The SUV title is tossed around so carelessly it gets difficult to differentiate between pretend SUVs and proper SUVs, mainly because while these two definitely look like SUVs one of them definitely doesn’t work like one. There are small SUVs which are basically taller, wider hatchbacks, they tell you it’s an SUV. But, it’s not… deep down you know it’s not.

They all range in size, form, and function. Yes, they give you the sense of practicality and utility of an SUV but they’re all the same, efficient front-wheel-drive cars, driving on tires as small as 185mm without any on-road or off-road prowess. Because of this haphazard labeling, larger proper SUVs are having a hard time. Not only do they have to compete with their direct rivals, but they also have to better the smaller pretend SUVs at their own practicality and utility game. 

Today we have one such SUV with us that comes from the land of the rising sun. It is holding the SUV torch high and taking on both the real and the pretenders of the entire segment. Welcome to the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

PRESENCE

It is the first word that comes into your head when you look at the 2020 Pajero Sport. Just look at it. Mitsubishi has brought all its current models up-to-date with its trademark design language and the 2020 Pajero Sport. With its signature Dynamic Shield grille on the front, it is one of the best looking cars from the company, second only to the 2020 L200 pick-up truck.

The massive front end is dominated mostly by the dynamic shield grille and headlight combination, higher bonnet, and new running lights and bumpers. The headlights are a tad bit smaller and the fog lamps are bigger with both the units getting an all-LED treatment. All of which makes the SUV look tougher and more athletic than the outgoing model.

Step on to the side and that’s where the Pajero Sport showcases its sheer volume. The car is 1835 mm tall, 4825 mm long, and 1815 mm wide with a wheelbase of 2800mm. There are sizeable front and rear overhangs which makes the car look substantially bigger. All this heft sits on a huge set of 265/60 all-terrain tires with equally large 18-inch alloys that look way more rugged and accentuate the off-roading ability of the car even when standing still. The reworked side steps now increase the ground clearance of the Pajero Sport 2020, bringing it all the way up to a juicy 218mm.

The rear of the 2020 Pajero Sport looks downright boxy with subtle curves where the roof falls into the boot lid, the taillights have not deviated a lot from the outgoing model but the vertically-arrayed tail lights have been reduced in size and the bumper made larger which makes the tail end more appealing. The 2020 Pajero Sport is a complete package that is an attention grabber on the road and also oozes off-road capabilities even when parked.

FUNCTIONAL

Like all manufacturers from the eastern part of the globe that prefer function over elegance, the 2020 Pajero Sport is no different. Behind the heavily padded doors is a utilitarian cabin dressed in all black with silver accents. The silverwork is most prominent on the front console and the steering wheel where the accent mimics the dynamic shield design on the front grille.

Apart from that, you get silver treatment on the doors and the air-con vents that add some dearly needed elegance inside the cabin. The large windshield and equally large windows do wonders in terms of visibility but the excessive use of black inside the cabin with an all-black dash, seats, and even the black headliner on our review vehicle sucks the cabin from all the light and makes the interior look cozier than it actually is.

The seats are comfortable and come with loads of electronic adjustments. But as big as the Pajero Sport looks on the outside, the inside could do with a little more space. The front seats are comfortable but are set too high even in its lowest limit, while shorter drivers will find their driving position rather easily, things might not be the same for taller individuals.

Yes, the second row can easily accommodate three adults with utmost comfort but you can’t help but wish for a couple more inches because at the end of the day the Pajero Sport is a big SUV which raises a bigger question, where did all that space actually go? The answer… a third row! And a rather spacious one at that. Don’t expect the second-row level of space but the third row is just enough to take two adults on a fairly long journey.

All that space allocation has also gone into the boot of the Pajero Sport. Lift up the powered tailgate and what you will find is a space large enough to accommodate a week’s worth of luggage of all 7 passengers on board. Fold down the second and third rows and the cabin would probably be roomier than the room Harry Potter grew up in Privet Drive. The tailgate can open and close automatically, hands-free, just by placing your foot under the rear bumper and can be closed and locked automatically with the lock switch.

Entertainment inside the cabin is taken care of by a new 8.0-inch touchscreen unit that runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The large 8-inch touch screen lets you easily operate music playback via USB or Bluetooth, and calls with voice actions; and watch your favorite movies via HDMI with an amazing sounding speaker system. There’s also an 8-inch digital instrument screen behind the wheel showing vehicle data and the status of active safety equipment. Display types can be selected according to preference or need for checking various information at a glance. Apart from a few nitpicks, the inside of the Pajero Sport is a compelling package.

PERFORMANCE

Weighing over two tons, getting the Pajero Sport moving is no simple task. To do just that, the 2020 Pajero Sport is powered by a 2.4-liter turbo engine that guzzles diesel how my non-alcoholic-self guzzles juice. Mitsubishi claims to have played with the combustion chamber and fuel injectors, lowering the compression ratio. A new aluminum alloy cylinder block cuts mass. The eight-speed automatic transmission with paddles carries over. All of this trickery now helps the SUV produce 178 bhp and peak torque of 430 Nm.

Shift into D and floor the gas and the Pajero Sport charges like an angry bull high on testosterone. It is simply astounding and thrilling to see how such a big car can pick up speed with such haste. To counter that, the Pajero Sport 2020 hands you the controls and complies with your steering input without overpowering you. Helping this bull charge into the tarmac is Active Stability & Traction Control which independently regulates braking force to the wheels during cornering to help maintain excellent vehicle stability when needed. It also optimizes traction to prevent loss of torque whenever wheel spin is detected by controlling engine output and applying brake force to the spinning wheels.

On tarmac, the Pajero Sport is planted as all big SUVs should be, but it turns in rather quickly and with pinpoint precision. Cutting off traffic on highways is a breeze as long as you factor in the size of the vehicle and the suspension is supple, soaking in every bump and pothole without filtering the impact into the cabin. Inside the narrow city streets, the Pajero Sport is surprisingly easy to navigate which is all thanks to a class-leading 11.2 meters turning radius making the SUV an absolute joy to park and maneuver. Body roll is a given in SUVs of this size but the Pajero Sport does a phenomenal job to keep it on the down-low.

Once the smooth tarmac ends and the tough terrains begin, the Pajero Sport casually pulls out a large labeled “Heavy Artillery”, and tanks along, making you feel way more relieved than you ever were when on the tarmac. The 2020 Pajero Sport comes with a Super Select 4WD-II system that electronically switches between drive modes and splits engine torque 40 percent front and 60 percent rear when in full-time 4WD mode and that’s just one weapon on its arsenal.

You have a two-wheel drive and full-time four-wheel-drive modes. Using the drive mode selector dial, you can switch between 2WD (2H) and 4WD (4H, 4HLc, 4LLc). When the going gets rough, you can lock the center differential by entering the 4HLc setting for rugged terrain or the 4LLc setting for inclines, mud, and snow. You can also lock the rear differential which minimizes differences in rotation between the rear wheels to ensure robust traction even on sand, mud and rocky surfaces.

The engine output, transmission settings, and braking, all adjust accordingly to optimize performance. Learn to work your way through the system and the Pajero Sport will blaze through any uneven terrain like a tank. Other weapons to help the Pajero Sport off-road better are Hill Descent Control (HDC) which automatically applies the brakes to maintain your current speed when traveling downhill. This lets you concentrate on steering and travel downhill with greater safety without having to manually apply the brakes.

Going uphill, on the other hand, is managed by a Hill Start Assist feature that helps prevent you from rolling backward while you release the brake by maintaining the braking force for up to two seconds until the accelerator is applied. With an approach angle of 30-degree and a departure angle of 24-degree and a 45-degree lateral travel angle combined with all the weapons at its disposal, the 2020 Pajero Sport is easily one of the best off-roaders in the country. It is one of those SUVs that encourages you to take the more unconventional path towards your where you are going and to be honest I quite love that.

BEING DIFFERENT…

It is quite harder than it looks, especially when the entire lot is seeping into the same enclosure. But the 2020 Pajero Sport does exactly that, it’s different. In a sea of pretend SUVs with equally pretentious offroad capabilities printed in their brochures, the 2020 Pajero Sport is a proper SUV that is more than equipped to handle anything that comes in the way. Its big, it is practical, it’s a comfortable place to be in and is a handsome looker.

It is shockingly powerful on the tarmac and is an absolute tank off-road, cruising over everything without breaking a sweat. And to top it all off it comes with an equally hefty price tag that is completely befitting to what it offers. And if you happen to have that much money lying around… we’d say you’d be making a very good investment.

Long ago, in a different car magazine far far away, we had reviewed the old Pajero Sport and had named it, “The Beast from the East”. Today, driving it again after all these years we can say that the 2020 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport has proven itself to still be worthy of that title.