|
The front seats are wide and firm, but the second row’s too upright and the back support is in the wrong places. There’s an arm rest for everyone too, and the ones in the second row house the cup holders too. Like most vehicles in this class, the stated capacity is 10 persons, but the Pajero isn’t exactly the tool to transport the entire clan. The side-facing third row isn’t just crammed and upright; there’s no headroom to talk about there. The leather’s an absolute necessity for vehicles of this stature; however, the Pajero’s doesn’t feel like a million bucks. Like a typical Swiss Knife, there’s a plethora of switches, levers and buttons to keep any gadget freak happy. Though an ‘ejector seat’ button isn’t to be found anywhere, it’s loaded with everything you’ll need for that occasional off-road excursion. There’s not much technical wizardry inside the Field Master, either…just good, old fashioned ruggedness. Our Field Master test unit was one of the last fitted with four-wheel drive. Unlike the newer 4wd systems fitted onto the Range Rover or Mercedes-Benz ML-class, the system isn’t engaged by any button on the dash; you still shift a lever next to the transmission gate. The offroading capabilities are worthy of a mountain goat. There's a low-range for the four wheel drive, as a well as low mode with locked center differential. The mud-plugging abilities are limited only by the highway-type Bridgestones. All of the switch gear engages with the solidly tactile ‘click’ reminiscent of earlier Mitsubishi products. The body-on-frame construction of the Pajero gives it robust off-road capability as well as ruggedness and durability; however, it is because of this very same set-up that the ride and handling suffers. Like any other truck-based SUV, the Field Master suffers heavily from excessive body roll even on the gentlest of corners. The analog tilt meter high on the center dash can tell you just how heavy you're leaning. To help the handling, this 4x4 is fitted with an electronically adjustable shock absorber system. This is the special hidden tool of the Pajero which allows the driver to take his pick: Soft, Medium, or Hard. Under the Soft setting, the Pajero delivers a wafting ride that’s befitting of a luxury limousine. The downside is heavy body roll while cornering. Switch it to Hard and the Pajero’s body roll is somewhat neutralized, giving it more confidence in the bends. But then it goes nervously over the smallest bumps, humps and road imperfections. Best to leave it in Medium then. The large window panes, upright driving position and tall ride height give the Pajero unparalleled exterior visibility that conquers even the outgoing Ford Expedition. The short snout, clearly visible front corners and longer wheelbase make the Mitsubishi relatively painless, especially when doing those underground parking lot maneuvers. Unfortunately, the fit and finish takes points away from the Pajero’s score as the dash, the door panels and even the center console are lined with toy-soldier plastics. Not to mention, it’s trimmed with this horrid faux wood that’s shouting out plastic rather than class—the Koreans actually do better these days. In terms of size, there are three major Japanese competitors for the Pajero Field Master: the Isuzu Trooper, Nissan Patrol and the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. With the Prado having a price tag of 2,350,000 pesos it’s automatically eliminated. Compared to the other two, the Pajero does have value for money on its side. Starting at 1,445,000 pesos, this SUV is fitted with every conceivable accessory known to man: dual zone aircon, 6-disc CD changer with 6-speaker system, expandable sun visors, electrically adjustable driver’s seat and the obligatory leather seats, wood trim and keyless entry with alarm and immobilizer. Compared to its perennial Japanese diesel rivals, the Nissan Patrol and the Isuzu Trooper, this one’s a steal. |
|
||||||||
