Uprated Pajero a pleasure to drive on and off the road

If you work where this writer slaves, you are going to die poor.

Yet, from time to time, we get to sample how the top 20% live.

Occasionally we fly first-class, stay in nice hotels and drive excellent vehicles.

One such came our way last week, in Mitsubishi’s 2014 update of their two-door Pajero short wheelbase SUV.

The Pajero SWB is powered by a 3.2-litre common rail turbo-diesel developing 140 kW of power and 441 Nm of torque.

This drives the wheels through a five speed automatic transmission with a versatile Super-Select all-wheel drive system.

The Super-Select system offers 2WD and 4WD without locked centre differential, where the power is split 33/67 between the front and rear wheels, giving the benefits of an all-wheel-drive vehicle, including better control for high-speed driving.

For off road usage, the 4HLc and 4LLc setting locks the centre differential and splits the power 50/50 between the front and rear wheels.

And, just like most people buying the new Pajero, we did not indulge in any off-road activities.

Instead, we wafted around Gauteng, not bothering to avoid potholes.

The Pajero boasts a rear-view camera, park distance control, glass sunroof, and a multi-function steering wheel with remote controls for the audio system and cruise control.

There are also heated seats for driver and front passenger, Bluetooth with hands free voice control for the cell phone, plus an easy-to-read central information system with multiple read-outs, including a compass, altimeter and barometer.

The vehicle’s boxy shape makes it easy to drive in confined spaces, and the huge torque figure makes it easy to burble through traffic jams in third gear.

Sitting that high up, one gets a misplaced sense of superiority and safety, really pleasant while it lasts.

We tried to drive the Pajero frugally, and the resultant 8,2 litres per 100 kilometres came as a pleasant surprise.

The standard Pajero SWB is priced at R549 000, which is very competitive in a market where it has few competitors besides the Land Rover Defender SWB and Jeep Wrangler, which have much less standard equipment and far fewer comfort features.

We were really sorry to give it back, but unfortunately the people from Mitsubishi insisted.