BMW X3 vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

What's the difference?

If a BMW X3 is for you, then we have no quarrels with that. It’s a better all-round vehicle than the one it replaces and represents better value. And even though BMW mandates a hybrid driveline, there are still some significant choices within that framework.

By all means buy the M50 if you crave the rush of acceleration that almost 300kW can provide. And if efficiency is your altar of choice, then the plug-in 30e makes a lot of sense, too.

But even if you can afford either of those two more expensive variants, whatever you do, don’t dismiss the entry-level 20 model. At least drive it alongside the others and then make a decision based on all the facts, and not the assumption that entry-level equals the car you afford rather than the car you want.

It might be cheaper, but there’s absolutely no doubt that the 20 model is the one that shines and arguably makes the most of the opportunities BMW’s latest tech offers.

Sometimes less really is more.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The Pajero Sport is reasonable on-road, more than satisfactory as a daily driver and it’s still a very effective 4WD.

This is a proven touring vehicle and while this update treatment doesn’t add a whole lot to the Pajero Sport package – and nothing in terms of power, torque or performance in general – it’s easily enough to tempt those who aren’t patient enough to wait for the next-generation version to arrive here.

It might be badged an X3, but this is no small vehicle. In fact, it’s bigger than the original BMW X5 (which set the tone for this entire market segment) with a length of 4755mm (4667mm for the first X5) and a width of 1920mm (1872mm). That said, it’s 25mm lower than the outgoing X3 in a move to emphasise its sportiness. Shorter it may be, but it’s also 16mm wider on the front track and 45mm wider on the rear than the outgoing model.

BMWs latest styling cues also appear in the new car, including the large, split-kidney grille that, for Australian-delivered cars, is also lit around its edges. The short overhangs that characterised the original X5 (and soon characterised this whole BMW genre) remain, and the T-graphic LED tail-lights round out the stylistic touches.

The other thing we noticed (and we’ve seen it on other cars recently) is a panoramic sunroof that doesn’t actually open.

Most of the Pajero Sport’s latest round of upgrades is focused on styling refreshes, inside and out.

The upgraded interior in the GSR includes quilted two-tone burgundy and black synthetic leather upholstery.

This adds a welcome touch of understated class to an interior which is otherwise looking and feeling old.

The Pajero Sport now also has a three-spoke leather steering wheel and revised digital instrument display graphics, which may be difficult to discern for those unfamiliar with the previous renderings.

Outside, the GSR retains the distinctive Pajero Sport shape, albeit now with updated upper and lower grilles, front and rear bumper enhancements and black headlamp extensions (those are range-wide inclusions), as well as black door mirrors, door handles and tailgate handle.

Cabin space is plentiful in the X3 with loads of room in the front, possibly thanks to the dashboard that is pulled back from you with only the twin screens and steering column offering themselves up to the driver. Even the air-vents are somewhat hidden. There’s good vision out and the seats themselves are lovely. The step into the cabin feels to be at just the right height, too; not too high, not too low.

Rear seating is good, too, although the X3 will always be better as a four seater than five thanks to the shape of the rear bench, but the glass roof opens the space up and there’s plenty of charging points and storage nooks. The sun blinds on the rear-side windows of the more expensive versions should be standard kit on every car sold in Australia.

We’ll take exception to the new gear-selector which doesn’t have a defined Park position and instead relies on applying the park-brake to engage Park. But the ambient light and contrasting cabin colours are a bit of a breath of fresh air.

There are levers in the cargo area to quickly fold the rear seats (60:40) at which point luggage space jumps from 570 litres in the mild hybrid cars to 1700 litres. The battery-pack of the 30e model means that luggage space starts at 460 litres and can be expanded to 1600 litres.

The latest version of BMW’s sometimes controversial iDrive operating system is simpler and easier to use than before and supported by a new operating system, but there’s still some familiarisation necessary. One improvement has been the addition of QuickSelect which works somewhat like the old favourites button system and gets around the need to drill into menus to access the functions you want.

A head-up display is a terrific addition, although where some displays are more tolerant of polarised sunglasses, the HUD in the BMW didn’t like mine and went dark at the most inconvenient angles.

None of the X3 variants feature a spare tyre of any sort. The 19-inch tyres on the base grade are run-flats, while everything else gets a repair kit for roadside emergencies.

If you want to tow, the good news is that all X3 variants can do so. But you will need to purchase the $2200 towing package which enables the X3 to haul a trailer weighing up to 2000kg with a maximum tow-ball down-weight of 200kg.

The Pajero Sport cabin is practical, but now, as a result of the upgrade, it has more of a premium look and feel. Sure, it’s still on the wrong side of aged and it’s cramped, but at least it has a layer of gloss to it.

From front to back, it’s a well set-up space. The driver and front passenger seats (both power-adjustable) are very supportive, with a nice wrap-around feel to them. The other seats are also fine.

The reach- and height-adjustable steering wheel has paddle shifters for energetic shifting if you get the urge.

The dash and touchscreen media unit are nicely integrated, but that 8.0-inch screen is too small – and thankfully the likely introduction of a 9.0-inch screen in the 2025 Pajero Sport will sort out that issue.

The cabin’s familiar feel includes the fact that all buttons and dials are easy to locate and operate, even when you're bouncing around off-road.

The second row is comfortable and roomy enough, though the entire cabin tends towards the squeezy end of the spacious spectrum. Having said that, I slotted in behind my driving position and I had plenty of head, knee and foot room. 

There are three top tether points, two ISOFIX anchors and a fold-down armrest with cupholders in the second row. There are USB charge points and a power socket in the back of the centre console bin.

Third-row seating is a bit of a straight-up-and-down affair with a flat seat base, but passengers back there – god bless ’em – have access to cupholders and air vents.

In terms of packability, the Pajero Sport’s cabin, as mentioned, is quite narrow compared to most of its rivals and there are plenty of other SUVs and 4WD wagons around that offer more room inside for people, gear and dogs.

With the third-row seats in use, boot space is listed as 131L. There are power sockets and tie-down points in that rear cargo area. 

With the third row stowed away, there’s a claimed 502L of cargo space, which is pretty handy. With the second and third rows stowed, there’s a claimed 1488L.

As mentioned, the test vehicle is a GSR spec Pajero Sport, a seven-seat 4WD wagon with a price-tag of $64,840, before on-road costs.

But this test example has a bunch of accessories onboard – including a towbar kit ($1546), snorkel ($1103), electric brake controller ($710), roof rack/cross bars ($604), carpet mats ($249) and a towball ($42), pushing its price-tag up to the $69,094 mark, excluding on-road costs.

Standard features include an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), digital radio, as well as three-zone climate-control, front and rear parking sensors and a power-operated tailgate.

The Pajero Sport packs a whole lot more, of course, and it compares evenly with most other similarly priced seven-seat 4WDs on the market.

Exterior paint choices include 'White Diamond', 'Terra Rossa', 'Graphite Grey' and 'Black Mica', but you can also choose from White Diamond with black roof, Terra Rossa with black roof, and the new Graphite Grey with black roof. 

Hybrid tech across the board is the key phrase here, with the base-model 20 xDrive fitted with a mild hybrid electric motor and battery pack that works in conjunction with the 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine. Power is 140kW and torque 310Nm. Like most mild hybrids, the electric motor offers power regeneration during braking, a mellow (by EV standards) kick in the pants during take-off and acceleration and also acts as the car’s starter motor.

The performance flagship, the M50 xDrive taps into the same technical philosophy with a mild hybrid augmenting the turbocharged six-cylinder inline petrol engine. In this case, however, peak power is a hefty 293kW and torque maxes out at 580Nm.

The most technically adventurous X3 is the 30e xDrive which uses plug-in hybrid tech to offer a claimed 91km of electric driving, about twice that offered by the original X3 PHEV it replaces. When the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol as fitted to the 20 xDrive, and the electric motor are humming along together, there’s 220kW of power and 450Nm for the taking. The PHEV X3 can run in purely electric mode at up to a claimed 140km/h.

All variants use BMW’s familiar eight-speed automatic transmission and in each case, drive is sent to all four wheels on a permanent basis. Interestingly, the 30e and M50 versions package their electric motor as part of the engine-transmission combination. The 20, meanwhile, places its electric motor externally, as part of the drive-belt rotating assembly.

The M50 model has an M button that unleashes the full performance with one touch, and features an electronically locking rear differential in the interests of high-speed turn-in.

Adaptive suspension that varies the degree of damping is also part of the package on each X3 variant.

The Pajero Sport has a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine producing 133kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm at 2500rpm – and that’s matched to a eight-speed automatic transmission.

This is a solid but lacklustre combination – it’s agricultural, truck-like and it takes a heavy right foot to punch it off the mark. But overall, I don’t mind the driving experience.

This is a respectable and well-proven combination, more than a bit sluggish and far from dynamic, but it does the job. 

The GSR has Mitsubishi’s 'Super Select II' 4WD (a full-time 4WD system), selectable off-road modes and a rear diff lock.

The Super Select dial is positioned at the rear of the shifter and enables the driver to switch from '2H' (two-wheel drive), '4H' (4WD high-range), '4HLc' (4WD High Range with locked centre diff) and '4LLc' (4WD Low Range with locked centre diff).

The driver is able to safely switch between 2WD (2H) and 4WD (4H, 4HLc) at speeds of up to 100km/h.

The GSR has a button-operated off-road mode system – with 'Gravel', 'Mud/Snow', 'Sand' or 'Rock' settings, each of which tweaks engine output, transmission settings and traction control to best suit the terrain. It also features hill descent control. 

The 2025 Pajero Sport will have the new Triton’s twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine (producing 150kW and 470Nm) and it’ll be paired with an eight-speed auto.

As you might expect, the PHEV 30e model is the efficiency superstar of the X3 line-up with an official combined test figure of just 1.6 litres per 100km and 38 grams of CO2 per kilometre. The four-cylinder 20 xDrive is not bad for its size at 7.5L/100km (and 171g), yet the bruising six-cylinder M50 version with all that performance is not too far behind with an official figure of 8.2L/100km (187g).

The 30e PHEV features a selectable battery-saving mode as well as the option of forcing EV-only running. It features a 19.7kWh battery and BMW claims it can charge using a three-phase, 11kW socket from empty to full in two hours, 15 minutes. It does not make use of fast-chargers.

Exactly how far you’ll travel in the PHEV model will depend hugely on how and where you drive. On long, open road journeys, fuel consumption won’t be much different to the others, but with just a 50-litre fuel tank, it’s range won’t be stellar. But in urban running where the batteries are being recharged for free as you brake, the difference will be significant. Meanwhile, with a 65-litre fuel tank in the mild hybrid grades, the theoretical range (based on the official fuel number) is 865km and 765km for the 20 and M50 respectively.

While BMW recommends premium fuel for maximum efficiency, it also says that each X3 variant will not be harmed by the use of standard ULP if that’s all you can get hold of.

The Pajero Sport has an official fuel consumption figure of 8.0L/100km on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle.

I recorded 9.8L/100km on this test. I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing and the Pajero Sport was never working hard.

The Pajero Sport has a 68L fuel tank, so, going by my on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 694km from a full tank. 

Big heavy SUVS like this one haven’t always been too dainty on their feet. The extra bulk and height mean suspension has to be firmer, the big wheels and subsequent loss of tyre sidewall depth plays against ride quality and before you know it, the compromises have piled up and the driving experience has gone to hell.

This time, however, BMW’s claim that the X3 was designed from the start as an SUV and not converted from a sedan platform seems to hold water. There’s an overall greater sense of cohesion in the way the car steers and flows through corners and faster bends. The steering feel and feedback are a big part of that, too, and the whole seems at least as great as its parts.

The M50 is, predictably, a rocket with loads of accessible acceleration and a great noise while you’re enjoying it. That said, the 21-inch wheels and tyres don’t do anything for ride quality, but it remains an entertaining performance car in a familiar, ICE kind of way.

The plug-in is also perky with its 220kW on tap, but it’s less old-school and more techy. And while you can’t pick the point at which ICE hands over to electric and vice-versa, sensitive drivers will absolutely know that there’s a big dollop of electrical assistance when your right foot starts asking the tough questions. It definitely feels more overtly hybrid, though that shouldn’t be any kind of surprise, purely because that’s precisely the case.

Which brings us to the 20 entry-level grade. And while it’s going to be a controversial statement, this emerges as the most cohesive, rounded variant of the new X3. There’s something in the way the fizzy, bubbly (but very smooth) 2.0-litre four-cylinder provides more than enough urge, but never threatens to dominate the dynamics.

With less weight over the front wheels than the M50, and less weight overall than the PHEV, the 20 corners flatter, steers more intuitively and is simply more fun more of the time. Even on the optional 20-inch tyres, it rides better than the others, too, and might even be better again with the standard 19s other than the fact that those are run flats and we didn’t get try them.

There have been no power, torque or driver-assist tech changes to this upgraded Pajero Sport – you’ll have to wait for the next-gen version for those – so no surprises lay in wait when driving.

But that’s okay, because the Pajero Sport in its current guise is a solid daily driver – not spectacular, but far from atrocious.

The Pajero Sport is 4840mm long (with a 2800mm wheelbase), 1815mm wide, 1835mm high and has a kerb weight of 2130kg.

Compared to other similarly-sized 4WD wagons, the Pajero Sport is narrower and has a higher centre of gravity, so it’s nimble – the turning circle is a respectable 11.2m – but it also feels a bit floaty on roads and tracks, but not despicably so.

The Pajero Sport is reasonable on sealed surfaces, although it is sluggish, noisy and there’s quite a lot of body-roll through sharp turns, especially compared to some of its more refined rivals, such as the Ford Everest.

But it is a very capable off-roader, mostly because the driver has access to a raft of technical advantages engineered into the Pajero Sport aimed at making 4WDing a safer challenge.

One of the major points of difference it has with its rivals is Super Select II 4WD. You can switch, via a dial to the rear of the auto shifter, from 2H into 4H (four-wheel drive, high-range), if you're not already driving with 4H engaged, and that gives you the best traction possible in low-grip conditions, which you may face on rough back-roads and dirt tracks peppered with loose rocks and potholes.

There's no risk of transmission wind-up because the centre diff is open when 4H is engaged in the Pajero Sport, so Super Select II 4WD adds an extra element of safety and sure-footedness to your driving experience.

Then turn the dial to 4HLc (four-wheel drive, high-range, locked centre diff) and you're ready to take on more difficult terrain but at lower speeds, because the centre diff is no longer open.

If you want to tackle even harder stuff than high-range territory, turn the dial to 4LLc (four-wheel drive, low-range, locked centre diff) and the Pajero Sport has an opportunity to excel in low-speed, low-range four-wheel driving.

Turn the dial to 4HLc and you're ready to take on more difficult terrain but at lower speeds.

So, along with decent high- and low-range gearing and a centre diff-lock – activated when 4HLc (4WD high-range, locked centre diff) or 4LLc (4WD low-range, locked centre diff) is selected – the Pajero Sport has a rear diff lock, which is engaged/disengaged via a button in front of the shifter and this further help you to easily maintain safe forward momentum.

Hill descent control sustains a controlled low speed of 3.0-4.0km/h all the way down steeper, longer hills.

The GSR also has selectable off-road modes, including Gravel, Sand, Mud/Snow (when in high-range 4WD) and Rock (when in low-range 4WD).

Each of these modes adjusts engine output, transmission settings and braking, the aim being the acquisition of superior traction to suit specific conditions and terrains. 

The Pajero Sport is riding on Toyo Open Country A32 all-terrains (265/60R18 110H), which are decent tyres, but it would perform even better with more aggressive rubber.

Wheel travel is adequate, ground clearance (218mm) is reasonable, although you still have to mind your driving line through rough terrain and be mindful of this 4WD’s approach (30 degrees), departure (24.2) and ramp-over (23.1) angles. Wading depth is listed as 700mm.

While it’s never been regarded as a tow rig in the same vein as something like the Toyota LandCruiser or the Nissan Patrol, the Pajero Sport offers sensible claimed towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 3100kg (braked).

Payload is listed as 645kg (so about standard for this size 4WD wagon), gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 2775kg and gross combined mass (GCM) is 5565kg.

The Pajero Sport range did have the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, but that expired in January 2023.

As standard it has dual front airbags, driver knee, front-side and curtain airbags, as well as two ISOFIX points and three top tether points for child seats/baby capsules in the second row.

Driver-assist tech includes AEB, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning/intervention, hill descent control, trailer stability assist and more.

BMW’s warranty on the X3 is the company’s usual five-year/unlimited kilometre deal. But in this case, there’s also a six-year/100,000km warranty on the high-voltage battery.

Also typical for BMW is the service interval which is not a set time or distance and instead is determined by how the car has been used. It’s called condition-based servicing and it’s nothing new at BMW.

There’s also capped-price servicing available. For the X3, the five-year/80,000km service package is $2475.

The Pajero Sport has a 10-year/200,000km manufacturer’s warranty as long as you get it serviced as per the schedule at an authorised Mitsubishi dealer.

Mitsubishi’s 10-year capped price servicing applies – with prices ranging from $399 to $999 – and servicing is scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km whichever occurs first. Check with your dealership for up-to-date servicing costs.

All Pajero Sports come with 12-months roadside assistance, but that can be extended to four years if the vehicle is serviced at an authorised Mitsubishi dealer in line with the official service schedule.