Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 2022 Review

The 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4x4 is the top-selling model in the triple-diamond brand’s seven-seat family SUV range, largely because it hits a sweet spot in terms of price and equipment.

Priced at $54,190 plus on-road costs, the Thai-built Pajero Sport GLS undercuts similarly rugged 4x4 ute-based seven-seat SUVs such as the new-generation Ford Everest Trend (from $65,290), Isuzu MU-X LS-U ($61,400) and Toyota Fortuner GXL ($55,085).

The GLS is also available as a 4x2 model only (from $49,190), and sits below the Exceed 4x4 (from $59,690) in the model range.

Despite this third-generation Pajero Sport being one of the oldest vehicles in its segment, strutting its stuff since 2015, you still get plenty of modern features thanks to significant updates throughout its lifecycle.

Headline exterior features on the 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS include 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, tinted windows and side steps for improved ingress and egress.

Inside, you’ll find manually adjustable cloth seats, dual-zone climate control and air vents for all three seat rows, a reasonable six-speaker audio system with AM, FM and digital radio outputs, push-button engine start and keyless entry via a smart key fob.

A powered tailgate is part of the GLS package, along with three 12V power sockets (one for each seat row) plus three USB-A ports (but not USB-C) across the first and second rows. The spec sheet says the steering wheel and gear shifter are wrapped in leather, but they feel more like vinyl.

If you want power-operated leather-appointed seats you’ll need to splash out extra cash ($2250) for the deluxe pack, which also brings front and side cameras for 360-degree surround view parking and off-roading vision.

Our vehicle on test didn’t have the deluxe pack but was fitted with rubber floor mats front and rear ($166) and boot liner ($205), plus a Redarc electric brake controller with harness ($679) and tow bar kit ($1386).

Together with its White Diamond pearl metallic exterior paint ($940), total price as tested came to $57,566 plus on-road costs.

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is covered by a five-year/100,000km factory warranty (and 12 months’ free roadside assistance), which can extend to 10 years/200,000km if you have the vehicle serviced at an authorised dealer for the duration.

Service intervals are set at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first, with an average annual cost of $599, which is slightly more than the $520 annual cost to service a Toyota Fortuner.

Across the 10-year capped-price service period you’ll spend $5990, which is competitive.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS is fitted standard with seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – operating at low speeds only – auto-levelling LED headlights and adaptive cruise control.

It’s got a blind spot monitoring system, rear cross traffic alert and a low-resolution reversing camera, along with a self-dimming rear-view mirror and an electric park brake with auto hold.

Things like automatic headlights and wipers are nice touches, but there’s no lane keep assistance or warning system of any kind, no traffic sign recognition or driver attention monitoring system.

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2015, and while today’s testing protocols are much stricter, a significant safety update was introduced in 2020.

There might be a few grey hairs creeping into the 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS in terms of the latest safety systems and technology, but you really have to look closely to find them.

The 8.0-inch central touch-screen isn’t massive and the native menu system is dated and lacks depth, but it has crisp graphics and the TomTom navigation is better than most factory systems.

You can plug in your smartphone for Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality which makes life easier, although there’s only USB-A ports in the car so your phone won’t charge rapidly.

There’s no head-up display, and unlike newer SUVs such as the Ford Everest, a fully digital driver’s display is not available so you get twin analogue dials.

That said, the compact digital trip computer has plenty of useful info and options.

The multifunction steering wheel is festooned with buttons but they’re easy to understand and there’s a handy 220V AC power point and zoned fan control for the second row.

Just like its donor vehicle, the Mitsubishi Triton dual-cab ute, the 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4x4 is motivated by an ageing and rather loud and clattery 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, driving the rear or all four wheels through a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission.

Peak power is 133kW at 3500rpm, while maximum torque of 430Nm is achieved at 2500rpm, which is enough gristle to tow a 3100kg braked trailer, or a 750kg unbraked carriage.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4x4 is a reasonably efficient family hauler, and while we couldn’t achieve the manufacturer’s lab-tested claims of 8.0L/100km on average, we managed 9.3L/100km over seven days of driving on freeways, in the suburbs and some fairly challenging off-road tracks.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4x4 doesn’t handle or ride as keenly or smoothly as some of its newer rivals and feels a bit lethargic at times, but at the very least it has better on-road manners than the Triton ute on which it’s based.

Ride comfort is pretty good, the Pajero Sport sailing over cut-up country roads amiably, but refinement levels leave a lot to be desired.

Wind noise around the mirrors and roof can get pretty intrusive at 100km/h and above, while the diesel engine is very rattly at idle and makes a fair old racket accelerating from standstill.

Even so, the Pajero Sport is a good cruiser and will happily munch miles and tow long distances.

The ultra-light steering and reasonable 11m turning circle (for a big SUV) makes it a surprisingly useful urban navigator, and the jacked-up ride height gives you excellent forward and side vision.

It’s a good school drop-off machine on one hand, but also a capable adventurer.

We took the 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4x4 across our usual off-road haunt, and while the 218mm of ground clearance gives you confidence to drop into lairy ruts, we did scrape the undercarriage a couple of times. Let’s put that down to operator arrogance.

More sophisticated than a simple part-time four-wheel drive system found on some of its rivals, the ‘Super Select II’ 4x4 system allows the driver to engage full-time 4WD on any road surface, which is handy when it’s pouring rain or if you’re driving on gravel roads.

Two-wheel drive (RWD) high range is best used for cruising and urban driving to save fuel.

You can also select 4WD high and low range with a locked centre differential, which assist with challenging off-roading. There’s even a locking rear diff, providing plenty of options should any of the wheels struggle for traction.

Hill descent control is also provided, along with selectable off-road modes: Gravel, Mud/Snow, Sand and Rock.

The road-biased Toyo A32 Open Country tyres which are developed specifically for the Pajero Sport are not amazing off-road, but after a few hours of bush-bashing across some tricky obstacles there wasn’t much that really stumped it.

Using the 4WD low setting and locking the centre diff saw it clamber its way up some steep climbs, and the smooth power delivery from the diesel engine and glut of low-end torque conspire to create an assertive off-roader.

In a word, the interior of the 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4x4 is unspectacular.

But it is roomy, practical and hardy, which are probably more important to many family buyers than swoopy avant-garde dashboard design.

Elevated second-row seats cut into headroom for adults but legroom is decent. You also get diagonally-mounted grab handles that make climbing into the high-riding SUV much easier for kids and shorties.

There are twin USB-A ports and even a 220V/150W three-pin power point in the back seat, along with twin ISOFIX child seat anchorages and triple top tether strap points.

GLS models get seven seats as standard, which are fine for small kids, but bigger humans will struggle for legroom.

The boot has loads of flexibility, and if you fold down the second and third rows you get almost 1.6 metres of cargo length.

Boot space is rated at 131 litres with all three seat rows in place, rising to 502 litres with the third-row seats stowed and up to 1488 litres with both rear seat rows folded down.

There’s also a full-size spare alloy wheel slung under the rear to save boot space.

For one of the older models in its class, the 2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4x4 performs remarkably ably. It’s a bit like that leathery old bloke who’s as strong as an ox and surfs every day – with a wetsuit.

It may not be the most advanced or innovative seven-seat family SUV available, but its confidence on- and off-road, very competitive pricing and long warranty (albeit with some strings attached) make the Mitsubishi hard to ignore and well worth taking for a test drive.

First impressions weren’t great, but as our week-long test wore on and more kilometres were clocked up, we really warmed to the Pajero Sport GLS.

It’s well equipped, has more flexibility than an Olympic gymnast, and while there are better ute-based SUVs out there, the value equation makes the Pajero Sport one to consider.

2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4x4 at a glance:
Price: $54,190 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 133kW/430Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 212g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2015)