A Mitsubishi Pajero can make a comfortable, commanding city car, but it isn’t the obvious choice for pure urban use. It’s large to park, thirstier than a mid-size SUV, and if you buy a later diesel with a particulate filter, short city trips can actively cause problems. If you never leave the tar, be honest about whether you need this much vehicle.
Where the Pajero works in the city
The upsides are real. You get a high, commanding driving position, excellent visibility over traffic, a supple ride that shrugs off potholes and speed bumps, and genuine long-distance comfort for when the city commute turns into a weekend away. Build quality is solid and the cabin is quiet. For families who want one vehicle that does the school run and the Kruger trip, that versatility is the whole appeal.
Where it struggles
- Size: at roughly 4.9 m long and 1.9 m tall, the LWB is a handful in tight mall parking and narrow suburban streets.
- Fuel: expect real-world figures nearer 11–13 L/100 km in traffic, well above Mitsubishi’s ~9 L/100 km claim — and far more from a V6 petrol.
- Running costs: tyres, brakes and parts are sized for a heavy 4×4, so they cost more than a compact crossover’s.
- DPF risk: post-2011 diesels need regular open-road running to regenerate the filter; city-only use clogs it.
The DPF trap for city drivers
This is the single most important point for an urban buyer. Diesel particulate filters need sustained higher-speed driving to burn off soot. A Pajero that only ever crawls through Sandton or Cape Town CBD traffic will struggle to regenerate, leading to warning lights, reduced performance and expensive cleaning or replacement. If your driving is genuinely city-only, either choose a pre-DPF 3.2 DI-D (roughly pre-2011) or reconsider the diesel altogether.
So who should buy one for the city?
A Pajero earns its keep in town if the city is only part of the story — you also tow, travel, camp or head off-road often enough to justify the size. If you truly never leave the suburbs, a smaller SUV will be cheaper to run and easier to live with. If you love the Pajero anyway, buy a pre-DPF diesel and make a point of giving it a proper open-road run every week or two.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Mitsubishi Pajero good as a daily city car?
It can be — the ride, comfort and visibility are excellent — but it’s large to park and thirstier than a mid-size SUV. It suits city drivers who also tow, travel or go off-road, rather than pure urban commuters.
What fuel consumption does a Pajero get in the city?
In stop-start city traffic the 3.2 diesel typically returns around 11–13 L/100 km, higher than Mitsubishi’s roughly 9 L/100 km combined claim. The petrol V6 models use considerably more.
Why is a DPF diesel a problem for city-only driving?
Diesel particulate filters need regular open-road driving to regenerate. Constant short city trips clog the filter, causing warning lights, lost performance and costly cleaning or replacement. Pre-2011 Pajeros avoid this.
Is the Pajero hard to park in the city?
The long-wheelbase Pajero is about 4.9 m long and tall with it, so tight parking bays and narrow streets take care. A reverse camera and sensors — standard on later models — help a lot.
Should I buy a petrol or diesel Pajero for city use?
For city driving, a pre-DPF 3.2 diesel is the best balance of economy and longevity. Petrol V6s are smoother and cheaper to buy but their fuel bills make them hard to justify as daily commuters.