Mitsubishi Shogun Sport (2018 – 2021) Review

Mitsubishi Shogun Sport (2018 – 2021) At A Glance

2/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The Shogun Sport looks like a strong tool when viewed from some angles, but it falls far short of its rivals if you want a family friendly seven-seat SUV that is comfortable for daily passenger duties.

+Excellent off-road ability, good level of standard equipment including lots of off-road systems, plenty of space for seven adults.

-Limited boot space, poor on-road manners and expensive to buy and run.

Insurance Groups are between 31–38
On average it achieves 103% of the official MPG figure

The 2018 Mitsubishi Shogun Sport is a rugged seven-seat SUV designed to compete with the likes of the Ssangyong Rexton, Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan X-Trail, but it offers a greater degree of off-road ability than most of its rivals. This is partly thanks to it being based on a supremely capable off-roader – the Mitsubishi L200 pick-up truck.

 

The Mitsubishi Shogun Sport is a bit of an oddity. While many commercial vehicles are aiming to be more car like these days, this is a car that is based on a commercial vehicle – the rugged and capable L200 pick-up truck.

The Shogun Sport is a seven-seater that shares more than just its platform with the L200 – it is powered by the same 2.4-litre diesel as the pick-up. However, the four-cylinder diesel engine gets more power than the pick-up truck, with 180PS and 430Nm of torque. This means NEDC combined consumption is 32.8mpg and 227g/km of CO2, while the max legal braked towing capacity is 3100kg.

Mitsubishi describes the Shogun Sport as 'built for the most extreme family adventures' which is why it comes with lots of off-road systems as part of the grandly named Super Select II all-wheel drive system. These include hill descent control and a dedicated off-road mode, as well as trailer start assist. There is also a locking rear differential included.

On the flip side, the Shogun Sport doesn’t match its off-road ability with on road composure, and it is far less capable than its more refined rivals.

Although it doesn’t have the same basic leaf-spring suspension setup that the L200 has at the rear, it is still less capable than the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq etc. There is a great degree of body roll around corners and the ride is bumpy. This bumpy ride also means that the Shogun Sport can pitch forward and backwards when you press hard on brake or accelerator.

There is a decent amount of space for all three rows of passengers, although the third row is one for shorter adults. The boot arrangement means that there isn’t a huge amount of space when all seven seats are occupied but drop those seats down and there is a huge amount of room for luggage. Load space is 502 litres to the window line five seats up, 1488 litres all rear seats folded and 131 litres with all seats up.

There are just the two trim levels, somewhat bizarrely called ‘3’ and ‘4.’ The entry-level '3' trim includes leather upholstery, electrically-adjustable front seats, LED headlamps and parking sensors. The higher spec ‘4’ model – which adds £2,000 to the list price – gets heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, crash mitigation systems and a 510W audio system.

The top of the range model adds heated seats, a bind spot warning system and a 'Multi-around Monitor System' which creates a bird's eye view around the Shogun. Handy for parking.

Ask Honest John

Is buying a Mitsubishi Shogun a smart move?

"I am considering buying a new Mitsubishi Shogun Sport. Would this be a sensible move, given that Mitsubishi are pulling out of Europe? What about services, spares, warranty etc?"
Mitsubishi models will still be sold elsewhere in the world, so parts supply shouldn't be an issue. IM Group, which owns Subaru and Isuzu, is expected to take over Mitsubishi's aftersales operation in the UK. It could be a sensible purchase – although we'd want a hefty reduction over list price.
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

What does a Mitsubishi Shogun Sport (2018 – 2021) cost?