Mitsubishi has been gearing up for the launch of its new Pajero for the best part of the past year, with multiple prototypes spied in different parts of the world.
Previously called the Pajero Sport, it’s expected the upcoming model will revive the name of the full-size Pajero, which sat just below the Toyota LandCruiser but above the Prado in size.
According to Filipino publication Daily Tribune, the new Mitsubishi Pajero is set to go on sale in Japan in December 2026, though its reveal is expected to be held before then.
The report claims the new Pajero will be produced in Thailand, giving weight to the theory that it’s the direct successor to the Pajero Sport, given that’s where the SUV and its Triton ute twin-under-the-skin were built.
Mitsubishi launched its new-generation Triton in 2023, which included a move to a new twin-turbo 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, resulting in outputs of 150kW and 470Nm, compared to the Pajero Sport’s 133kW and 430Nm figures.
Japanese outlet Best Car additionally reports the new Pajero will continue to be underpinned by the same chassis and powertrain as the Triton, which includes Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD-II system.
We’re yet to see what the new Pajero looks like under its camouflage, however its basic shape is very closely related to the new Mitsubishi Destinator, revealed in July as the brand’s latest seven-seat offering for South-East Asia and some parts of Africa.
The Destinator itself features a number of design cues from the wider Mitsubishi lineup such as the Outlander, with its rotated T-shaped headlights and tail lights, faux roof rails and chunky C-pillar.
However, the Destinator is a monocoque vehicle as opposed to the Pajero’s body-on-frame underpinnings, and the Indonesian-built three-row SUV also only offers a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, driving the front wheels.
The return of the Pajero in late 2026 would mark the first time in five years that the SUV has been on sale, with production ending in 2021.
Its smaller Pajero Sport counterpart has continued on sale in certain markets, however it was axed from Australia by March 2025, as it couldn’t meet new specific performance requirements for autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems, under Australian Design Rule 98/00.
ADR 98/00 also led to the end of the existing Mitsubishi ASX and the Eclipse Cross, as well as models from other brands such as the Mazda 6, and Suzuki’s Ignis, S-Cross, Vitara, Swift Sport and three-door Jimny.
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