CUPRA Formentor vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

The CUPRA Formentor 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 Formentor by roughly $1,570 in fuel alone.

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

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The CUPRA Formentor 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 7 in the CUPRA Formentor and 7 in the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

The CUPRA Formentor features a 12.9-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 Formentor stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging, heated front seats, 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 Formentor 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 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 Formentor has the clear power advantage at 140kW vs 133kW. In the real-world sprint, the CUPRA Formentor is 4.5s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The CUPRA Formentor measures 4,450mm long on a 2,680mm wheelbase, 335mm 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 420L in the CUPRA Formentor and 131L in the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, giving the CUPRA Formentor a 289L advantage.

For towing, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport leads with a 3,100kg braked capacity vs 1,700kg. That 1,400kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,995/year for the CUPRA Formentor and $2,309/year for the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. That is a $314 annual difference in favour of the CUPRA Formentor.

Estimated annual total: $1,995 (CUPRA Formentor) vs $2,309 (Mitsubishi Pajero Sport). The CUPRA Formentor saves you roughly $314 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

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