The Mitsubishi Pajero Is Back: Everything We Know Before the September 2 Reveal

This is the new Mitsubishi Pajero. The full reveal lands September 2, and the biggest news is under the body: the ladder frame is back. The last Pajero went unibody. This one shares a real frame with the Triton pickup, carries Super All Wheel Control, and is roughly Land Cruiser sized. If it ever reaches America it may wear the Montero badge. That part is not approved, and reports point to 2030. Everything else is happening now.

UPDATE: The Pajero has now been fully revealed. Read all the confirmed details here.

Why the ladder frame matters

The Pajero has been dead for five years. Overseas production ended in 2021, and Japan lost it back in 2019. The return is old school. The new frame is derived from the Triton pickup, modified for a bespoke suspension layout, and Mitsubishi is calling the result a cross-country SUV. Translation: built to take a beating, tuned to ride like family transport. It is the same body-on-frame recipe Toyota charges real money for, and the reason the 4Runner Trailhunter scored an 8.0 here.

What 4WD hardware does the Pajero get?

Super All Wheel Control, the same system that started on the Lancer Evo X. Reports say it pairs with Super Select 4WD-II, so you get two wheel drive, full time all wheel drive, a locked center diff, and low range. On the Triton that hardware runs seven terrain modes, and the Pajero is expected to inherit the set.

The triple gauges are back too, digital now. The new Multi Meter shows altitude, compass heading, pitch and roll, and left to right torque split in real time. On rocks, in mud, or on a steep climb, you know exactly what the truck is doing.

How big is the new Pajero?

About Land Cruiser sized. Dealers were reportedly shown nearly 12 inches of ground clearance and three rows. Power is expected to start with the Triton’s 2.4 liter twin turbo diesel at around 200 hp and 347 lb-ft, with hybrid versions reported to follow. Official dimensions, trims, and interior shots are still being held for the reveal.

Will it come to the USA as the Montero?

This is the part that stings. A North American Montero is not approved. The September 2 debut happens under the Pajero name, and Mitsubishi has officially revived the Montero badge for selected markets, which is the name Americans actually remember. The smaller Pajero Sport never left global showrooms, but the new Pajero returns as the flagship. If a US version happens, reports point to 2030. Reveal season is stacking up either way. The 2027 Hyundai Tucson just broke cover, and the Genesis GV90 is circling from the opposite end of the market.

The MoneyShift Take

Toyota left a door open. The Land Cruiser we get is a 2.4 turbo hybrid, and the global one costs Lexus LX money. That is a void, and Mitsubishi is aiming a ladder frame SUV with 12 inches of clearance straight at it. Early Japanese pricing chatter already puts the Pajero right in the Land Cruiser 250’s bracket over there.

So the math is simple. If Mitsubishi shows up in America with a bulletproof diesel hybrid, a regular hybrid, or a naturally aspirated six, real frame, real clearance, and a price under $50,000, that is winner winner chicken dinner. The dream number is 4Runner money, around $42,000. Anything under 50 still wins.

The Montero was always capable and always overlooked. This is the version that could actually land here. Now the bad news, again: nothing is approved, and 2030 is a long way off. I’ll wait. Would you?

When is the Mitsubishi Pajero reveal?
September 2. It debuts as a Pajero, and US naming is unconfirmed.

Is the new Pajero body on frame?
Yes. It uses a ladder frame shared with the Triton pickup, modified for the SUV.

Will the new Pajero come to the United States?
A North American version is not approved. If it happens, reports point to around 2030, likely wearing the Montero badge.

What engine will the new Pajero use?
Reports expect the Triton’s 2.4 liter twin turbo diesel at around 200 hp and 347 lb-ft, with hybrid versions to follow.

I’m MoneyShift. If it has wheels and a story, it ends up here. Follow along for all things car news.