Re: The Mighty Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Drives In [15K Kms Crossed]
Hi Iron Rock
Thanks for your comments. Since I have had some time to think, I have made a decision around my priorities with the choice remaining only the Pajero Sport and Fortuner. Both 4x4 Manual.
I needed 1) space for wife, kids and bags 2) fatigue free driving for long periods of time 3) smooth ride - dont mind a bit of body roll, but do want a bump free ride 4) build quality - it is an obsession with me, makes the car safer and the over-engineering of the Pajero is certainly an attraction. The kids have put their foot down against a sedan, else I would have seriously considered C220.
When I TDd the Pajero sport, I could see that over three hours, I felt no fatigue, whereas an hour of the corolla (2004 model) makes me feel stiff all over. Ride quality smoothened out beautifully after 70kmph. Build and space were obvious. Other SUVs were also in contention, but after this TD, and watching some videos posted by you, I did not bother looking beyond Fortuner.
In the Pajero, of particular note was the fact that six of us in the car were freezing as the driver had set the AC to 20 degrees, but it was completely silent so we had not noticed. Also, once a car in front of me hit a puddle, threw back water, my screen was blinded when I was driving at around 100, on a curving flyover. But I braked quickly, and the Pajero was incredibly stable, no skidding etc. This was on 2H.
These requirements were for long distance driving. But an SUV for pure long distance pleasure could have proved impractical in the city (Mumbai) but I am reasonably confident with the Pajero that I can manage the daily office commute quite easily. For everything else, it will be my wife’s i20. The Pajero’s clutch was very hard, but I can see some owners saying that it has improved over time.
The other thing was that there was a lot of low frequency cabin noise during city driving in 2nd/3rd gear, but this vanished at higher speeds. I spent a lot of time sitting in the last row, being driven around at 110, and while knees did point upwards it was spacious, and the ride was smooth, comparable to any sedan, but with a reassuringly solid feeling of being inside a powerful vehicle.
Compared to the Fortuner, I felt the Pajero scored on interiors, torque (critical for the driving pleasure – the vehicle surged forward powerfully without any lag – am puzzled some people have mentioned significant lag), build (including being 5% heavier, a crude measure of build quality, vs 20% more torque), better rear brakes (in Manual Transmission at least), turning radius (I thought Fortuner 4x4 MT was 5.9m, but Pajero sport is certainly 5.6), and looks (to my eyes).
That left out after sales – improving support in Mumbai would be great news. It is greatly reassuring that knowledgeable people like you and the others here are willing to share experiences and advice. I tried messaging Gaurav (who is from Mumbai who has recently bought one, but can’t seem to send PM). Between all this, I coming to the point of view that support would not be an issue (not long ago, I almost bought a used SFX, but was scared because it is more theft prone).
I will make one last check on parking – anything bigger (top view) than a C220 will not fit in my parking. Sampco tells me that if the corolla and C220 make it, the Pajero will make it also. They have been very helpful with advise, must see what best deal they offer.