2016 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Mitsubishi recently unveiled the third generation Pajero Sport SUV. Derived from the Triton pickup truck it retains all the butch elements of the current vehicle but has been given the chrome treatment and a modern design to make the car contemporary. It may be displayed at the 2016 Auto Expo and will be launched in India by the middle of next year.

The 2016 Pajero Sport gets the Japanese automaker’s new ‘Dynamic Shield’ grille which made its debut with the Outlander Sport last year. Quite an interesting element is the chrome outline for the entire fascia. It extends from the edges of the bumper to the base of the headlamps and has created a floating effect for all the elements contained within.

The style quotient is introduced by the lowered roofline making the car look sleeker yet equally muscular thanks to the heavily flared wheel arches and strong shoulder line. It has got a significant amount of rear overhang to add to its profile. The muscular beast gets pick axe-shaped Christmas tree lamps that stretch over to the side and merge with the shoulder line. Fitting in with the design is the smaller rear glass and a chrome strip above the number plate holder.

The 2016 Pajero Sport’s cabin gets all the usual goodies including climate control, touchscreen infotainment system and leather trim package. The overall layout is very similar to the outgoing model but now gets a black and silver colour combination. For markets like India, this combination is expected to be altered to a black and beige combination. One of the big USPs of this vehicle is space which like its predecessors, this new car has in oodles thanks to the cavernous boot despite the third row being up.

This third generation Pajero Sport will be offered a new 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine producing 181bhp and 420Nm. It has been mated to an eight-speed AT and Mitsubishi’s Super Selected 4WD system in the AWD versions.

We expect that it will be priced in the range of Rs 23 lakh to Rs 28 lakh when launched for the Indian market. Its competition includes the Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner and the soon-to-be-launched Chevrolet Trail Blazer.