as good from behind the wheel. The advantages the hybrid brings in terms of efficiency will be a draw for some, but in terms of driving dynamics the extra power and torque on offer is probably not worth the extra outlay.

Then there’s the lack of a spare wheel… which should be a requirement when you’re off sealed roads. The gravel and mud of the Canterbury region didn’t faze the Forester, though, and we put the mid-size SUV through its paces harder than most owners realistically would.

Deep mud ruts, creek crossings and jagged rocky trails were all traversed easily and comfortably, especially considering the standard road tyres fitted. 

None of the test cars were stuck due to either negligent road testers or lack of mechanical ability on the Subaru’s part, though two cars on test did succumb to an excess of water in the engine bay and went into a safety shut-down mode once we arrived back at the end of the off-road trail.

We asked Subaru for an explanation and we were told it’s a feature that saves components like the cooling fan from water damage.

“Two vehicles experienced this due to the nose being submerged from entering the water crossing at the incorrect speed and/or entry line… if water enters the engine bay at a sufficient level, a protective fuse is designed to engage to safeguard the radiator fan motor.

“This system functioned exactly as designed. Despite this, the vehicle continued to perform as intended, enabling the driver to complete the off-road course and return safely to the Homestead. 

“After cycling the ignition, a warning light alerted the driver, and the engine shut down automatically to prevent any potential damage. This sequence is outlined in the Owner’s Manual. This is a built-in protection protocol and not a fault.”

A replacement fuse meant one of the vehicles “resumed full operation,” a Subaru spokesperson added.

A maximum five-star ANCAP rating and nine airbags (dual front, dual front side, dual curtain, driver’s knee, far side and front passenger seat cushion) should all mean peace-of mind in case of the worst, but Subaru also has a long list of safety features to avoid that being necessary.

The brand’s 'EyeSight' safety suite features adaptive cruise, emergency lane-keep and centering with departure warnings, pre-collision braking and auto emergency steering, brake light recognition as well as speed and sign recognition, plus there’s a driver monitoring system and a series of radar and cameras that allow for a surround-view of the car.

The Forester also has a feature Subaru is very proud of, which detects a lack of response from the driver via inputs, and gradually tries to wake or alert the driver through sounds and gentle jolts via braking before eventually coming to a safe stop and unlocking the doors to allow assistance.

To Subaru’s credit, this all features on every variant.

The Pajero Sport has a 10-year/200,000km manufacturer’s warranty as long as you get it serviced as per the schedule at an authorised Mitsubishi dealer.

Mitsubishi’s 10-year capped price servicing applies – with prices ranging from $399 to $999 – and servicing is scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km whichever occurs first. Check with your dealership for up-to-date servicing costs.

All Pajero Sports come with 12-months roadside assistance, but that can be extended to four years if the vehicle is serviced at an authorised Mitsubishi dealer in line with the official service schedule.

Subaru‘s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty is behind the curve for mainstream brands with many offering between seven and 10 years, but its eight-year/160,000 kilometre hybrid high-voltage battery warranty is par for the course.

Servicing intervals are every 15,000km or 12 months, with servicing pricing locked in for the first 75,000km or 60 months of ownership. Total cost over this time is $2299 for either drivetrain, with the cheapest service being $347.95 and the most expensive $679.30 (at 60,000km or 48 months).

Subaru also offers 12-months complimentary roadside assistance.