Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2024 Review

The upgraded 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 4x4 has landed in Oz with price rises of up to $2400 for the family off-road SUV line-up, which brings an array of exterior revisions as well as more equipment on higher spec grades.

Another update for the Pajero Sport range includes the deletion of more affordable 4x2 variants.

Today, all MY24 versions of Mitsubishi’s Toyota Prado and Ford Everest rival are 4x4 only, comprising four trim grades, including the range-opening (and only five-seater) GLX with ($51,540 plus on-road costs), and the seven-seat GLS, Exceed, and flagship GSR, topping out at $64,840 (+ORCs).

Minor cosmetic tweaks include darkened headlight extensions for every grade, along with Pajero Sport lettering across the nose. GSR grades get blacked-out exterior trim bits as well as a new burgundy and black two-tone leather-appointed interior, which is the only upholstery colour now available.

The GSR (and Exceed) also get an upgraded fully digital driver’s instrument cluster, bringing more customisation and better graphics compared to lesser grades.

Inside every grade is the latest Triton’s leather steering wheel and adaptive cruise control, while base GLX grades now get rain-sensing wipers and dusk-sensing headlights.

All the mechanical stuff has gone untouched, including the Pajero Sport’s 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, while its off-road credentials have also been retained, but more on that soon.

A suite of safety and driver assistance aids also continues on, as before, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), brake assist, and hill descent control. Lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert is reserved for Exceed and GSR grades.

Adventurous Aussie families will love the off-road capabilities - arguably the ute-based SUV’s best asset – offered with every version of the 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

Its ability to get you almost anywhere – even without proper off-road tyres – is incredible and comes courtesy of Mitsubishi’s SuperSelect II 4WD system which brings an array of drive modes (gravel/mud/snow/sand/rock), high and low range with locked centre differential and a locking rear diff.

Around town, its utilitarian roots are well and truly intact but it’s still pleasant to drive once you get used to its sluggish steering, top-heavy nature, and hefty dimensions when driving through tighter city streets with narrow lanes. You feel its size.

But that prominence for body roll if you take a corner with too much athleticism is what lends the Pajero Sport its supreme ability when you hit the rough stuff.

We took on the Adelaide Hills 4WD Park – located 50 minutes south-east of Adelaide’s CBD – in the scenic bushland of St Ives.

Acres of trails are carved through lush green vegetation and into the bright orange mountains, including routes for beginners, all the way up to gruelling ‘Extreme’ tracks reserved for those with serious off-roaders (and the ability to self-extract i.e. BYO winch and recovery gear).

Dropping the tyre pressures on our fleet – fitted standard with urban-terrain 265/60R18 110H Toyo rubber – we navigated some of the more friendly trails, up and across a rut-ridden rocky mountain and down a steep, rocky descent.

The confidence-inspiring 4x4 proved a comfortable chariot for this not-very-experienced off-roader, flexing over rocks and through ruts with competence. Ventilation for the leather-appointed seats is about the only thing we wished for as the humid day continued.

Nevertheless, the Pajero Sport crawled through the course with ease, as it did when we hit the sand dunes of Peake the following day.

A few niggles with the 4x4 select system were quickly ironed out and the soft sand proved no match for the fleet of big SUVs.

More affordable 4x2 versions of the 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport are no longer available, which effectively means entry into the Japanese off-road SUV range is higher than before.

Yep, you can no longer get into a brand-new Pajero Sport for less than $50k.

Go for the range-topping GSR and you’re also limited to just one interior colour choice: that two-tone burgundy and black situation.

It’s unlikely to be a deal breaker but for those that don’t vibe with the maroon hue – which almost looks brown in certain light – won’t like the fact you can’t option a full black or grey interior. That’s kind of annoying.

To be fair, the so-so two-tone leather appointed trim grew on this reviewer after a while but perhaps it was just forgotten. After all, you don’t buy a Pajero Sport for its lavish cabin…

Either way, there’s only so much you can update on a 10-year-old car; this thing is so old that its five-star ANCAP safety rating (albeit from 2015) has now expired.

Underpinned by the previous-gen Triton ute, a replacement for the Pajero Sport is coming in the next few years, however executives from Mitsubishi Motors Australia – including its CEO, Shaun Westcott – remained coy on the subject at this month’s launch of the MY24 range other than to say a large SUV is in development.

“I can't tell you what the underpinnings are going to be,” said Westcott, “but it will be very capable vehicle” that is ‘distinctly Mitsubishi’.

It’s no secret the 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is falling behind its rivals.

An all-new Toyota Prado is about to lob in Australia, while the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X are strong offerings, both of which offer fresher tech and more powerful turbo-diesel engines.

But the value-equation in Mitsubishi’s corner is strong. It comes from a well-established manufacturer known for reliability. The Pajero Sport’s lower entry price, long (albeit, conditional) 10-year warranty, and decent equipment list, help its case, not to mention its rugged off-road capability, ease of everyday use, and robust powertrain.

It might not be the latest or greatest in the large 4x4 SUV segment but the Pajero Sport is worth a look for those wanting a big, fuss-free, go-anywhere family hauler.

2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GSR at a glance:
Price: $64,840 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 133kW/430Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 212g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Unrated

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