Pajero, la Passion
I’ve always had a fascination with Pajeros. Rugged yet refi ned, these machines have been one of the fi rst vehicles to actually create a new niche, that of the a ffordable SUVs. Yes, there always have been super luxury Range Rovers on the one hand and utilitarian Land Rovers on the other, but nothing quite in the middle – that is until the fi rst generation Pajeros were launched in the early eighties. They off ered turbo charged engines, independent front suspension power steering and those lovely suspension seats on the driver side.
2010 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport – All-round SUV with superior terrain handling ability
I still remember driving a Pajero Super Wagon Turbo way back in 1986. It was quite a machine and generously appointed too, including an oversized sliding sunroof and rear seats that folded to create two beds! And of course, to top it all off , the Pajero had personality. With numerous wins in the legendary Paris-Dakar Rally, the Pajero had created quite a stir with four wheel drive enthusiasts and it wasn’t long before the Mitsubishi Pajero had become quite a global star. Sold in the US as the Mitsubishi Monteros and Dodge Radier, offered in the UK as the Mitsubishi Shogan and in the rest of the world as the Pajero, it had become a well loved vehicle with die hard loyalists. And for good reason of course.
When I was shopping for a four wheel drive last July, there were many options to choose from. Of course there were the home used cars (whose home, I have never understood) which to me, were sick imports that would never be able to be properly serviced in Ghana due to the lack of service expertise or spares or both. So, that really wasn’t an option. In the new car market, there was the Toyota Fortuner which came with sterling Toyota credentials; there were a host of ‘soft roaders’ or crossovers, ranging from the Mitsubishi Outlander to all kinds of ashy Korean imports. And then of course, there was the Pajero Sport. Seeing the Pajero Sport and taking it for a drive, my mind was quickly made up.
As I walked around the Pajero Sport, with one of my colleagues from work, we couldn’t help notice the incredible ground clearance, great for Ghana we agreed. We saw the low angles of attack and departure which give the car a go anywhere, climb anything stance undoubtedly masculine and with no apology. Popping the hood we saw the highly acclaimed 2.5 liter turbocharged ‘commonrail’ diesel power plant, offering exceptional power and performance o the back of four modestly sized cylinders.
Premium Interior Cabin Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2010
Having had the car for almost a year, all I can say is that it has been an absolute joy. Off ering exceptional off road ability while maintaining great road manners the Pajero Sport comes with Mitsubishi’s very own rally inspired ‘super select’ transmission, which allows both low and high range four wheel drive operation in addition to a central diff erential lock, which, as o road enthusiasts will tell you, can be quite a life saver when the going gets really-really tough. Putting it into the diff lock mode is really quite an awesome experience. With all four of my all terrain tires struggling in the sand, I decided to test the central di lock, which works like a charm. Once locked, you can feel the torque of the low ratio gears transferring power to both front and rear wheels in roughly equal measure. This gets your vehicle out of the stickiest of situations, so long as you know the fundamentals of o ff roading.
On the road, the Pajero Sport really is a surprisingly re ned road vehicle as well. The perky engine means that it gives this two ton truck quite a perky acceleration, which is such a help on the highways. Diesels are prized for the their power and torque and not their acceleration and yet the commonrail technology off ered on this powerplant means quite a spirited and smooth power band, without having to rev the engine too high. It has an amazingly good turning radius, which means that getting in and out of parking spots is a breeze. And of course, great visibility all round.
It comes with a decent stereo system with steering mounted controls; the dashboard has a nifty little console that is ever willing to calculate your fuel economy over the past four hours (even draws a graph!) or indicate your altitude or give you a compass direction. There is even a barometer and of course a thermometer which gives readings as and when you like. The climate control is quite a nice feature as are the easy to read instrumentation and controls.
With fantastic service and support (and in a part of town that I can get to) scheduled maintenance is as quick as it is professional. Sum up? Great go anywhere car. On the downside, it can’t wait to get out of town and play.
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I've been an IT consultant for years. Strange to get paid for doing what you love. In danger of being called a geek, maybe, but who cares? I enjoy every minute of it. My other passion is: Travel, 72 cities in 35 countries to date. 
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