CUPRA Ateca vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

The CUPRA Ateca starts from $54,990 before on-road costs, while the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport opens at $52,990. That makes the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport the more affordable entry point by $2,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $60,489 and $58,289 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the CUPRA Ateca by roughly $1,425 in fuel alone.

Both the CUPRA Ateca and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The CUPRA Ateca packs more ADAS features with 8 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 1 in the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the CUPRA Ateca and 7 in the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

The CUPRA Ateca features a 9.2-inch touchscreen paired with a 10.3-inch digital dash, while the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport gets a 8-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The CUPRA Ateca stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, power tailgate and ambient lighting that you will not find on the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport counters with Apple CarPlay. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The CUPRA Ateca uses a 4-cyl Turbo Petrol producing 140kW and 320Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.2 seconds.

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport responds with a Diesel making 133kW and 430Nm, paired to a automatic driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 11.5 seconds.

The CUPRA Ateca has the clear power advantage at 140kW vs 133kW. In the real-world sprint, the CUPRA Ateca is 4.3s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The CUPRA Ateca measures 4,381mm long on a 2,630mm wheelbase, 404mm shorter than the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport at 4,785mm (2,800mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 485L in the CUPRA Ateca and 131L in the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, giving the CUPRA Ateca a 354L advantage.

For towing, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport leads with a 3,100kg braked capacity vs 1,900kg. That 1,200kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,024/year for the CUPRA Ateca and $2,309/year for the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. That is a $285 annual difference in favour of the CUPRA Ateca.

Estimated annual total: $2,024 (CUPRA Ateca) vs $2,309 (Mitsubishi Pajero Sport). The CUPRA Ateca saves you roughly $285 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (CUPRA Ateca) vs 10 years / 200,000km (Mitsubishi Pajero Sport). The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport has longer coverage.