
The reasons why the Pajero Sport does not retain its value are as follows: 1. The overall dimensions of 4695mm in length, 1815mm in width, and 1790mm in height make the vehicle appear relatively narrow and tall, giving a narrow and high impression. Coupled with a rounded design, the exterior is not eye-catching. 2. The ergonomics are very poor. Due to the body-on-frame , the interior height is not sufficient, causing the seats to sit low, especially the front part of the driver's seat, where the front half of the cushion does not support the legs, making long-distance travel very uncomfortable. 3. Despite the tall body, there is no grab handle for getting in. If you want a handhold, you have to install it yourself. 4. The entire interior appears low-end and rough, with most visible areas made of cheap hard plastic.

I used to drive this car and lost nearly half its value in just two years. Mitsubishi's brand power isn't what it used to be - you rarely see them on the road now, and service centers are hard to find. The most frustrating part was the terrifying fuel consumption - over 15L/100km in city driving, where a full tank cost more than taking taxis. The interior looks a decade old with cheap plastic everywhere, not even basic smartphone connectivity. The rear suspension is so bumpy it gives you back pain on long trips - far less comfortable than urban SUVs. The poor resale value mainly comes from outdated features - buyers would rather pay extra for a Highlander that won't feel obsolete in a few years.

Simply put, the market demand is too low. Who buys these body-on-frame SUVs nowadays? They're gas-guzzlers and hard to drive. New vehicle registrations are pitifully few, and the market can't circulate them. Look at how used Highlanders at the same price point are snapped up, while this model can't sell even after half a year on the market. The excessive weight leading to high fuel consumption is also a fatal flaw. It can't keep up with emission standards either - many cities have restrictions on National V vehicles, so who'd want a car that might face driving bans? Add Mitsubishi's exit from the Chinese market into the mix, and spare parts supply becomes questionable, naturally making used car buyers wary.

This car is like a fallen noble, has long lost the glory of its EVO era. The new car is overpriced, starting at 280,000 yuan, only to be discounted by 50,000 to 80,000 yuan, which directly drags down the residual value of used cars. The engine technology hasn't been updated for over a decade, still using the old 6B31, while Toyota next door has already moved to hybrids. The infotainment system is a disaster, not even supporting CarPlay. Parts are expensive and hard to find; replacing a bumper can take three weeks, and the high maintenance costs naturally affect resale value. Buying this car is basically throwing money away; you'd be lucky if it retains 40% of its value after three years.

Once you drive it, you'll understand why it depreciates so quickly. The pure hardcore off-road setup completely deviates from mainstream demands, with poor road performance and subpar sound insulation. Going over speed bumps makes the rear seatbelt buckles rattle loudly. It ranks at the bottom in terms of tech features for its price range—it doesn’t even have a 360-degree camera, and the steering wheel is bare without any buttons. In owner groups, people constantly complain about part prices—a single headlight assembly is quoted at 5,800, and costs are absurdly high. In the used car market, dealers mostly only consider nearly new models; for vehicles over three years old, the trade-in price is slashed by half. They’d rather take a domestic Great Wall Poer than this one.

I've been observing the market for a long time, and this vehicle's depreciation mainly stems from three critical flaws. First, the space utilization is poor—the third row in the seven-seat version is so cramped that legs can't even stretch out, and its actual cargo capacity is worse than that of a five-seater. Second, there are numerous quality control issues, such as sunroof leaks and shock absorber oil leaks, which are costly and time-consuming to repair. Third, the model updates are too slow—overseas markets have already seen two facelifts, while domestically, the old version is still being sold. Even worse is the emission issue—most units manufactured before 2019 only meet China 5 standards, and now major cities won't allow ownership transfers. This makes reselling difficult, so it's no surprise the residual value is low.


