Mitsubishi Pajero V80/V90 (2006–2021)

How the Pajero IV differed from the third generation

Mitsubishi did not start from a clean sheet. The 2006 car carried over the monocoque body with a built-in ladder frame and the fully independent suspension that the third generation had introduced in 1999, and German sources describe the exterior changes as modest. The work went into safety, electronics and refinement.

The main additions at launch were:

• ASTC, Mitsubishi's active stability and traction control, together with electronic brakeforce distribution.
• A common-rail diesel with a particulate filter: the 3.2 DI-D was reworked and, in Germany, came with a standard DPF.
• Larger front brakes on the long-wheelbase car, with 332 mm discs, while the short car kept 289 mm discs for some years.
• A 3.8-litre MIVEC V6 for petrol buyers, which replaced the 3.5 GDI of the third generation.

Chassis codes vary by reference. European sources usually call the generation V80 (three-door) and V90 (five-door), while English-language references group it by series: NS from 2006, NT from 2009, NW from 2012 and NX from 2015. The Mitsubishi Pajero overview sets this generation against the four others.

Series updates from NS to NX

The fourth generation changed in steps rather than with one big facelift, and the year of a used car tells you a lot about its hardware.

• 2007: European deliveries began in February with the three-door on a 2,545 mm wheelbase and the five-door on 2,780 mm.
• 2009 (NT): the diesel gained a variable-geometry turbo and rose to 147 kW (200 PS) and 441 Nm; a rear locking differential became standard, and an Aisin A750F five-speed automatic replaced the earlier unit. Germany dropped the V6 petrol at about this time.
• 2012 (NW): new bumpers and grille, a stiffer body and revised suspension for less noise and vibration.
• July 2014 (NX): a second facelift for model year 2015, with LED daytime running lights and a revised grille; the cabin later gained a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
• September 2015: the European automatic diesel was rated at 140 kW (190 PS), with torque unchanged at 441 Nm.

Japan sold a 700-unit Final Edition from April 2019 and ended sales that September. Australia was the last big market, and production stopped in March 2021.

Pajero IV engines and gearboxes

In Europe the diesel carried the range; the V6 petrols mattered more in Japan, the Gulf and Australia. Outputs below come mainly from the German Wikipedia tables and ADAC data, in kW first with the metric PS figure.

The 2009 diesel update made a clear difference on paper. German data list combined NEDC consumption falling from 9.3 L/100 km for the early five-door to 7.9 L/100 km for the 147 kW manual (8.3 L/100 km with the automatic), with CO2 from 209 g/km. The 3.0 V6 in the five-door is quoted at 13.6 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h and 175 km/h (109 mph).

All versions use Super Select 4WD-II. The driver can run in rear-wheel drive, in full-time four-wheel drive on any surface, or lock the centre differential and select low range for off-road work.

Three-door and five-door dimensions

The table uses ADAC data for the European five-door 3.2 DI-D automatic built from October 2011 to September 2014, with three-door figures from German Wikipedia where noted.

Seating is five in the three-door and seven in the five-door. Towing limits vary by market and year: in Germany and Ireland the five-door is rated at 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) with a 150 kg nose weight, while other markets list 3,000 kg (6,614 lb) with 180 kg on the ball.

ANCAP results and safety equipment

No Euro NCAP test exists for this generation, a point Carbuyer also makes about the Shogun. The only full crash rating comes from ANCAP, which tested the Pajero in 2011.

The April 2013 rating also records full marks in the pole test. Standard equipment listed by ANCAP includes dual front airbags, side chest airbags and curtain airbags, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and stability control. Autonomous emergency braking and lane support were not available on any version, so the Pajero IV is a 2011-era design in safety terms, and the stars cannot be compared with current ratings.

Recalls and ownership evidence

There is no large European reliability survey for this Pajero, so recalls and owner surveys are the main evidence. In the UK, the Shogun finished 81st of 200 in the 2015 Driver Power survey, 89th for reliability, and Carbuyer expects its simple, long-serving mechanicals to prove dependable.

Two recalls are worth checking on any car:

• Airbags (October 2017, ADAC): parts could detach when the airbag deployed on cars built from 2007 to 2012.
• Front lower control arm (2019–2020): weak welds on 2017–2018 builds; 6,384 cars in Australia and 49,321 worldwide, including 2,460 in Germany.

In Germany the warranty started at three years or 100,000 km and later rose to five years, with 12 years against corrosion. Ask for proof that recall work was done and for a service record covering the diesel and the four-wheel-drive system.

Choosing a used Pajero IV

The best version depends on the job it has to do.

• Heavy towing: a five-door 3.2 DI-D from 2009 onwards, with 441 Nm (325 lb-ft), the rear locking differential and, in Germany, a 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) limit.
• Best safety rating: a car built from April 2013, which carries the five-star ANCAP result.
• Newest technology: an NX-series car from 2015, ideally with recall work on the control arms confirmed.
• Off-road and short wheelbase: the three-door, built until February 2018, is easier to place on narrow tracks but tows less.

If the Pajero is larger than you need, the pick-up-based Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is the closest alternative in the brand's line-up. Rivals of a similar type are grouped under diesel SUVs and Japanese SUVs, and the current Mitsubishi range shows the brand's line-up today.