Mitsubishi Goes Under The New Pajero To Show Its Truck Roots

Mitsubishi has big plans for the Pajero’s return. Much like the preceding models that carried one of the brand’s most illustrious names, multiple vehicles are in the works. The first member of the broader family will be unveiled sometime this fall when the full-size SUV breaks cover. Japanese reports point to a September 2 debut, and in the meantime, it’s business as usual with the ongoing teaser campaign.

The latest preview takes us underneath the reborn Pajero, which will be sold in certain markets as the Montero. That should include North America, where the go-anywhere SUV is allegedly launching around 2030. Not that we had any doubts, but the reborn off-road SUV is getting a ladder frame derived from the Triton/L200, a pickup truck that has already stood as the foundation for another vehicle: the Nissan Navara.

Mitsubishi’s body-on-frame SUV will also have what the company calls Super-All Wheel Control. Essentially, S-AWC is marketing jargon for an advanced four-wheel-drive system with torque vectoring that optimizes the front-to-rear torque split for better traction and stability. We’ll remind you that the Triton lets drivers choose between 2H (RWD), 4H (4x4), 4HLc (4x4 with a locked center differential), and 4LLc (low range with a locked center differential).

2027 Mitsubishi Pajero teaser

Photos by: Mitsubishi

2027 Mitsubishi Pajero teaser

The Triton's Off-Road Chops Should Carry Over

The truck also gets seven driving modes: Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand, and Rock. Expect many of these traits to carry over to the Pajero/Montero, which should effectively serve as the Triton’s SUV sibling. Aside from having an enclosed body, we imagine it’ll have a nicer cabin with improved materials since it will be more family-oriented than its workhorse sibling.

This is far from Mitsubishi’s first teaser in the buildup to the upcoming world premiere. In an earlier sneak preview, we learned how the resurrected Pajero will stay true to the early generations by bringing back a fan-favorite feature: the multi-info gauge pod. It’ll take the shape of a dedicated off-road screen showing pitch and roll angles, as well as altitude, compass heading, and left-right torque distribution.

If a recent slideshow (attached below) from an official presentation is anything to go by, Mitsubishi's Land Cruiser and Patrol fighter will be followed by smaller derivatives in the following years. The first order of business is to launch the flagship model and bring back a name that has been dormant since the fourth-gen Pajero retired in 2021. The newcomer has some big shoes to fill, considering preceding generations sold a cumulative three million units since the original model came out in 1982.

Mitsubishi Pajero lineup teaser

Photo by: Mitsubishi

Motor1's Take: Mitsubishi may be struggling these days, but a new Pajero/Montero has the potential to be a product that could help turn things around. A broader family of models would capitalize on the off-road SUV niche, although not launching the range-topper in the United States before 2030 seems like a wasted opportunity.

It’s refreshing to find out the name will attempt to live up to the legacy after the Eclipse was repurposed for wildly different vehicles, none of which are even Mitsubishi models to begin with. Both are electric crossovers: Europe’s Eclipse Cross is based on the Renault Scenic E-Tech, while North America’s Eclipse Sportback is a Nissan Leaf underneath.

The new Pajero should be a Mitsubishi through and through.

The Pajero/Montero Is Returning:

The Mitsubishi Pajero And Montero Are Officially Coming Back

Mitsubishi's Next SUV Could Revive An Iconic Off-Road Trim