Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DI-D Auto.

TESTS

Survivor

The tuning of the 2015 version has been much more discreet than expected. (Photos: Eloy Garcia)

When the Japanese brand Mitsubishi announced a few years ago that the Montero would receive a tune-up in 2014 , some of us thought that the time had come, that it would leave its legacy of pure off-roading to possibly become an SUV that is now so fashionable. The most fanatics spoke of great improvements in all its sections that would make it the definitive machine. The reality has been quite different.

Neither one nor the other hit the nail on the head and what was expected to be something big has ended up in a simple restyling , one of the most concise we've seen in recent times. Nothing new Montero (although in the article we will call it that to differentiate it from the current one), rather a small solution to extend the life of this magnificent TT a little more without spending a fortune on new developments.

If I'm honest, it's not that it needs a radical change either because what a car with these characteristics has to stand out for is its qualities in the field, and this Montero, recognized by many off-road fans, is one of the most interesting options in this world together with the Toyota Land Cruiser , Land Rover Defender and Discovery , Jeep Wrangler or Nissan Pathfinder . In addition to what can be obtained second hand .

Unfortunately there are only 5 or 6 pure SUVs left on the market. The practice of 4x4 now has many restrictions.

The one that has ended up falling out of this select group is the Jeep Grand Cherokee , which has chosen to become an option closer to an SUV. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class and its "from 100,000 euros" are within the reach of very few and it is difficult for someone who considers a Montero to consider getting a G.

The Mitsubishi is currently sold in its two body versions, 3 and 5 doors , with two trim levels, Spirit and Kaiteki , and with a single 200 hp 3.2 DI-D engine . The Kaiteki, which we have tested in its 5-door and 7-seater configuration, can only mount a 5-speed automatic gearbox , while the manual, also 5-speed , comes as the only option with the Spirit finish.

Restyling?

There are hardly any differences in this new Montero, and those that do exist are hard to spot with the naked eye if you're not too familiar with the model. The changes are focused on small aesthetic details in the body and some new equipment that should not even be considered restyling, such as a lot of facelift or simply Model Year 2015.

The new version presents a slightly redesigned front end, with LED daytime running lights as the main new element.

Let's start with the exterior: The front proposes a new slightly modified bumper so that the new LED daytime running lights can be housed , a fact that has also forced us to redesign the section of the fog lights.

The upper grill now has three horizontal chrome slats and inside several other diagonal black plastic ones. The emblem of the three diamonds loses some prominence compared to the previous model and its black background is eliminated to be superimposed on the same horizontal slats. The lower part of the grill is slightly reduced in size and is wrapped in a single frame that covers both. A new gray plastic protector has been installed in its lower part .

At the rear, the changes are even less obvious. The only difference is found in the part that holds the spare wheel . This now completely covers the tire thus preventing inclement weather from directly affecting it. The plastics that hold this piece to the gate also change. The last difference is found in the roof, which now incorporates the bars as standard.

The new rear is limited to offering a new support for the spare wheel.

To dress up the interior, new metallic moldings have been added to the central air vents, above the passenger's glove compartment, in the door armrests and in the steering tunnel area.

For 7 occupants

As I mentioned at the beginning, the Mitsubishi Montero is sold in two body variants: 3-door and 5-passenger or 5-door with room for 7 passengers thanks to a long body at the rear and a longer wheelbase. Precisely this last variant is the one that we have tested and on which we focus these lines.

With 4.9 meters in length and a wheelbase of 2.78 m. the resulting cabin is extremely spacious. The 1.87 m wide and 1.89 high offer excellent dimensions so that at least 5 adults can travel comfortably inside.

A correct interior without more. Quite simple and with robust elements to withstand intensive use. Some plastics should improve.

It has the classic 2+3+2 seating configuration with the two rear ones retractable and hidden under the floor to take advantage of the large boot capacity of 663 liters , expandable to 1,790 liters if we fold the seats (bench included). With the third row deployed, the capacity is reduced to 215 liters .

The front seats are large and very comfortable, but they lack a bit of lateral support to grip the back and kidneys well against strong jolts. The second row offers enough space for three adults in which we find a fully usable central square . They also offer the possibility of regulating the angle of inclination of the backrest to improve passenger comfort.

The two rear seats are assembled very quickly , in just a few seconds. All you have to do is lift a lid on the boot floor, slide the seats into their fixed position and mount the two huge headrests.

The third row of seats is only suitable for children. If adults must travel, the journey should not be too long...

These squares are for sporadic use given the little width offered by both the bench and the backrest and because of an ominous padding . It also makes it very difficult to accommodate the fact that in this area the floor is higher and the bench is practically on the ground. In the image you can see how a server had serious difficulties to get accommodated.

At first glance, the design of the different elements that make up the dashboard area and the center console seem stuck in time. The quality of some plastics should improve , such as the cover that hides the lighter and the ashtray that I doubt can last the entire useful life of the Montero without breaking.

On the other hand, the fact of not incorporating more careful elements and reusing as many others is understood as an easy way to save money and be able to offer a competitive price to the customer. A client who in principle knows what he is buying and does not expect high doses of luxury in a car that should be used, above all, in the field.

A review of mechanics

The 200 hp 3.2 DI-D engine was introduced in the last generation.

Under the hood is a powerful 3.2 DI-D four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, producing 200 PS at 3,800 rpm and 441 Nm of torque from 2,000 rpm.

The Kaiteki version is necessarily associated with a five-speed torque converter type automatic transmission . With this configuration, according to its technical data sheet, it is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.1 seconds and can reach a top speed of 180 km/h .

Traction is managed by the Super Select 4WD system , which features four driving modes that can be managed with the second, smaller gear lever on the right.

With this lever the desired type of traction is managed. The rear differential lock is activated by a button on the console.

To drive on asphalt in good condition, it is recommended to do it in 2H mode , which sends all the torque to the rear axle, thus reducing consumption a bit. If the weather conditions turn against us or we have to pull a trailer, then we will choose the 4H variant , which distributes the engine torque between the two axles automatically from a ratio of 33:67 to 50:50 to increase traction.

If things get complicated, we can resort to locking the center differential with the 4HLC position that maintains the torque distribution at 50:50 but does not alter the gear ratio. Ideal for driving on low-adherence surfaces. And finally the 4LLC gearbox that shortens the development of the gears to maximize power at low revs and maintains central locking. Especially suitable for climbing steep slopes and controlling descents in a controlled manner, in the same way that it will help to get out of difficult situations such as mud, sand or snow.

The rear differential lock is also offered as standard in order to convert the rear axle into a rigid one that allows us to advance in extreme situations.

The chassis features an independent double wishbone front suspension with coil springs and an anti-roll bar , while an independent multi-link setup with coil springs and an anti-roll bar is mounted at the rear axle .

The steering is of the rack and assisted type, with a notable reduction to achieve more precise maneuvers in off-road practice. As for the brakes, four 332 mm discs are mounted , the two front ones with four-piston calipers.

Behavior on asphalt

The Montero is not a very effective car on the road for obvious reasons. The high ground clearance also raises the center of gravity, the suspensions are soft and have a lot of travel, and added to a total weight of almost 2,400 kilograms , the body rolls and inertia generated are considerable .

It is not very comfortable to move on twisty roads, and if there is no other choice, we must adopt a slow and calm driving. The steering wheel has a generous radius and almost half a turn more to each side that detracts from its effectiveness. Quite the opposite occurs when driving on the highway or expressways where it is perceived as very comfortable .

Despite all the drawbacks, it has a fairly noble and predictive behavior . It does not make strangers and if we go too far with the throttle the stability control comes in quickly to help maintain the trajectory . This can be completely disconnected, but when it exceeds 50 km/h it reconnects automatically.

The automatic change is a bit slow in its management but remains within what we could call acceptable. The main drawback of this type of changes, of torque converter, is its high consumption , in addition to a certain delay when accelerating fully due to the slip that is perceived. During this week of tests I have not been able to drop below 12 liters on average , with much higher peaks when we get to test its off-road qualities.

a beast in the field

Time to check what this bug can do in its natural environment, and what better than doing it in a closed circuit. Once again I went to Parcmotor Castellolí , the usual Coches.net test track for sports cars, but obviously I wasn't going to get into its speed track, quite the opposite.

Castellolí has ​​a motocross and enduro track , with its characteristic “dubies”, very steep ramps for motorcycle jumps, banked curves and some pools with water and mud to add spectacularity to the theme. A perfect setting for the Montero to demonstrate everything he knows how to do.

We started by forcing it with some bridge crossings and we verified the very long travel of the suspensions that barely allowed any of the four wheels to come off the ground. Searching for it conscientiously, we succeeded, but the other three in contact with the ground offered enough traction to continue advancing.

The greater length between axes offered by the 5-door version compared to the 3-door version reduces it when it comes to facing ramps and ridges. The angles of attack (34.5º), departure (24.5º) and ventral (22.2º) are slightly worse than those of the short model (34.6º, 34.3º and 24.1º respectively) and it will be necessary to Be careful not to “start” when you crest the hill or not to rub against the rear bumper on steep descents. It can also ford rivers with a depth of 70 cm and move along side walls up to a 45º inclination .

It mounts mixed M+S tires as standard, which are not very appropriate for off-road practice . On the road they do not disappoint but on land, and especially when crossing muddy areas, they are insufficient due to the little block with which to drive. Once the classic clay film is formed, off-road capabilities are considerably reduced.

I passed many of the areas with the 4x4 drive and the central lock activated , the gearbox and the rear diff locked I only had to activate them twice : a steep slope with loose gravel and when going through a quagmire equivalent to quicksand. In both cases we managed to overcome the obstacles, with more difficulties than predicted due exclusively to the tires.

Good standard equipment

Among the standard equipment is this infotainment system. Its browser is somewhat slow and difficult to manipulate.

As I mentioned at the beginning, it can only be purchased with a manual transmission and Spirit or automatic finish and Kaiteki, the top of the range. Customization options are sparse , limited to interior and exterior trim, a partitioning grill for the trunk, various types of roof racks and bike racks, and a protection bucket for the trunk. Everything else is closed equipment.

The closed equipment Kaiteki offers practically everything that could be demanded . Starting with the aesthetic elements , we find the adjustable, electrically folding, heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals, 18-inch wheels, side running boards and darkened rear windows.

For the passenger compartment , the seats, the steering wheel, the gear levers and the leather parking brake, aluminum sports pedals, aluminum and “piano black” interior decoration, electrically adjustable front seats, Rockford 420 sound system are proposed. W and eight speakers with CD and MP3 player, infotainment system with navigation, Bluetooth hands-free, USB port and auxiliary connection, integrated steering wheel controls, rear view camera, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, independent air conditioning for the rear seats and the anti-glare interior mirror.

One of the novelties of the Kaiteki finish is the incorporation of the standard Rockford "premium" sound system, with 8 speakers including this subwoofer in the rear seats.

It also includes xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, rain sensor and automatic lights, cruise control, 6 airbags, ASTC traction and stability control, ABS with EBD (electronic brake distribution), BAS brake assist system and BOS brake prioritization system. Also note that the spare wheel is conventional, that is, with an 18-inch rim and the same size as the original tire .

The automatic Mitsubishi Montero Kaiteki is invoiced at a price of 49,025 euros , which puts it quite on a par with the rest of the rivals with which it competes. The Japanese brand offered until December 1 a succulent discount of 4,000 euros that left it at 45,025 euros . It is still a high price for these times, but few cars on the market can compare to this Montero, with its seven seats and one of the greatest off-road capabilities on the market .