Is hard cross-country hard or not? Mitsubishi Pajero Jinchang Plateau tells you the answer.

Speaking of Mitsubishi's off-road vehicle, is Pajero the first thing that comes to your mind? Do you remember that Pajero has a younger brother named Jinchang? Maybe the big brother Bobcat is so famous that it is really difficult for people to remember the little brother Jinchang for the first time, but after this test drive, I think this car should be known and remembered by more people because it is really excellent.

Before we start over, I have to tell you something. The test drive is completely carried out on the Tibetan plateau, with the lowest altitude of more than 3,000 meters and the highest point even exceeding 5,000 meters. Therefore, Pajero's test drive experience is completely based on the plateau environment, which does not mean that he will get the same idea on the plain. As for what it's like to drive this car on the plain, I'll give it a try again when I have the chance and share my experience with you first.

The test drive I got was a Pajero Jinchang 2020, which just came on the market not long ago. The specific configuration is the automatic deluxe edition with Chinese matching, and the official guide price is 299,800 yuan. Vehicles are produced by Mitsubishi's factory in UAE, imported to China in parallel, and sold by GAC Mitsubishi's dealer network. Routine maintenance, repair, etc. It was also taken over by the dealers of GAC Mitsubishi.

The overall shape of Pajero Jinchang is very tough, especially the front part of the car adopts a very obvious family-style shape, which looks a bit exaggerated. If I hadn't been used to Mitsubishi's design language recently, I might have found it a little difficult to accept it at the first time. However, for a hard-core off-road vehicle like Pajero Jinchang, this shape is really in line with its current positioning, and tough guys should be so angular.

The overall shape of the slender headlights is not complicated, but the internal structure is still very delicate. The far and near lights are all LED light sources, and there is a condenser lens, which has a good lighting effect. At the same time, LED daytime running lights and profile lights are integrated at the bottom, so the practicality is not compromised.

There is also a large-sized "auxiliary light" under the headlights. Its overall shape is very different from the headlights, but it is also well integrated into the overall design of the front. Functionally, the lamp integrates the functions of turn signal, front fog light and corner blind spot fill light, almost all of which are LED light sources, and it is also very practical.

For hard-core off-road vehicles, it is very important to protect the core components of the front. Pajero Jinchang factory has provided a tightly wrapped hood, which is no problem to deal with general bumps. In addition, the trailer hook installation mechanism at the bottom of the car head is also strong enough to resist large traction.

The lines on the side of the car body are not as complicated and feminine as many urban SUVs, but much more streamlined than the front of the car. But the vigorous side still looks tough and full, and even feels bigger than the parameter size in the book.

Pajero Jinchang chose a silver 18 inch rim. The double 6-spoke shape is very regular, and the silver color scheme is easier to match with the body. The tires are HT road tires with specifications of 265/60 R 18 provided by Toyo brand. In fact, many off-road vehicles of the same category have the same specifications.

The side pedal is a very practical small object, which is not only convenient for the elderly and children to get on and off, but also looks very designed. And you don't have to worry about whether it is strong or not. Anyway, I stepped on the weight of 2 10 kilograms, and there was not even any abnormal noise.

Pajero's exclusive "Bobcat" logo is posted on the pillar of the back door window frame. Although the word "sports" is added, it still belongs to the agile bobcat family, so this personalized logo is posted here like a totem, telling the world that this car is by no means an idle generation.

If Pajero's front is full of personality, then the overall design of the rear is very restrained, without exaggerated lines, far less aggressive than the front, which is considered "harmless to people and animals" for the drivers behind.

Of course, as a hard-core off-road vehicle, you have to have a sense of muscle. The most obvious embodiment lies in the design of C-pillar and D-pillar, with full lines and sharp edges.

Taillight is undoubtedly the most active and personalized place at the rear of the car. The overall shape is as dynamic as the paint flowing from the paint tray. Almost all interiors use LED as the light source, which is like a capital letter "F" when lit at night, with high recognition.

The silver fender under the bumper echoes the shape of the front fender and is large enough to effectively protect the bumper. A rear fog lamp is installed on the left side, and a decorative plate that cannot be lit on the right side.

It can be seen from the bottom of the car that Pajero Jin Chang has a very thick trailer hook, which is as practical as the front trailer hook. In addition, the car is also equipped with a full-size spare tire, which is very important for hard-core off-road vehicles. After all, if only a small spare tire can be used in the wild, sometimes it can't help the driver out of trouble.

To tell the truth, Mitsubishi brand has not paid much attention to the design of interior. In fact, except for domestic users, other markets around the world do not have high requirements for vehicles with stronger tool attributes, and sufficiency is the basic criterion.

The round steering wheel style is simple and the four-spoke design is traditional, but its grip is still very good, both the thickness and the touch of the palm are moderate. There are also multi-function buttons on both sides, but the silver pull rod in the middle is slightly smaller and feels ordinary.

The 8-inch full LCD instrument is a good object, both middle and high. The mechanical style of the interface is good, and you can also switch themes yourself. The left and right sides are the engine coolant thermometer and the fuel tank level gauge, which are clear and intuitive.

In addition to the conventional vehicle speed, engine speed and instantaneous fuel consumption, the real-time information of the vehicle can be called up according to the demand and displayed on the left side of the instrument screen. The content is very rich, so I won't show them here. Daily content can be displayed at any time according to demand, so that drivers can control everything in time.

The 9-inch central control panel is not available on foreign models, and it is obviously specially modified for the China market (in fact, many imported cars do this, more than one). But you don't have to worry, since it is an add-on, its reliability will not be any problem, and its matching degree with the vehicle is more harmonious than that of the automobile parts after the market.

This car machine supports Bluetooth music/voice calls, Tencent online maps, and other third-party applications. From the functional point of view, it can basically meet the usage habits of current users. In addition, based on the Android system, users can also add the required apps later, which is a good performance for a parallel imported car.

Pajero Jinchang has a very unique design, which puts the key of the engine one-button start system on the dashboard on the left side of the steering wheel, which is different from the setting position of most domestic models at present, so it takes time to find it when it is used for the first time.

The control of air conditioning system adopts mechanical knob+button, and it is the specification of double temperature zone in front row and independent air supply control in rear row, which better ensures the comfort of 7 passengers in the whole car. However, the physical buttons on the air conditioning panel are a little small, and the brightness of the indicator light is also very general. Sometimes wearing sunglasses can't see the status indicator clearly, which is a small flaw.

The front door trim provides a large inclined handrail, which is very convenient and labor-saving. However, its appearance also led to the cancellation of the recessed door handle, which could not be used as a small storage compartment. Fortunately, Jinchang provides a four-door glass one-button lifting function, which is more convenient to open and close the window, but this function can only be used by the driver, but the co-driver and the rear passengers cannot enjoy it.

The vigorous front seat is slightly hard as a whole, with soft lumbar support and hard protrusions on both sides. This setting is mainly to ensure that there is enough support for the body on the off-road bumpy road section, so that passengers can be fixed on the seat more easily, and at the same time, they can maintain certain comfort. Oh, by the way, there is a bobcat embroidery on the headrest in the front row, which can give people a strong sense of identity.

There is a standard electric skylight on the front overhead. Friends who like full-size skylights may be disappointed, but I think this thing is really of little use, and it also takes up the space above the head. Personally, I prefer that there is no skylight at all, not only there is no hidden danger of water leakage, but also there is no need to worry about the greater losses caused by hail.

Compared with the front row, the comfort of the rear seat is rarely reduced, which is mainly reflected in the fact that the back of the rear seat is too straight, and the two sides of the body that should be clamped are very low and the lateral support is not good. However, the backrest is enough to support the waist and it is very comfortable to lean on. The length and upturned angle of the cushion are also good, which can support the thighs well. The bulge in the center of the back floor is not high, so that people sitting in the middle will not be too uncomfortable.

Without using the third row, the passengers in the second row can greatly adjust the angle of the backrest of the rear seat, and they can get a very comfortable posture when they have a temporary rest in the car. If you want to be more comfortable, put down the armrest on the middle backrest, and the cup or mobile phone can be placed on this hidden cup holder, which is very convenient.

In addition, there are two USB interfaces for charging and a 220V power interface in the middle of the second row of Jinchang, which meets the power demand of more devices.

In addition to the lights, the air volume control switches of the second and third rows of air conditioners are also integrated at the top of the second row of passengers. Although it does not have independent temperature regulation function, it can strengthen air supply separately to improve the comfort of passengers in the last two rows.

If you want to enter the third row, you must fold the energetic second row seat forward. However, this process is very easy. Just pull the wrench next to the headrest to fold and tilt the seat with one button. Do this on both sides, and you can get on and off from either side.

The gap between the folding seat and the door frame is wide enough to keep an elegant and calm posture no matter getting on or off, which is a more convenient design.

Like most 7-seat SUVs, the spacious third row is cramped and uncomfortable, which is limited to short-distance use.

Although the third row of seats is not used frequently, Jinchang still provides independent three-point seat belts, independent air conditioning outlets, power sockets and two cup holders to take care of the third row of passengers as much as possible.

Jinchang's trunk is relatively high from the ground as a whole, which is a "common problem" of hard-core off-road vehicles. However, after the third discharge, the floor is very flat, and there are hidden ground anchors on both sides to fix the storage net, so the overall space is very large, and the luggage that travels far away can also be put down. However, to put down the backrest of the third row of seats, it is necessary to erect the cushion first, but this will affect the adjustment range of the backrest angle of the second row of seats, which is really difficult to choose.

It is worth mentioning that although the electric tailgate is only equipped with top fittings, the middle fittings we experienced can only be opened and closed manually, but fortunately, the overall damping of the back door is not great, and it doesn't take much effort to pull the tailgate down, so even people who are not dominant in height and strength can easily close the tailgate.

Common tools and a hydraulic jack are hidden in the left baffle of the suitcase. Compared with ordinary screw jack, this hydraulic jack is more labor-saving. After all, Jin Chang's weight is larger than that of ordinary family cars and SUVs, and it is more reasonable to use hydraulic jacks.

There is a multi-area hidden storage compartment under the trunk floor, and the telescopic latch of the bottom tire also needs to rotate here. Friends who have no experience must keep in mind, otherwise they will be embarrassed if they can't get the spare tire.

In terms of seating space, the first two rows performed well, and the head space and leg space were spacious enough. However, due to the vertical height problem, the third row of sitting posture is uncomfortable and can only be used for short distances and emergencies. Sitting for a long time is very painful, almost all seven SUVs are like this, and no one should laugh at anyone.

In terms of storage space, Jin Chang's overall performance is ok, except that there are few storage compartments in the front row and there is no place to put his mobile phone. Everything is basically available.

Pajero Jinchang adopts a V-type 6-cylinder gasoline engine with a displacement of 3.0 liters, a maximum output power of 209 HP and a maximum output torque of 29 1 Nm. No.95 gasoline is needed, but unfortunately, the car is still the national 5 emission standard, and the area where the national 6 standard has been implemented cannot be licensed.

As we said before, this is a plateau test drive. The ambient air we live in is very thin, and the atmospheric pressure is only about 0.5-0.6 times that of the plain area, which is very unfriendly to large-displacement naturally aspirated engines. In fact, the thin air has seriously affected the performance of this six-cylinder engine. Although the specific data cannot be measured, according to my actual feeling, the maximum output of this engine has dropped by at least 30% to 40%.

Power decline is inevitable, but the running quality of this engine itself is still very good. The ride comfort of a six-cylinder engine is inferior to that of a four-cylinder engine in any case. Whether idling or pushing into the fuel cut-off point of 6500 rpm, this engine always runs gracefully and smoothly without any unnecessary jitter.

In addition to the ride comfort, another advantage of the six-cylinder engine is that the "sound wave" it produces is very pleasant, and it maintains a roaring sense of power from beginning to end. Especially when the engine speed exceeds 4,800 rpm and the high-lift cam of MIVEC system is activated, the sound of the engine will suddenly become higher and the power will usher in a small explosion, which is very interesting.

Matching the engine is the 8-speed automatic manual transmission from Aisin, which is really a local configuration for an off-road vehicle like Jinchang. More gears not only mean smoother transmission, but also can control the engine speed more accurately. Low-speed gears can be reduced more, and more torque can be transmitted to the wheels. High-speed gears can also better consider fuel consumption.

Although Jinchang's gearbox has no movement mode setting, only D+manual mode setting, because of the existence of shift paddles, the driver can quickly adjust the gear without taking his hand off the steering wheel. After using the paddle, unless the vehicle comes to a complete stop, the manual shift mode will always be on, and will not automatically shift up (even if the engine blows off oil), but will always remain in the current gear. This plays a key role in the power play during heavy off-road driving.

However, corresponding to the excellent working logic of the gearbox, the shifting speed of this gearbox is relatively slow, especially when accelerating and downshifting sharply, you always have to do more in advance. Step on the accelerator earlier, so that the car can keep up with your rhythm when you need it to suddenly jump out and accelerate. Otherwise, you have changed lanes, but the car hasn't started to accelerate, which is embarrassing.

In addition, this gearbox loves to upshift, and it can jump to the sixth gear when the speed exceeds 40 kilometers per hour. Maybe the engine can accelerate normally in the plain with the advantage of large displacement, but in the plateau with thin air, such logic will slow down the acceleration, and often you have to step on the accelerator deeply to force the gearbox to downshift, otherwise you don't want to accelerate. Fortunately, this gearbox can also understand your acceleration intention in time, just need to give it some time to change the transmission relationship of the gear set.

Jinchang is equipped with Mitsubishi's famous second-generation super-selected four-wheel drive, which has four driving modes: two-wheel drive at high speed, four-wheel drive at high speed, four-wheel drive at high speed and four-wheel drive at low speed, so as to cope with various complicated road conditions.

Of course, in more complicated road conditions, you can also choose to lock the rear axle differential lock manually to improve the driving ability of the vehicle. When driving on steep slopes and wading, you can also turn on the steep slope descent function and wading mode respectively, making full use of the powerful performance of the second generation super-selected four-wheel drive.

In fact, except for the four-wheel drive high-speed mode when occasionally passing water, most of the time it is driven in the rear drive mode, and there is no need for four-wheel drive at all. On the one hand, the road conditions are not so difficult to walk, on the other hand, because the suspension has enough travel, the wheels will never leave the ground.

Jinchang adopts double wishbone independent front suspension with balance bar and three-link spiral spring integral rear suspension with balance bar. Its greatest advantage lies in the long suspension stroke we just mentioned, and the impact resistance and firmness are also fully guaranteed.

In terms of parameters, the approach angle of Jinchang is 30 degrees, the departure angle is 24.2 degrees, the passing angle is 23. 1 degree, and the minimum ground clearance is 2 18mm, so the general bumpy road surface will not pose any substantial threat to it at all. On the contrary, the original road tires will be fragile on the gravel road, so we must always be alert to the threat of sharp stones.

Jin Chang's power steering system is mechanical and hydraulic, so whether driving at low speed or high speed, the power is relatively small and the turning will be a bit heavy, which is a restriction that off-road vehicles have to make. After all, the steering wheel that is too light is easily rotated by the driver's shaking body when it bumps, which is not conducive to driving stability in extreme cases. Of course, the steering wheel itself is small and it is not difficult to control.

Finally, the sound insulation performance is definitely a big surprise for me from Pajero. I thought this hard-core off-road vehicle would have a rough sound insulation performance, but in fact, this car is very quiet to drive, definitely quieter than the same price model. When driving at high speed, nothing makes you feel noisy except wind noise.

After two days of test drive on the plateau, Pajero left a deep impression on me. On the one hand, this car has enough personality and domineering appearance, and the interior space and daily use configuration can also meet my expectations for off-road vehicles at this price. Of course, as a hard-core off-road vehicle, its powerful off-road capability and excellent driving quality also make me feel its value. If it weren't for the power drop on the plateau, I think I would be more obsessed with this car.

However, I still feel a little sorry about this car. On the one hand, this side system only provides 7-seat versions. For users with modification needs, the annual inspection of 7-seat cars every two years will be very painful. If you can provide 5 or 6-seat versions, it will be more suitable for users. On the other hand, at present, this car can only meet the national five emission standards, and it cannot be licensed in many places where the national six standards have been implemented, which greatly limits its own sales. Potential users of hard-core off-road vehicles with a car purchase budget of about 300,000 can only switch to other models. If you know the domestic off-road vehicle market, you will find that this Pajero is almost invincible, with similar performance and more expensive to sell; Its price is comparable, but its performance in all aspects is obviously inferior to it.

Therefore, although the car is excellent, in the face of the ever-changing domestic market situation, whether Mitsubishi can make timely and targeted responses is still a big test before us.