Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Mini Countryman

What's the difference?

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is a very capable off-road vehicle and it also functions quite well as a daily driver. And in top-shelf GSR guise, it has plenty of standard features onboard. 

This 4WD wagon is infrequently outmatched when faced with serious 4WD challenges and, even though the whole package is feeling more than a bit dated, the Pajero Sport still represents a decent value-for-money option in an increasingly expensive car market.

My time with the Countryman JCW was brief, but it was enough to confirm that the new-generation model has lost nothing by gaining a few inches.

Mini has ensured that the JCW remains the pinnacle of its range.

When you push the JCW into tight corners at speed, the car’s intentions are clear. This is a dedicated performance model, but it has that duality of being an everyday hauler as well.

SUV wagons based on utes (Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X et al) all share a similarly inoffensive generic kind of look.

The Pajero Sport is easy enough on the eye.

I have already detailed the design of the new Countryman in my review of the Countryman SE, but the JCW has a slightly different look.

The sporty JCW body kit includes elements like stripes, a two-tone roof, some extra visual flourishes and black 19-inch alloy wheels. In black body paint with a red roof, the look is quite cool. But a static example we saw in Portugal in Nanuq White was our pick.

Inside there are unique JCW elements including the sports seat design, steering wheel, and black and red contrast seats and stitching.

None of the JCW styling elements are over the top. They add up to give it a subtly sporty look without shouting it from the rooftops.

The Pajero Sport is 4825 millimetres long with a 2800mm wheelbase. It is 1815mm wide, 1835mm high and it has a listed kerb weight of 2125kg.

Up front, the seats (power-adjustable driver and front passenger) are very supportive, with a nice wrap-around feel to them.

The steering wheel has paddle shifters for sporty shifting and it is reach- and height-adjustable.

The dash and 8.0-inch touchscreen media unit are nicely integrated, but that screen is too small – and that’ll be rectified somewhat with the likely introduction of a 9.0-inch screen in the 2025 Pajero Sport. 

All buttons and dials on the current Pajero Sport are easy to locate and operate, even when you're bouncing around off-road.

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

The second row is rather comfortable. I sat behind my driving position and there was plenty of head and legroom. 

Passengers in the third-row seat have access to cupholders and air vents.

In terms of packability, the Pajero Sport’s cabin 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.

Boot space is a listed 131 litres with the third-row seats in use and there are power sockets and tie-down points in that rear space. 

Fold the third row out of the way and cargo space increases to 502 litres. With the second and third rows stowed away, there is a combined 1488 litres of cargo space.

All in all, the Pajero Sport’s interior is a functional space, but it’s feeling a bit dated.

For reference, the 2024 Triton will be 15mm longer (5320mm, with a longer wheelbase 3130mm) and 50mm wider (1850mm) than the current generation model. And with the 2025 Pajero Sport set to follow suit, that’ll mean more space in the wagon’s cabin for driver, passengers, gear and your dogs. 

The 2024 Triton’s newly developed ladder-frame chassis is claimed to have a 40 per cent increase in bending rigidity and a 60 per cent increase in torsional rigidity over the current generation.

The upcoming Triton will also get a towing capacity boost from 3100kg to 3500kg, bringing it in line with its rivals.

So, following on from the Triton’s changes, the 2025 Triton-based Pajero Sport will be bigger, heavier and with greater towing capacity.

Once again, please visit the Countryman SE review for the ins and outs of the 2024 Mini Countryman interior.

But for highlights, the storage up front is lacking somewhat, but there is ample space throughout the cabin, given the new Countryman is 130mm longer and 60mm taller than the old model. 

The toggles are cute, but the engine stop/start and Mini Experiences toggles look too similar and are right next to each other.

The massive new 9.5-inch circular OLED screen is beautiful to look at, and fairly logical to navigate. The various Mini Experiences - basically modes that change things like ambient lighting and more - are cute, if a little gimmicky. 

Rear seat space is ample, too, and the usual amenities are also there, including a central armrest with cupholders, outboard ISOFIX points, knee-level air vents, map pockets, big bottle storage and two USB-C ports.

The boot offers more space than the electric Countryman - the JCW can swallow 505 litres, increasing to 1530L with the rear seats lowered.

As with the other Countryman powertrain grades - which includes the entry-level petrol C, sporty petrol SE, entry-level battery-electric E, and a sporty EV in the SE - the JCW is offered in three distinct model grades.

The Core kicks things off at $67,990 before on-road costs, then there’s the Classic for $70,990 and the Favoured at $73,990.

Interestingly, that opening price is a couple of hundred dollars less than the equivalent grade of the model it’s replacing. And the flagship Favoured is more than $3000 cheaper than the outgoing top-spec JCW Yours. 

It’s not everyday that a new-generation model with tech and design advances is cheaper than its predecessor, so kudos to Mini for keeping prices down when everyone else is increasing them. 

Spec is fairly generous across the three grades too, with the Core coming standard with the JCW body kit and brakes, as well as JCW steering wheel and seats, adaptive suspension, a Harman/Kardon 12-speaker sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, keyless entry and start, a head-up display, digital radio, a heated steering wheel and a power tailgate with kick function.

The Classic adds an interior camera, augmented reality sat-nav, heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof and body stripes. 

The Favoured gains a few extras, including ‘Active Seat Functions’ for the driver, power seat adjustment with memory function, and additional window glazing. 

In terms of rivals, there are not a lot of performance-focused small SUVs that are in direct competition with the Countryman JCW. There is the mechanical twins under the skin - the BMW X1 and X2 M35i ($90,900 and $92,900), as well the Mercedes-Benz GLA35 ($96,900) that all offer very similar power and torque figures, but are much more expensive. The Volkswagen T-Roc R ($63,490) is another spicy small SUV worth considering and it's more affordable than all of them.

The Pajero Sport has a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine, which produces 133kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm at 2500rpm, and it has an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This is not a dynamic combination, but it’s a well-proven and respectable one. 

The GSR has Mitsubishi’s 'Super Select II' 4WD system and a rear diff lock. The Super Select dial sits to 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 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 – and hill descent control. 

The 2024 Triton will retain the current-generation’s engine but it will have a twin-turbo and it will produce more power: 150kW at 1500rpm over the current engine’s 133kW at 3500rpm. The new Triton will have a maximum tuned torque figure of 470Nm; the outgoing Triton produces 430Nm.

The upcoming Triton will keep the six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2025 Pajero Sport will have that new twin-turbo engine, but it’ll paired with an eight-speed auto.

Under the rather sculpted bonnet of the Countryman JCW is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, driving all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. 

Power and torque outputs of 233kW and 400Nm is up and down compared to the previous model’s 225kW and 450Nm. Australia also gets a more potent tune than Europe. Because of stricter emissions regulations, it only pumps out 221kW in Europe. The new Countryman’s figures match the X1 and X2 M35i, given it’s the exact same powertrain.

The 0-100km/h dash time for this model is 5.4sec. That’s just 0.4sec quicker than the all-electric Countryman SE.

Official fuel consumption for the Pajero Sport GSR is 8.0L/100km on a combined cycle.

Its real-world fuel figure on this test, from pump to pump, was 9.6L/100km. 

The Pajero Sport has a 68-litre tank, so, with that sort of fuel-consumption figure, you can reasonably expect a driving range of approximately 680km from a full tank, but that’s after having already factored in a safe-distance buffer of 30km.

Mini says the JCW consumes 7.8-8.3 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, but an Australian figure is yet to be confirmed.

Given my brief time behind the wheel I did not record an on-test fuel use figure.

The Pajero Sport is reasonable on-road, although it is quite sluggish, not very dynamic, a bit noisy and there’s quite a lot of body-roll through sharp turns.

But it is a very nimble and capable off-roader, largely because the driver is able to tap into a few different things that have been engineered into the car to help them conquer tough low-range challenges.

The GSR 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 superior traction to suit specific conditions and terrains. 

But one of the major points of difference with its rivals is the fact the GSR has 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-traction conditions, which you may face on back-roads and dirt tracks.

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're keen 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.

So, along with decent high- and low-range gearing and a centre diff-lock – which is 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.

Its riding on Toyo Open Country A32 all-terrain tyres (265/60R18 110H) but it would perform even better with more aggressive rubber.

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

All-around, the Pajero Sport is an effective off-roader, and does everything in a safe and controlled way.

So I had a bit of a taste of the Countryman JCW the day prior to driving it when I was behind the wheel of the BMW X2 M35i. The two models share a powertrain, but in the same way that the electric iX2 differs from the mechanically related Countryman SE, they have different characteristics.

Mini does its own tunes for things like steering and suspension, and the two models differ in size. Other elements like tyre choice and even the feel of the steering wheel further differentiate the models. 

I have driven a few recent JCW products, including the adorable but recently discontinued Clubman JCW at a previous job. There’s something special about a Mini JCW model, and the brand has worked hard to preserve that with the new, bigger Countryman.

For starters, that 2.0L turbo engine is a sweetie. There is a bit of turbo lag accelerating from a standing start, but once it kicks in there’s plenty of power to hit that 5.4-second 0-100km/h time. And it just keeps going. It’s responsive, willing and just plain fun!

It has a lovely engine note, but I suspect some of that is amplified sound.

As with the electric SE, the JCW’s steering is sharp and tuned for dynamic driving. As is the suspension setup, which has a firmness to it without being uncomfortable, even on pockmarked backroads. Mini has struck a nice balance here.

What about the go-kart feel Mini is known for? Fear not, because the JCW’s dynamism hasn’t been blunted by the additional size of the new-gen model. It carved through bends without a hint of body roll and maintained an impressive amount of grip.

The Countryman is yet to be tested by Euro NCAP or ANCAP.

All JCW grades come standard with autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot and lane change warning, an exit warning, ‘Intelligent Emergency Call’, rear collision prevention, rear cross-traffic warning with braking, a speed limiter and tyre pressure monitoring system.

The Pajero Sport is covered by a 10-year/200,000 kilometre new car warranty, (whichever occurs first and when all scheduled services are completed at a Mitsubishi dealership), 10 years of capped price servicing, and four years of roadside assistance.

Service intervals are set for 12 months or 15,000km, and capped price servicing covers the first 10 regular services at those scheduled 15,000km/12 month intervals.

The average cost per service (over 10 years) is $599 – and that’s been calculated by CarsGuide’s crack team of bean-counters.

Like its Mini stablemates, the Countryman is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and like its BMW relatives, Minis don’t have a specific term for a service schedule. Rather, the servicing is ‘conditions-based’ meaning the vehicle will tell the user when it needs to be booked into a dealership.

A six-year ‘Service Inclusive’ package from Mini Australia will cost $3092 for the JCW, which is about $80 less than the BMW iX2 twin, but still not cheap.