The Mitsubishi Pajero has risen to the challenge of being at home on city roads while retaining its 4WD power.

It all began with a concept-car at the 1973 Tokyo Motor Show, but it wasn’t until 1982 that Mitsubishi started to sell it. With a new name and therefore a relative lack of image the Pajero competed in motor sports and in particular in the famous Paris-Dakar rally race. It only took the Pajero three years to win the Dakar, and thus the name and image was made.

The 2007 Pajero continues that tradition of being a true 4WD and with the reintroduction of the three-door. The NS Pajero is available in both seven-seat and five-seat combinations and has had a complete external makeover , a new modern interior and two new engines.

The three-door allows city slickers to own a Pajero and still be able to park the vehicle on Crown Street without taking up two car parking spots. Both the three-door and five-door are available in with the 3.9L petrol or the 3.2L petrol.

The full size Pajero comes in three variations. The GLX is the entry level vehicle, capable offroad driving with rugged good looks. The VRX has all the ability and technology of the entry model but offers a sporty look. The third model is the Exceed, the flagship model of the range. This is for those who want to pamper themselves: leather seats and trim, Rockford Fosgate premium audio, rear seat entertainment, Bluetooth hands-free operation, power seats and dual zone rear air-conditioning, are all standard features.

In the short wheel base version, also known as the three-door, comes in the ‘R’ and ‘X’ versions. The R version is aimed more at the rural buyer who wants a capable 4WD with recreational capability, wheras the X is aimed at what Mitsubishi describes as the’ fashion conscious urban buyers’. The X has all the features of the R but with a sporty look thanks to vulcanised rubber arches and 18-inch alloy wheels.

I believe that in the hands of an experienced driver the potential of the new Pajero would be almost unlimited. If buying an all-wheel drive beast like this means more than crossing city curbs, then I completely recommend this 2007 Mitsubishi Pajero , especially in its short version. It’s the best of both worlds.



AUTO FACTS

Price $40,990 - $60,590
Engine: 3.8L V6 petrol, 3.2L four-cylinder turbo diesel
Max Power: 184kW@6000rpm; 329Nm@2750rpm, 118kW@3800rpm; 378Nm@2000rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual, five-speed automatic
Fuel Consumption: 13.5L/100km (petrol); 10.2L/100km diesel

Good: Great offroad capability
Not so good: Noisy diesel

by ANDREW KOCH