While not available at launch, Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand is releasing a new version of the Pajero Sport with seven seats, thanks to a foldaway third row at the rear of the vehicle’s interior.
Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand (MMNZ) sales and marketing head Daniel Cook says the factory addressing a emissions issue caused by weight, meant the new seven-seat version of the Pajero Sport had arrived here sooner than expected.
“Most buyers in this segment prefer a seven-seat vehicle, so now having the Pajero Sport in this configuration should catapult us up the sales charts,” says Cook.
But it doesn’t signal the demise of the evergreen seven-seat Pajero SUV, which Cook says will continue to soldier on for the foreseeable future.
“The Pajero Sport has created more awareness of the bigger Pajero SUV; people come shopping for the smaller vehicle and realise that the older bigger car is a better fit for their requirements,” says Cook.
The extra seating adds just 40kg to the vehicle’s kerb weight, but fuel efficiency of 8.0L/100km – a figure shared by both the XLS and VRX models remains unchanged from before.
The Pajero Sport retains the 135kW/437Nm 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine, a braked towing capacity of 3.1 tonnes and 4WD technology of the previous five-seat model.
The third-row seating accommodates two passengers and features standard three-point seatbelts with ELR, plus airbags on either side – taking the total airbag count to nine throughout the vehicle.
Headrests and air vents with adjustable fan speed control ensure passenger comfort isn’t overlooked either, while fold-forward second-row seats allow easy access and egress.
Configured in a 50:50 split, the rear seats pack away flat to maximise cargo space. The addition of a load box provides flexible storage space and raises the cargo floor to a single level for loading convenience.
“The extra seating capacity in Pajero Sport provides a further degree of versatility,” says Cook. “But owners know everyone on board is traveling in comfort and security.”
Pajero Sport seven-seat XLS and VRX models are available for a promotional price of $52,990 and $61,990 respectively, plus on-road costs, until 30 September 2016.
