Mitsubishi Pajero test drive

AvtoTachki columnist Matt Donnelly has long wanted to ride the latest Mitsubishi Pajero, which he has known for many years - ever since he was the chief managing director and vice president of the ROLF group of companies. When Matt's driver returned the car to the office, he relayed the words of the boss: "Comfortable, soft - yes, it is almost the same."

What does he look like

 

Pajero doesn't seem old-fashioned. It just looks like itself: the shape and face of this Mitsubishi has remained practically unchanged since the last century. This is a very long period of time by the standards of automobiles. Note, old doesn't mean bad. Guinness hasn't renewed its products since 1759, at 57, Sharon Stone posed nude in Harper's Bazaar, and the best SUVs - the Land Rover Defender and Jeep Wrangler - still have a lot in common with the original design dating back to the 1940s. If something old still works, don't try to change anything. It works equally well for your girlfriend's fantasy, for a good beer, and for the right SUV.

I love the Pajero's shape and design, even though it's 2015. In my opinion, if he does not attract you now, he would not have attracted you in 1999 either. It is a tall, plump beast dominated by large headlights, a very wide bonnet and massive, rounded front fenders that slope down to a surprisingly narrow and neat rear. They simultaneously improve the aerodynamics of the car and give it a look as ferocious as such a car should look like.

I'm sure the company's fans are lucky that Mitsubishi ran out of funds before Pajero got its hands on it. This allowed him to maintain a unique personality. Alas, car designers have kids, expensive hobbies and mortgages to pay for. So in order to keep receiving checks from the employer, they have to tinker with this excellent design, which, in fact, was perfected many, many years ago. They overdid it in the latest version of the SUV. Too much chrome, too complex lenses and not very elegant rims with a flashy design.

How attractive he is

 

As an old person, I find that the appreciation of attractiveness has changed. I love the Pajero for its large doors, well-supported chairs, and the fact that you don't have to do complicated gymnastic exercises to get out or get in. An SUV allows its passengers to at least partially maintain their dignity, transporting them with care and tranquility. In the Russian market, Mitsubishi still has a reputation for being a reliable and fairly expensive car. In my opinion, a potential buyer of Pajero is a wealthy person who is not dependent on fashion trends, who knows the price of money and, first of all, evaluates the price / quality indicator. And, from the height of the past years, this is what seems to me sexy and attractive.

Pajero, of course, is not a race car. Acceleration is not impressive here, the maximum speed is low. Because of its length and height, the SUV is even less competitive in corners than it is in straight lines. If you are looking for a car for a romantic-fast ride, this is definitely not it. But if your interests are mud climbing, then this SUV is perfect. Dirt is an integral part of him: in it he feels confident and cheerful. At the same time, Pajero is not the best SUV in the world. In terms of absolute cross, he is not even in my personal top five. But when you weigh performance against price, this diesel-powered Mitsubishi is the most compelling SUV in the world.

How he drives

 

As I noted above, the Pajero can drive just fine if you choose the right motor. Alas, our test car was equipped with an anti-crisis package with a 3,0-liter V6 petrol powertrain from the 1980s. It was co-developed with Chrysler to move rear-wheel-drive sedans across America's ideal highways, but not with the goal of moving two tons of metal through swamps and mountains. A true SUV needs good torque, which means a diesel.

Mitsubishi has a gorgeous 3,2-liter V6 that runs on "heavy" fuel, but choosing one would mean an increase in price and an increase in maintenance costs. However, I think it would be a good investment if you want a really cool Pajero driving experience.

Engineers have gone to great lengths to ensure that the 3,0-liter petrol engine has the right to live in this car. They removed the third row of seats and, possibly, some of the noise insulation materials (judging by the annoying noise of the engine and from the road). It seems that the capacity of the air conditioner has also been reduced. On a hot day, inside you are like in an oven. Driving with the windows open is also not an option, because the car is filled with unbearable hum.

Unfortunately, even after all these improvements, the 3,0-liter Pajero is a very slow car with high fuel consumption (in all-wheel drive, we could not achieve a better result than 24 liters per 100 km of track).

Accelerating from a standstill in this SUV is noisy and awkward, overtaking on the move is a test for the nerves. Mostly due to the fact that the car does not give enough information about how much power it has, what happens to the wheels, how well they hold the road. When the gas or brake pedal is pressed, the car reacts with a noticeable delay and does not respond to it with a significant change in the tone of the motor. Even at low speeds, Pajero is kind of wadded. However, it does not get worse with careful maneuvers or increased speed.

Facilities

 

This is a large and fully finished car. The guys who make it have been making exactly the same car for several decades, and during this time they have reached perfection in this. My guess is that the Pajero has the best build quality in its price range, and possibly beyond. Nothing creaks or squeaks here, every door and every lid can be opened with one finger, and closed with a dull pleasant click.

This car can be called an old man due to the lack of a built-in alarm or immobilizer. To turn off the siren, you need to use a separate key fob. My neighbors and I made this discovery early Sunday morning when we were looking for a nonexistent button on our ignition key.

The seats are large and soft. The front ones are electrically adjustable and are really very comfortable. The only but - I am a little taller than the average Japanese driver and lacked the length of the headrest.

The steering wheel is excellent: it has all the necessary controls for the system. Only the car starts to hum from any light pressing on the steering wheel. I lost count of the number of times I honked completely innocent road users.

As for the multimedia system, it is normal, it is easy to operate, but inside it is so noisy that, frankly, I did not pay much attention to music.

To buy or not to buy

 

Don't buy the 3,0-liter petrol version - that's my advice. But without hesitation, take the diesel version with a 3,2 liter engine. Don't give money for a black car unless you have a great air conditioner or another car for the summer. If you need a vehicle for the city, but you are not going to drive off-road, make full use of differentials and all four transmission modes, but still get a Pajero, then you will be without much need and pleasure dragging a bunch of heavy Japanese technology with you.