- Mitsubishi confirms plans to turn Pajero into a full SUV model family.
- Teasers preview a compact RAV4 rival and a kei-class off-roader.
- The old Pajero Sport will remain on sale in select global markets.
The Pajero is back as a flagship ladder-frame SUV with cross-country hardware underneath it, but Mitsubishi has no intention of letting the badge sit on one vehicle. The company confirmed again that the nameplate will spawn multiple models, including a kei-sized entry and a compact SUV below the flagship. The aging Pajero Sport survives the reshuffle too, staying in production for select markets.
During the world premiere of the off-roader in Japan, Mitsubishi Motors President and COO Keisuke Kishiura laid out the plan. “Going forward, with the all-new Pajero leading the lineup, we will expand the Pajero family to include a compact and small SUV. We hope you look forward to these future additions.”
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A dedicated slide during the presentation showed two boxy shapes hiding under a veil, apparently a kei crossover and a compact SUV, parked next to the flagship. Mitsubishi ran similar teasers when it laid out its future roadmap back in June.
Thirteen New Cars In Five Years
Mitsubishi
The company has committed to 13 new model launches between fiscal 2026 and 2031, five of them being hybrids and five plug-in hybrids. The diesel Pajero and its smaller siblings are part of that count, alongside additional trucks and SUVs.
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Recent reports from Japan suggest that the Pajero-branded compact SUV could arrive in 2028 or 2029, positioned as a rival to the Toyota RAV4. The model is expected to ride on a unibody architecture, using electrified powertrains.
As for the kei-sized Pajero, it is rumored to arrive around 2030. The urban crossover could resurrect the spirit of the Pajero Mini, produced between 1994 and 2012. We expect it to have a more rugged stance and a higher ground clearance than the Mitsubishi Delica Mini, riding on a kei car chassis with a turbo 660cc engine and a 4WD option.
What About The Pajero Sport?
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
The expanded family includes one very familiar face. Speaking to Australian and Thai media, Mitsubishi Chief Product Specialist Kunitoshi Itagaki confirmed that the 11-year-old Pajero Sport will stay in production for select global markets.
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As reported by Drive.com.au, Itagaki said: “We will just keep the Pajero Sport in the market. The new Pajero is a totally different model as our flagship, and then a different model from the Pajero Sport also”, adding “it depends on the market, but basically our plan is to keep the Pajero Sport as it is.”
The Pajero Sport was introduced in 2015 as a Triton-based three-row SUV and a direct rival to the Ford Everest, Toyota Fortuner and Isuzu MU-X. The model received two consecutive facelifts in 2019 and 2024, meaning it is currently in its twilight years. Despite its popularity, it was discontinued from Australia in 2025 because it no longer met updated local regulations.
The new Pajero is also a ladder-frame three-row diesel-powered SUV based on Triton bones, but it represents a more upmarket offering instead of serving as a direct replacement.
2025 Mitsubishi Elevance Concept
Mitsubishi has not shared information about a potential new generation of the Pajero Sport, although the futuristic Elevance Concept from 2025 looked like it could evolve into a fitting successor. Still, the fact that the SUV is not included in the teasers suggests it will remain on sale in its current form at least for a few more years.
More: Mitsubishi’s Futuristic SUV Concept Could Inspire New Pajero Sport
The new Pajero is confirmed for 100 global markets across Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, wearing the Montero badge in some of them. Which regions get the rest of the Pajero-themed lineup is still an open question. The kei model will probably stay a Japan-exclusive, but the compact SUV reads like an easy sell in Europe and North America.
Mitsubishi Pajero
