Mitsubishi’s Long-Awaited Pajero Revival Is Just Weeks Away

Mark Your Calendars

We’ve known for a while that the Mitsubishi Pajero is plotting its comeback. Mitsubishi has already promised the legendary SUV will return after years in the wilderness. But the big question has always been: when do we actually get to lay a glimpse of it?

Up until now, all we had was a vague promise of a launch sometime this year. But that might be about to change, thanks to some fresh news out of Japan.

Word from Japanese dealers, via Best Car, is that Mitsubishi is gearing up for a global Pajero reveal on September 2. Mark your calendars, but don’t expect to drive one home just yet – this is the big debut, not the start of deliveries.

What We Know About the New Pajero So Far

Earlier this year, Mitsubishi quietly let slip the Pajero’s cabin at an event, giving us our first real peek inside, showing a plush light-colored cabin for at least one of the upcoming variants.

A proper low-range transfer case is also expected to make a comeback. Pair that with Mitsubishi’s Super Select four-wheel-drive system and a digital, three-pronged clinometer, and it looks like the next Pajero is sticking to its off-road roots instead of turning into just another mall crawler.

Underneath, the SUV is expected to ride on the same ladder-frame bones as the latest Triton pickup. That means more durability, plus a helping of the truck’s newer tech and powertrains.

Pricing is still a mystery, but the event should finally pull the covers off the Pajero’s exterior, interior, trim levels, and all the headline features. If you’re itching to reserve one (and if you’re in Japan), you’ll have to wait until after the big reveal.

Will America Get It?

That’s still the big question for North American fans. Japan, Australia, and most of Asia are all but guaranteed to get the new Pajero or Montero first. As for the US, it might be a longer wait before Mitsubishi gives the green light.

But there’s hope. Reports say Mitsubishi dealers in the US have already gotten a secret sneak peek at the SUV, which means the brand is at least thinking about bringing it stateside. Will that turn into a full American launch? Too soon to tell, but the Pajero, or Montero, is definitely on Mitsubishi’s radar.

With the world premiere now reportedly just around the corner, September 2 should give us a much clearer picture of where the new Pajero is headed next – and whether American buyers will eventually get their turn.