The small SUV, which looks like the Mitsubishi Pajero, had a short history. Pajero Pinin, although he became a trump card in the sleeve of MMS, did not rest on his laurels for long. Today, the technical characteristics of Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin will be of interest to fans of combined driving, because this car combines compactness and power.
Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin
All companies of the late 90s, one way or another, faced the task of conquering the market, and Mitsubishi did not stay away from this problem, although it was already firmly entrenched in the alley of automobile stars, but striving for more. By this time, Mitsubishi Motors had on its account not just a huge range of different classes and purposes. We can say with confidence that these were legendary cars, leading the market for more than one decade, and the demand for them did not fade away. Such machines were the well-known Pajero, Lancer, L-200.
By 1997, it was time to enter the mini-crossover market. Metropolises developed rapidly, and in order to meet new tastes, it was necessary to change. The concept of the future model was determined quickly and easily:
- small size, which is typical for Asian countries;
- the ground clearance is higher than that of a city sedan;
- wagon-type layout, but with a monocoque body rather than a frame in order to reduce the weight of the machine;
- four-wheel drive.
They gave little time for design, so the fact of pairing the new model with Pajero became decisive. The result is a smaller version, better maneuvering in urban conditions.
If the technical part and the general concept of the car were handled on their own, then the design development was entrusted to the company Pininfarina - the Japanese carmaker was not yet very savvy in this direction. In a fairly short period of time, Italian specialists managed to create exactly what the Japanese asked for. One of the main requirements for designers is to make the appearance of the car easily recognizable.
In 1998, the serial production of the jeep began.Potential buyers were offered a choice of four types of gasoline power plants: 1.8, 1.8 turbo, 2.0 and GDI (1.8 and 2.0).A year later, the novelty, which found success in the domestic market, was presented to Europeans and was named Pinin.
Pinins were assembled at the Pininfarina factories in Italy. For the narrow streets of the Old World, the Japanese novelty came in handy. The combination of excellent technical characteristics and good looks have added popularity to the compact SUV in the European markets. The small cross-country vehicle with a three-door monocoque body was produced in Japan, Italy and China from 1998 to 2006, and in Brazil from 2002 to 2015.
Despite some originality, Pinin outlived its usefulness in the mid-2000s due to the emergence of more modern crossovers. It was not profitable for the Japanese carmaker to modernize it, so Pinin rolled off the assembly lines. Today it is sold in the secondary markets of many countries, also under the names Montero IO, Shogan IO, Pajero TP4.
Technical stuffing Pajero Pinin
The engine with direct injection (GDI) was a novelty of the concern - very low fuel consumption at a fairly high power. However, thanks to this engine, Mitsubishi engineers will be criticized for the unreliability of the fuel system.
The technical implementation of the all-wheel drive is worth noting separately. In many versions it was akin to the classic Pajer one. The connection of the front axle, as well as that of the "big brother", was carried out through the connection of the viscous coupling. By analogy, there was a downshift and a center differential lock.
At the request of the buyer, the car could be equipped with a self-locking differential of the rear axle. Cars with permanent all-wheel drive were on sale in limited quantities.
Potential customers were offered two types of gearboxes: a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic. Since August 1998, five-door versions with an extended base began to arrive at Mitsubishi dealerships.
History of development, generation, equipment
Despite the relatively short production period, the Pinin has undergone upgrades. They did not pull up to the level of restyling, but they were not superfluous and meaningless either.
Mitsubishi Pinin - 1999-2002
The very first Pinin appeared in the form of a very compact SUV with a three-door body. Its dimensions: length - 3735 mm, width - 1680 mm, height - 1695 mm, ground clearance - 200 mm and wheelbase - 2280 mm.
The cars were equipped with 4G18 and 4G93 engines. These gasoline internal combustion engines with direct fuel injection developed power of 114 and 120 horsepower, had a volume of 1.8 liters. Transmission: 5-speed "mechanics" and 4-speed "automatic" (INVECS-II).
Pajero Pinin bu 2002 release off-road conquest The Pinins of these years developed a speed of 168 km / h and accelerated to 100 km / h in 11.9 seconds. The suspension was reinforced. Each wheel of the car had a disc brake, the front ones were ventilated.
A year later, the popular 5-door version of Pinin entered serial production. The engine in the new SUV was slightly modernized, equipped with an innovative direct injection system at that time - GDI. The drivetrain and suspension are the same. But the main difference was, of course, the dimensions of the body:
- length - 4035 mm;
- width - 1695 mm;
- height - 1700 mm;
- clearance - 200 mm;
- wheelbase - 2450 mm.
The new body made it possible to slightly increase the luggage compartment and niche compartments, while not making the car overly large.
Pinin 1999-2002 was equipped with an all-wheel drive system borrowed from Pajero. The transmission was a system with a constantly working rear axle and front-wheel drive connected. The driver had a choice between 4 modes.
Mitsubishi Pinin - 2002-2004
In 2002, the Japanese decided to make Pinin an even more urban car, similar to an SUV. The transformations have simplified the all-wheel drive system. Now it is always a permanent Full-Time 4WD, but only the 1.8-liter engine was equipped with it. This drive did not require adjustment, it always worked in the mode of distribution of torque to both axles in a 50:50 ratio.
Modification with a 2-liter engine, developing 129 hp. with., remained with the Super Select 4WD system. Due to this, it became more popular, since this type of drive proved to be better off-road.
In addition, there have been no major changes:
- The checkpoints remained the same;
- the suspension has been slightly upgraded;
- a minor restyling of the appearance was carried out.
Since 2003, side and front airbags have appeared on the IO, and the seat belts have been significantly improved.
2005 Mitsubishi Pinin
The last most dramatic changes took place in 2005. Pinin continued to be produced with three motors:
- 4G18 - 114 hp with.;
- 4G93 - 120 HP with.;
- 4G94 - 129 HP with.
The first two versions were equipped with all-wheel drive of the simplified Full Time 4WD system, and the 2-liter unit was equipped with Super Select 4WD. No significant changes were made to the transmission, other technical characteristics of the Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin were also not changed.
But on Pinin 2005, the exterior was seriously modernized:
- chrome logos of the manufacturer and door handles;
- side mirrors were repainted to match the body color;
- remade roof rails;
- installed chrome alloy wheels.
The salon also turned out to be more thoughtful and comfortable.
Overall, Mitsubishi Motors has managed to create a good compact crossover. Pajero Pinin combined off-road qualities and a high level of comfort. Probably, if the Pinin platform were a little more versatile, it would still be in production today.
Generalized technical characteristics
| Production years | 1998-2006 (Brazil: 2002-2015) |
| Places of assembly | Japan, Italy, China, Brazil |
| Engines | 4G18 - 114 HP, (GDI), manual transmission-5 4G93 - 120 HP, (GDI), manual transmission-5 4G94 - 129 HP, (GDI), automatic transmission-4 |
| Clearance, mm | 200 |
| Transmission | Drive: - Full-Time 4WD - SuperSelect 4WD Gearbox: MKPP-5 and AKPP-4 |
| Suspension | front: rack, levers, stabilizer, shock absorber rear: thrust, lever, spring, shock absorber |
| Brake system | disc, front ventilated |
| Speed characteristics | acceleration to 100 km / h - 10.8-12.6 seconds; maximum speed, km / h - 168-190 |
| Fuel consumption per 100 km, l | city - 11.6-12.2, extra-urban cycle - 7.9-8.1, mixed - 9.3-9.5 |
| Tire size | R16 |
| Fuel tank volume, l | 53 |
Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin Engines
Brand Type of Volume (L) Max power (hp) Valves Max speed
4G18 Atmospheric gasoline 1,6
120
16
180
4G93 Atmospheric gasoline 1,8
114
16
190
4G93 Turbocharged petrol 1,8
160
16
190
4G94 Atmospheric gasoline 2,0
129
16
190
Box
Dimensions (edit)
5-door body
Length, mm 4035
Width, mm 1695
Height, mm 1700
Wheelbase, mm 2450
Trunk volume, liters 358 (1158)
1340 (1840)
3-door body
Length, mm 3735
Width, mm 1680
Height, mm 1695
Wheelbase, mm 2280
Trunk volume, liters 165 (800)
Total weight and equipped weight, kg 1255(1680)
Years of issue: from 1998 to the present
Cost: $ 9,000-25,000
This is the dynamics of life - even thirty years ago, an SUV was called something that grumbled in the uterus with a huge V8 and smoothly rolls its two and a half tons of curb weight over huge boulders. And then off we go: "Niva", Suzuki Vitara and their followers have debunked the myth about the gluttony and sluggishness of the true knights of the off-road. Moreover, every self-respecting manufacturer tried to be noted in the class of compact SUVs, to one degree or another supplying their cars with mud climbing abilities. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi continued to release the legendary "wild cat" Pajero and stubbornly did not go for minimization.
In the early nineties, the market insisted on something small. And in 1994, a strange creature with a purely Japanese flavor rolled out to Mitsubishi dealerships. It was called Pajero Mini (wild kitten?). It was a really tiny (over three meters) car with two variants of the power unit - a gasoline atmospheric volume of 1100 cm3 and a gasoline turbocharged volume of 600 cm3. The new SUV claimed to compete with the Suzuki Samurai and had a frame, an Easy Select transfer case (Pajero's legacy) and a continuous rear axle. Alas, neither in Europe, nor even more so in America, this option of minimizing the legendary "cat", as they say, did not work. However, at that time it was already clear that the company needed a competitor to the class leader Suzuki Vitara and the Toyota RAV4 rushing to Olympus.
Name of the shorty
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In 1996, the design team at Pininfarina and the MMC engineering center was tasked with developing a compact SUV in the Pajero style. The new SUV should at least not be inferior to Suzuki products in off-road ability, and to a competitor from Toyota in style and comfort. In fact, the work on the creation of this car could be described as follows: all the best of Mitsubishi's technical solutions was taken, and this best was installed in the body from Pininfarina. Such a simple approach to design made it possible to complete the preparation of the project very quickly, and already in 1998 the first car appeared in showrooms. The result exceeded expectations: the stylish body with an integrated frame hid the GDI engines and the Super Select SS4-I transmission in its depths.
In Japan, the car appeared under the name IO, which means "I" in Italian, and a year later, after preparation for production in Italy, the little Pajero entered the European market. But here he already appeared under the name Pinin. Thus, the consumer was "informed" that Pininfarina was involved in the creation of the car (Pinin - short - was called in childhood the founder of Pininfarina, Giovanni Farina, who was notable for his small stature). Since then, the car has undergone one restyling and several minor improvements, and as a result, it has survived to our days almost in ... its original form.
Everything like adults
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The pre-styling Pajero Pinin / IO (1999-2000 years of release) were designed according to all the "off-road" canons. Only two features did not allow Pinin to be classified as a full-fledged off-road conqueror. First, the SS4-I transfer case is too big for such a compact body. As a result, the beam of its attachment hangs down, destroying quite tolerable indicators of the geometric cross-country ability of the vehicle. Secondly, the transmission mode sensors are located here not on the top, like in the "big" Pajero, but on the side, which raises concerns for their integrity. But, despite the above, on the road, the Pinin can compete with any classmate. The power units did not disappoint either. The Pinin was mainly equipped with two GDI engines with direct injection of 1.8 and 2.0 liters and a capacity of 114 and 129 hp. respectively. Much less often, under the hood of a baby, you can see a 1.6-liter MPI 102 hp. (it is less demanding on fuel quality).
Too Much Leverage
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Restyling of the 2002 Pinin / IO line affected only minor elements. The bumpers and plastic elements of the body kit were slightly refurbished, the "turn signals" in the headlights became fashionable white, and the headlights themselves grew slightly in size. The designer's hand touched some of the little things in the cabin, but this is not very noticeable both at first and at subsequent glances. As for the official sales, they went, as they say, neither wobbly nor roll. The car did not hit the mainstream mainly due to the rather high price. Pinin (most often a three-door version) was purchased "in load" to a large Pajero, and it was intended for his wife. The off-road qualities of a car, a friend of life, were often simply not able to appreciate, but she had difficulties with an additional lever and a lot of incomprehensible symbols and inscriptions. The decision was not long in coming, and in 2002 an urban version with a highly simplified transmission appeared. The FT4 was constantly distributing torque to the axles in a 50:50 ratio through the viscous coupling without the ability to turn anything on or off at all. No downshift, no locks, no lever in the cabin. Of course, this option is the least interesting if you are going to go out into the countryside, but it will do as a gift for your beloved, especially since the cost of "parquet" versions is on average 1-2 thousand dollars lower.
There are different versions
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From a technical point of view, the three and five-door versions (both left-hand and right-hand drive) are almost identical. They all have the same range of engines and options with automatic and manual gearboxes. The only difference is in trim levels. Japanese right-hand drive cars are usually "packed" much richer than their European counterparts. By the way, most IOs are equipped with a multifunctional display that displays a lot of information, and on expensive configurations, its place is taken by a navigation system that is useless in Russia. The salon of the three-door versions is no more ascetic than the five-door. The difference is mainly in the size of the luggage compartment (in the three-door it is incredibly small) and legroom for the rear passengers. Honestly, a 165 cm tall person can hardly fit in the back seat, and if the driver moves the seat completely back, then only a folder for papers will fit between the backrest and the seat cushion.
Character traits
In short, the Pinin SUV with Super Select really came out pretty good, unless, of course, you did not demand the impossible from the car. The car feels great on slopes (power-to-weight ratio at altitude) and goes very well on clay, using an arsenal of interlocks. Of course, the articulation of the suspension is not always enough to overcome difficult obstacles, but the old "nivovodskaya" tactics helps here - the suspension allows you to pass quite intricate reliefs with the "stroke". True, it is worth remembering: the suspension travels are really small, and at extreme alternating loads, a hard breakdown occurs, the consequences of which can be expensive. As for handling on asphalt, the rather sharp steering wheel and excellent energy intensity of the suspension allow you to move at the maximum dynamic capabilities of the car, not paying much attention to the high center of gravity. In general, everything is like a large Pajero - dynamics and controllability combined with off-road qualities give a product, purchasing which, you understand that the money was paid not for the blue dashboard.
Maria CHELYUBEEVA
Pajero Pinin (1998) 1.6 MPI, 3 doors
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HE IS CUCHER JIMNY
When it came time to change the car, I thought about the Suzuki Jimny. The desire has almost formed into a car, but the dealers did not have the required configuration. Then they began to search through the ads and came across Pinin. It was immediately apparent that he was prettier than Jimny, and this was a turning point. And the rare equipment pleases. The combination of a 1.6 MPI engine with a three-door body, sunroof and headlight washers is not found on Japanese cars. During the time that I had the car, they changed some rubber bands for 700 rubles and for prevention, the timing belt for 6,000 rubles with work. The rest seems to work. I really like the presence of all sorts of different off-road modes. I drove into the mud only once - for the first time in my life I just turned on "4LLc" and drove everything by myself. Even my husband was offended that she did not let him ride. Yes, more than 90 km / h on the road is already poorly handled, but in the mud it's just great. We have a dacha, and you have to drive 5 km to it on a very bad road. There, of all, we pass only me and my dad in a UAZ. And in the city it is such a pleasure not to be afraid of curbs, to look at large mirrors when changing lanes and to feel the attitude to the car as to a serious jeep.
Glitter and poverty GDI
Speaking of money. As for the features of the service, on this score, all services, alas, are unanimous: the elements of the fuel system of the GDI engines do not withstand the realities of Russian fuel, and the electrics - the realities of the Russian winter. The problem with the engines manifests itself in the classic "does not pull" or "does not start". Therefore, when looking for a car, it is worth remembering that serviceable GDI engines supply the car with decent dynamics, and if the car frankly “does not drive” or “dulls”, then prepare a certain amount for repairs. Repair usually consists in the banal replacement of candles and flushing of the nozzles, but the simplicity with which the names of these operations can be pronounced does not fit in with the complexity and cost of the work itself. For example, plugs for 1.8 and 2.0 engines cost about 800–1000 rubles apiece (hereinafter, the prices of unofficial service are given), and flushing the injectors means disassembling almost half of the engine, which results in another 5000–6000 rubles. The cost of a nozzle is from 1200 rubles for a "non-original" and further in ascending order. The high-pressure pump also easily breaks down from low-quality fuel and entails additional costs. Of course, there are no such problems with MPI engines, and the prices for their maintenance and spare parts are much lower, but at the same time, the cost of maintaining GDI is a kind of payment for the increased power and elasticity of the power unit.
Konstantin SHCHEGLOV
Pajero IO (1999) 1.8 GDI, 5 doors
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THE MACHINE FITS IN ALL PARAMETERS
text: Dmitry LYAKHOVENKO
photo: Alexander DAVIDYUK
The four-wheel drive Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin SUV is a more compact modification of the popular Pajero full-size jeep. The development of the model by order of Mitsubishi Motors was carried out by the Pininfarina studio, as a result of which the car saw the light in 1998 on the Japanese market under the name "iO", which means "I" in Italian.
European consumers were able to see and purchase this car with the name Pinin, meaning "the youngest or the youngest" a year later, when the production of the car was organized in Italy.
Exterior implementation aspects
The sale of the Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin of the SUV in question, which started in 1998, immediately brought him impressive popularity, since the design style obtained by the model completely retained the similarity with its older brother Pajero. At the same time, the jeep turned out to be quite compact, which is confirmed by its overall parameters:
A year after the debut of Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin, a five-door variation of the SUV was demonstrated, the dimensions of which are indicated in the table as maximum values. This version was also developed by the specialists of the Pininfarina design studio. This modification has significantly increased the volume of the luggage compartment, as well as a voluminous "underfloor" with the presence of a plastic pallet, rationally divided into pockets and niches.
The SUV shown in the photo has undergone several restyling during its existence. In the course of the last update in 2005, the car received chrome manufacturer's logos, silver roof rails, side mirrors painted in body color, alloy wheels and chrome door handles. Also, the model was provided with a new body design - blue metallic. At the same time, a jeep with a more powerful power unit could be distinguished by the presence of silver side moldings.
Interior design features
Our description of the interior of the Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin SUV should begin with a statement that the model has a very comfortable driver's seat with an extensive range of adjustments. At the same time, the reviews published by the owners of the jeep state the presence of quite ergonomic devices in the cabin, the readings of which are easily perceived at any time of the day. The center console houses a triplet of rotating climate control knobs, a CD audio system and an impressive display that visualizes the outside temperature, trip computer data, radio wave information and the current time.
The cushion of the rear seats of the Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin is one-piece, while the tilt of the separate backs can only be adjusted, which can be folded forward together or separately, and the cushion can be completely removed. The car has excellent visibility, in the formation of which a special role belongs to the rear recessed head restraints and large outside mirrors. In general, the execution of the interior of the model is made in accordance with modern trends with the availability of high-quality finishing materials and well-thought-out ergonomics.
SUV Specifications
For the Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin jeep, the manufacturer prepared two gasoline power plants with the following technical characteristics:
The above-mentioned engines can be aggregated with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission. A modification with a less powerful power unit is equipped with a Full Time 4WD all-wheel drive transmission, and for a more powerful variation, a Super Select 4WD multi-mode transmission is provided, while all-wheel drive can be connected at speeds up to 100 km / h.
The SUV has a stiff and energy-intensive suspension with the addition of a Torsen rear self-locking differential, which increases the cross-country ability of the car and prevents the rear wheels from slipping. All integrated brakes are disc brakes, and the front samples are ventilated.
Configuration and price of a jeep
The standard equipment of the SUV in question assumes the presence of air conditioning, heated front seats, a pair of front airbags, central locking, alloy wheels, an audio system, roof rails and more. It is worth noting that the production of the model was completed in 2007, so it is quite possible to buy a Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin of the early 2000s for about 10 thousand dollars.
At the end of the last century, Pininfarina received an order from Mitsubishi Motors to develop the design of a compact SUV, the "little brother" of Pajero, and in 1998 it began to be produced in Japan under the name iO, which in Italian means simply "I". A year later, the car was presented to the Old World, where it became known as the Pinin. The name is taken from the name of the company Pininfarina. By the way, in Italian the word pinin means "the youngest, the youngest." A symbolic name for the smallest SUV in the European Mitsubishi range.
The assembly was organized at the Pininfarina plant in Italy.
Pinin's good looks have retained the similarities to Pajero's "big brother". From a technical point of view, the car is completely identical to its Japanese counterpart Pajero iO. It turned out to be very compact (length with spare wheel - 3735 mm, width - 1695 mm) and at the same time quite high (1695 mm).
The Pinin was fitted with a direct injection gasoline engine. The car of the first years of production was equipped with only this engine. With a volume of 1.8 liters and a power of 120 hp, it can reach speeds of up to 168 km / h. The engine is aggregated with a 5-speed manual transmission or with an INVECS-II automatic transmission.
Disc brakes on all wheels, ventilated at the front.
A year after its debut, the 5-door Pajero Pinin entered the series. Its look, like the look of its 3-door "brother", was developed with the participation of the Italian design studio Pininfarina. The car received a new version of the 2-liter engine equipped with direct fuel injection (GDI). A choice of manual or automatic transmission.
The size of the trunk has grown noticeably, plus a voluminous "underfloor" with a plastic pallet, which is divided into niches and pockets.
The driver's seat is comfortable with sufficient adjustment ranges. The devices, although completely different in design, are equally good at their main task: their readings are easily perceived at any time of the day.
The Pajero Pinin center console houses three rotating climate control knobs, an audio system with a CD player and a large display that shows the time, outboard temperature, trip computer readings and information about the radio wave.
The Pinin rear seat cushion is one-piece, only the tilt of the split backs is adjustable. These backs can be folded forward, together or separately, and the pillow can be removed altogether. Everything is fine with visibility. Thanks to the large exterior mirrors and recessed rear head restraints.
The interior design is made in the spirit of modern trends in automotive fashion, high-quality finishing materials and well-thought-out ergonomics.
Active movement is facilitated by a rigid and energy-intensive suspension. Pinin does not save even off-road, because with its high ground clearance and an excellent Super Select 2 4WD-i transmission, like on a large Pajero, the car is capable of storming rather serious off-road sections.
Four-wheel drive can be connected without stopping or even braking (if the car goes no higher than 100 km / h). The front axle is connected by an automatic clutch. If the car is ambushed, a downshift with a blocked viscous coupling (the most "heavy" mode) comes to the rescue.
In all modes, a Torsen-type rear self-locking differential helps a lot - it adds cross-country ability and prevents the rear wheels from slipping.
Pinin's standard equipment for the Russian market includes: air conditioning with a charcoal air filter, heated front seats, two front airbags, central locking, an audio system (optional with a CD changer), alloy wheels, roof rails, branded seat trim with a "tread" pattern ...
The 2003 Pajero Pinin is equipped with two front and side airbags, as well as pretensioners and load limiters on the front belts.
Pinin is a fighter and an excellent rogue, and this quality is in perfect harmony with its angular and very rigid body. Reasonable price, plus traditional reliability, make this car an attractive purchase for those who like to occasionally delight themselves with trips to nature.
The 2005 Pajero Pinin is recognizable by the new chrome Mitsubishi logos, body-colored side mirrors, silver railings, chrome door handles and alloy wheels. In addition, there is a new body color - blue metallic.
The SUV is offered with a 1.8-liter engine (114 hp), which is aggregated with a manual transmission (3- and 5-door models). The 2.0 liter GDI engine (129 hp) is only available on 5-door versions with an automatic transmission.
The 1.8-liter version features a Full Time 4WD all-wheel drive transmission, while the more powerful 2.0-liter version features a Super Select 4WD-i multi-mode transmission.
Pajero Pinin's appearance has changed slightly. In accordance with the new corporate identity, the red logo was changed to chrome. Body-colored side mirror housings, silver roof rails and chrome door handles are now available. Pinin with 2 liter engine can be distinguished by silver side moldings.
