Honda ZR-V VS Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

If you were taking either of these mid-sized hybrid SUVs on a short test-drive around urban streets, you might be forgiven for thinking the way they go and feel is almost indistinguishable.

Light, ultra-smooth and responsive all the way.

At lower speeds, both are easy to park, with sufficiently tight turning circles and aided by the surround-view cameras that shouldn’t be an issue for anybody to accurately place. Plus, there’s a decent degree of ride comfort to enjoy as well.

Understandably, for most folk behind the wheel, they’d struggle to them apart, truthfully.

Thankfully, we pride ourselves for going beyond the test drive, and after hundreds of kilometres testing both vigorously, interchanging between the two regularly, their distinct personalities and traits become crystal clear.

Nissan first.

The X-Trail e-Power e-4orce is a formidable machine. It’s also truly an EV in the way it delivers its electric power from the motor only to the wheels. When that small battery is all juiced up, you’d never know this was anything else but.

Off-the-line acceleration is instantaneous, and grin-inducingly strong if you’re not expecting the immediate surge forward that follows, accompanied by that electric whirr as the Nissan punches through the air.

That big motor generates a formidable amount of torque that’s always on tap for effortless momentum and oomph as required. It feels like a much-more expensive machine, and is just as refined to boot.

So, it comes as a surprise at first when that 1.5-litre turbo triple does chime in, breaking the relative mechanical silence with a constant drone. Briefly if not so quietly working in the background at first, it keeps the battery charged up from a certain point, and then just as quickly extinguishes, a bit like the refrigerator in your kitchen does.

And, so, the cycle continues of EV whoosh then white good hum. When you need more muscle – say, when overtaking – the engine kicks in again, but this time at a higher-set rev as it charges the battery with more urge, because it never drives the wheels, remember.

You don’t really feel the 2.0-tonne weight of the Ti e-Power in normal turning or cornering situations, because the steering is eager yet beautifully weighted, making this a sharp handler.

Likewise, with two electric motors shuffling torque to whichever axle needs it, there’s an exceptional level of road holding control, even across the often waterlogged roads that the late-spring weather showered upon. The Nissan is a perfectly safe and controllable long-distance grand tourer.

Muted tyre and road noise (wearing Dunlop Grand Trek 235/55R19 rubber), an effective ‘e-Pedal’ regenerative braking system that helps recharge the battery whilst bringing the car to a near stop, as well as nuanced traction and stability control intervention, are further bonuses that add to the enjoyment of riding and travelling in the Nissan.

However, while the around-town suspension comfort is impressive, larger bumps make themselves felt, as if the X-Trail’s springs have reached the limit of their absorption. Is that all that extra weight talking?

More annoyingly, when cruising along at speed in crosswinds, the steering can become a bit too sensitive, as the driver needs to make constant corrections to remain on the straight and narrow.

As a result, the car feels a little unsettled and nervous due to the slight but noticeable left-right pitching that ensues. One passenger described it as fidgety.

And, like many hybrid vehicles, including most of Toyota’s, the very effective brakes suffer from a wooden and artificial feel, meaning they can be a bit hard to moderate smoothly when applying.

Otherwise, the X-Trail is a pleasant and accomplished vehicle dynamically, and so a good all-around drive.

The ZR-V, however, is in another league.

The driver’s notes tell the story succinctly: “Lovely, smooth, linear and involving steering.” The Honda glides through corners with precision and ease, even at much higher speeds than most would attempt, backed up by plenty of grip and control.

And while there isn’t the AWD surety when conditions are wet, it still always felt planted and secure over our largely-wet test route.

Such dynamic athleticism suggests that ride comfort would be compromised, but on the smaller Bridgestone Alenza Enliten 225/55R18 tyres, the initial suspension firmness is tempered by an underlying suppleness and comfort that highlights a high degree of sophisticated suspension tuning.

The Honda truly is the driver’s hybrid SUV. More so than any other anywhere near its price point that springs to mind.

Because it’s largely a petrol-driven hybrid, rather than an EV with petrol-engine assistance like the Nissan, the ZR-V does not quite have that effortless all-electric torque to rely on, instead feeling more conventional in the way it delivers drive to the front wheels.

The 2.0L four's engagement after a brief all-EV driving period is seamless, by the way, and also typically-Honda in the way that it revs freely, sounding urgent as it delivers its torque consistently, even at low speeds.

Put your foot down more, and the electric assistance comes into play again, providing a decent whack of speed – more so than you might initially expect. And all of this is provided with a refinement and civility you’d expect in a much more premium machine.

Other plus points include yet another subtle traction/ESC tune over gravel tracks, but one with a degree of looseness for a bit of fun if the driver is up for it, paddles that provide some EV regen-braking e-Pedal-style to slow you down, and a nifty drive-mode toggle that can be easily prodded by the driver without distraction. A sign of the enthusiasts who engineered this sporty SUV.

The only fly in the Honda’s driving ointment is noise. Too much road roar over coarse chip surfaces, and excessive wind rush from the large exterior mirrors.

Otherwise, the ZR-V is exceptionally accomplished dynamically for any modern family vehicle, and not just a medium-sized hybrid SUV. Not perfect, but massively impressive and delightful.

There have been no power, torque or driver-assist tech changes to this upgraded Pajero Sport – you’ll have to wait for the next-gen version for those – so no surprises lay in wait when driving.

But that’s okay, because the Pajero Sport in its current guise is a solid daily driver – not spectacular, but far from atrocious.

The Pajero Sport is 4840mm long (with a 2800mm wheelbase), 1815mm wide, 1835mm high and has a kerb weight of 2130kg.

Compared to other similarly-sized 4WD wagons, the Pajero Sport is narrower and has a higher centre of gravity, so it’s nimble – the turning circle is a respectable 11.2m – but it also feels a bit floaty on roads and tracks, but not despicably so.

The Pajero Sport is reasonable on sealed surfaces, although it is sluggish, noisy and there’s quite a lot of body-roll through sharp turns, especially compared to some of its more refined rivals, such as the Ford Everest.

But it is a very capable off-roader, mostly because the driver has access to a raft of technical advantages engineered into the Pajero Sport aimed at making 4WDing a safer challenge.

One of the major points of difference it has with its rivals is 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-grip conditions, which you may face on rough back-roads and dirt tracks peppered with loose rocks and potholes.

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 want 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.

Turn the dial to 4HLc and you're ready to take on more difficult terrain but at lower speeds.

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

The GSR also 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 the acquisition of superior traction to suit specific conditions and terrains. 

The Pajero Sport is riding on Toyo Open Country A32 all-terrains (265/60R18 110H), which are decent tyres, but it would perform even better with more aggressive rubber.

Wheel travel is adequate, ground clearance (218mm) is reasonable, although you still have to mind your driving line through rough terrain and be mindful of this 4WD’s approach (30 degrees), departure (24.2) and ramp-over (23.1) angles. Wading depth is listed as 700mm.

While it’s never been regarded as a tow rig in the same vein as something like the Toyota LandCruiser or the Nissan Patrol, the Pajero Sport offers sensible claimed towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 3100kg (braked).

Payload is listed as 645kg (so about standard for this size 4WD wagon), gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 2775kg and gross combined mass (GCM) is 5565kg.