Pajero slicker than ever

DAVID LINKLATER looks at the latest Pajero and finds it is better and brighter than ever.

Inner-city slickers drive RAV4s and lifestyle-block farmers have Range Rovers. But for many Kiwis who dream of owning a family-size off-roader, the all-purpose popular Mitsubishi Pajero has been the one over the past decade.

Sharp-looking enough to strut around the better suburbs, yet tough and capable in the rough stuff, this popular four-wheel-drive has an enviable image, evidenced by the big wagon's continued popularity as a used Japanese import.

So the latest Pajero, the first update in eight years, has a lot to live up to. There's the $69,500 GLS turbo diesel and $75,500 GLS petrol and the flagship $81,500 Exceed, also petrol-powered.

The model is new from tip to tail, with a big change in design philosophy. Previous Pajeros have been built on a separate ladder-frame chassis, the favoured method for heavy-duty off-roaders.

But this time Mitsubishi has opted for a car-like monocoque body structure with a built-in frame. The move will enhance the wagon's on-road handling and agility, but at a cost to off-road ability.

"The designers have recognised that the Pajero is used more in urban settings than in four-wheel-drive mode," says Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand marketing director Mike Alexander, "but the car still employs one of the most advanced four-wheel-drive systems in the world."

Although lower overall than the previous model, ground clearance has increased 20mm to 235mm and Mitsubishi says the Pajero can wade through 600mm of water.

A further development of the Super Select four-wheel-drive is standard on all models. Changes include an automatic adjustment which splits front and rear torque between 30/70 and 50/50, depending on driving conditions.

The Pajero employs independent suspension on all four corners. Double wishbones are used up front and there's a multi-link arrangement at the rear.

Both the petrol and diesel engines have their share of high technology. The 149kW 3.5-litre V6 uses Mitsubishi's gasoline direct-injection (GDI) system to switch between lean combustion for low-load driving, high output for sustained top-end power and two-stage mixing for extra low-down torque.

Mitsubishi says that depending on driving style, GDI is 10 per cent more economical than a conventional petrol motor and produces 30 per cent less carbon dioxide and 70 per cent lower carbon monoxide and NOX emissions.

A dashboard light tells drivers when the powerplant is operating in lean-burn mode. The GDI Pajero also features a drive-by-wire throttle - there is no cable between the accelerator and the engine, only an electronic valve.

The 121kW 3.2-litre DI-D turbo diesel is a common-rail direct-injection unit with four valves a cylinder.

Mitsubishi says this gives 25 per cent more power than a conventional 3-litre engine yet is 25 per cent more economical than the 2.8-litre turbo diesel it replaces.

Both engines are offered with Mitsubishi's outstanding INVECS II adaptive five-speed automatic transmission, and the turbo diesel is also available with a five-speed manual.

The monocoque body has allowed Mitsubishi more scope in interior packaging. The car is 60mm longer overall - most of which has gone into the wheelbase - yet the floor height has been lowered by 50mm, contributing to a reduction in overall height of 35mm and a lower centre of gravity.

The cabin seats five, and two extra front-facing foldaway seats are in the luggage area, which can be folded flat into the floor or removed. The second row of seats can be tipped forward to give a 1.49m cargo area.

The Pajero made its international debut at the 1978 Tokyo Motor Show. It was launched as a short-wheelbase three-door in 1982, with a long-wheelbase five-door following soon after.

In 1983 it won the Paris-Dakar rally, starting a string of top placings including first, second and third in 1997 and 1998. The latest Pajero is only the second major model change. The first was in 1991.