Pajero’s Return: A New Off-Road Sub-Brand in Everything but Name
Mitsubishi’s Pajero SUV expansion is the planned growth of the Pajero name into a small family of rugged, off-road-focused sport-utility vehicles that sit apart from the brand’s regular passenger crossovers and are designed to prioritise trail capability, all-wheel-drive hardware and durability over everyday on-road refinement.
Mitsubishi is not quietly reviving a single nameplate; it is attempting to build a dedicated off-road line around Pajero. The body-on-frame Pajero will return to showrooms by the end of 2026 and will be the first model in a broader Pajero lineup. The company confirmed in May that this badge will front a family of “more rugged, off-road-focused SUVs” distinct from its existing passenger-oriented models. This is a clear strategic statement: Pajero is no longer just a nostalgia play, it is Mitsubishi’s bet that many buyers still care more about how far they can go off the tarmac than how quiet their commute feels.
A RAV4-Sized Pajero to Out-Muscle Softroaders
The heart of this Pajero SUV expansion is a new mid-size model aimed squarely at the Toyota RAV4 crowd, but with dirt in its DNA. Mitsubishi plans a RAV4-sized Pajero SUV for around 2028–2029, pitched as a more off-road-capable alternative to the Outlander. For context, the current Outlander measures 4720mm long, 1862mm wide and 1745mm tall on a 2706mm wheelbase, giving a good idea of the ballpark this new model will occupy.
Crucially, Mitsubishi will not take the shortcut of a simple badge-engineered partner car. The mid-size Pajero will reportedly use a dedicated Mitsubishi-developed platform rather than a rebadged partner model, even though it will borrow components from the Outlander to speed development and cut costs. That blend of shared parts and unique underpinnings signals a clear intent: this is meant to be tougher than a regular family crossover, yet still realistic to build and price for buyers who want an affordable rugged SUV rather than an aspirational toy.
Baby Pajero: A Jimny Challenger for Everyday Adventurers
If the mid-size Pajero is about credibility against RAV4-style crossovers, the upcoming compact off-road model is about earning respect in the adventure SUV niche. A third Pajero SUV, expected around 2030, will be a smaller model that could revive the Pajero Mini name and give Mitsubishi a rival to the ladder-frame Suzuki Jimny, which currently dominates its showroom segment and enjoys a cult following.
Mitsubishi’s smallest Pajero in the past, the Pajero iO at 3710mm long, proved there is real demand for compact off-road models that still feel serious. The new “baby” Pajero is expected to use car-like unibody construction but pair it with all-wheel drive and high ground clearance so it fits with the off-road-focused Pajero family. That recipe is smart: it trades some hardcore rock-crawling cred for better daily manners while still aiming straight at adventure-focused buyers who have been flocking to the Jimny. It shows Mitsubishi understands that modern compact off-road SUVs must balance trail fun with real-world usability.
Rugged Drivetrains and Modern Control: Pajero’s Technology Play
Rugged does not mean crude anymore, and Mitsubishi is leaning on drivetrain tech to differentiate Pajero from softer crossovers. The ladder-frame Pajero will incorporate the brand’s S-AWC system, already used on higher-spec Triton models. This setup allows drivers to choose rear-wheel drive, full-time four-wheel drive, a locked centre differential and even low range, backed by seven selectable Terrain Drive Modes including Snow, Mud, Sand and Rock alongside Normal, Eco and Gravel.
Mitsubishi also promises a suspension system “engineered to deliver high road-holding performance,” reinforcing that this will not be an agricultural throwback. The practical upside is tangible: “Altogether it allows for better control across a range of surfaces and conditions.” This combination of selectable hardware and smarter software positions Pajero as a bridge between old-school mechanical toughness and the expectations of drivers who still want stability, comfort and confidence at highway speeds as much as they want grip on a muddy trail.
Why Mitsubishi Is Doubling Down on Off-Road, and What Comes Next
Mitsubishi’s decision to build a family of Pajero SUVs is not nostalgia; it is a response to pressure and opportunity. SUV sales continue to rise, and Mitsubishi openly sees a “significant opportunity” in using Outlander components to speed development and reduce costs for the new off-road-focused mid-size model. At the same time, sales from January to July were down 27.4 per cent year on year, with the Triton as the only model posting growth. In Mitsubishi’s own words, “The Pajero range expansion is part of Mitsubishi’s 2023 plan for 16 new global models by the end of 2028, including nine electrified models.”
The roadmap is clear: the ladder-frame Pajero returns by the end of 2026 as the flagship; a RAV4-sized off-road alternative to the Outlander lands around 2028–2029; and a compact kei-class-inspired Pajero arrives around 2030. Together they signal a company betting that, even as it rolls out EVs and hybrids elsewhere, there is still strong appetite for a dedicated off-road family. The conclusion is unavoidable: Mitsubishi wants Pajero to become the default name buyers imagine when they think about a capable, durable adventure SUV that does not pretend to be an appliance.
