Mitsubishi has finally revealed the all-new Pajero SUV in Japan, which presumably foreshadows the North American Montero — a vehicle that has been absent from our market for two decades.
The model mimics the styling of the brand’s Destinator SUV (which we don’t have access to) with touches of Nissan’s more recent designs. This makes sense, considering Mitsubishi and Nissan often share platforms. In fact, the rumor mill has it that a significant amount of the Pajero’s hardware will overlap with the forthcoming Nissan Xterra.
But the average person would also probably be hard pressed to distinguish between the Mitsubishi Pajero and Hyundai Palisade. While neither are bad looking vehicles, modern designs often feel more than a little derivative. Still, there are a few Pajero staples that have managed to stick around and this is indeed an evolution of the company’s preexisting styling.
The new Pajero is an extremely upright and boxy SUV, playing up its historic role as an off-roader. Its suspension is an independent double-wishbone setup in the front and a newly developed five-link rigid rear axle. Ground clearance is a very useful 9 inches and overhangs look to be extremely short. Mitsubishi claimed an approach angle of 30.4 degrees, a ramp breakover angle of 22.6 degrees and a departure angle of 25.8 degrees.
That’s competitive, albeit not class leading. While we haven’t measured every single SUV ourselves, we’d estimate that the Pajero’s departure and approach angles will still give rival utility vehicles a run for their money — at least until you start comparing it to competitors equipped with specialized off-road packages.
We imagine Mitsubishi will also offer enhanced versions of the Pajero/Montero eventually. However, the only conspicuous customization we’re presently aware of is the grille. The automaker previewed the SUV with both a slatted and honeycomb grille. Opinions will be divided on the matter but the former looks a tad more premium, whereas the latter feels a bit more sporting.
Meanwhile, the interior looks very upscale. Previewed in black and tan, with a slight retro-future aesthetic, the cabin gives off an excellent first impression. The manufacturer said the theme was “kimekomi,” which is a Japanese concept where fabric edges are tucked into pre-cut grooves. This gives the material added volume while masking obvious seams. It’s clean with just enough character to avoid being boring.
But the space also seems overwhelmingly dependent upon touch controls. Mitsubishi said the Pajero comes with dual 14.3-inch units placed right next to each other. Buttons are in short supply. Although it does appear that drivers will be issued a physical volume knob and what looks to be a set of scroll wheels for adjusting temperature and fan speed.
Everything else seems to be either haptic feedback or wholly reliant on the central touchscreen. However, there is a rotary knob positioned behind the gear shift that we’re hoping can be used to control the central screen without having to touch it. Mazda and BMW have both used similar solutions in the past and they were excellent solutions once drivers had familiarized themselves with the system.
Mitsubishi has been pretty quiet on mechanical specifics. We only know of the 2.4-liter turbo diesel that’s been mated to a newly developed eight-speed automatic. The unit allegedly ballparks around 350 lb-ft of torque. But we likely won’t be getting it once the Pajero has been rebranded as the Montero for North America. Fortunately, our model will get the automaker’s latest and greatest all-wheel-drive (AWD) system — which it was pretty keen to hype.
From Mitsubishi:
The all-new Pajero offers a refined cabin in which every occupant can travel in comfort, while retaining dimensions that make it easy to maneuver. It is also equipped with Mitsubishi Motors' Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC), which integrates control of acceleration, cornering, and braking to deliver precise and intuitive vehicle behavior, as well as Super Select 4WD-II (SS4-II), which balances outstanding off-road performance with ease of use in everyday driving. Combined with a highly rigid, durable ladder frame and a carefully tuned suspension system that helps maintain tire contact with the road, these technologies encourage drivers to enjoy travel with confidence on any road and take the next step toward new adventures with peace of mind.
The company is stressing that its flagship SUV will be quiet and comfortable around town, in addition to being capable when taken off-road. S-AWC integrates Active Yaw Control (AYC), which is a brake-biased torque vectoring system, and there’s a robust set of drive modes that modify how the active stability and traction control systems respond.
Eliminating road noise was allegedly given extra attention to ensure the Pajero felt more premium. Mitsubishi even said that great effort was made to guarantee all occupants enjoyed a comfortable ride and access to climate controls. This includes passengers in the third row, allowing the SUV to seat a total of seven people.
Mitsubishi also went to great lengths to elaborate on all the new technology features and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that will presumably vary between markets. The Pajaro is supposed to come with a Forward Collision Mitigation system (FCM) with pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist detection and junction assist. Predictive Forward Collision Warning (PFCW), Frontal Cross-Traffic Alerts, and Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication (EAPM) will work in tandem with an entirely new Emergency Lane Assist feature that helps the car keep itself inside the lines.
An exterior array of four cameras is said to give the model the ability to give a 360-degree view around itself to the driver. Mitsubishi noted that this could be helpful while parking. But the big advantage is for those handful of times drivers take the Pajero into truly gnarly off-road environments. While we often knock modern driving assistance tech as being superfluous and invasive, some of the most obvious advantages come by way of off-road vehicles. Having a 360-degree view around the vehicle helps reduce the need of a spotter, which we imagine has helped maintain friendships and more than a few marriages.
Mitsubishi said additional details will become available closer to the Pajero’s official launch — which will depend upon markets. Some areas should start seeing availability by the end of 2026 and others will need to wait until early 2027. Assembly is presently taking place in Thailand.
As for the Montero, it looks to be forthcoming. Mitsubishi referenced the name “for other markets” on numerous occasions. However, no official release date has been mentioned thus far. Regardless, it seems assured for North America and we’ve already covered how it might differ from the Pajero.
[Images: Mitsubishi]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.