Mitsubishi’s Highly Anticipated Pajero Comeback Is Even Taking Aim at the Toyota RAV4

The standard Pajero won’t be the only rugged revival.

Silver Mitsubishi Montero Sport SUV front side with headlights on, parked on a dirt path near grass.

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Published 2 hours ago

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Updated 38 minutes ago

Mitsubishi isn’t confining its new Pajero revival to the standard full-size model. The Japanese automaker is apparently also brewing up a smaller variant to take on the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and crew.

Moreover, the Pajero’s lineup expansion apparently won’t stop there. The model’s product planners are also supposedly working on a tiny Kei car variant in a bid to compete with rigs like the Suzuki Jimny.

The Pajero wants to also fight the Toyota RAV4 and co.

Silver Mitsubishi Pajero Sport SUV driving on a dirt road with blurred green foliage background. — A smaller Pajero is on the way to show up the Toyota RAV4 and friends.

Mitsubishi’s revival of the Pajero most certainly has us excited, as it’s one of the Toyota Land Cruiser’s arch-rivals. But according to multiple reports and the latest development, the full-size model won’t be the only offering.

The Japanese automaker is also keeping with tradition by offering multiple variants. One of those will apparently be a smaller version to battle the Toyota RAV4 and its associated competition.

And another will also surface to likely compete against the Suzuki Jimny and its competitors. However, the latter probably won’t make to American shores if the Pajero returns as the Montero.

Silver Mitsubishi SUV parked on a dirt road with green hills and trees in the background. — Could this smaller Pajero come back as a Montero Sport if Mitsubishi sends us the new model? We hope so.

The latest update, from Japan’s Nikkei, reaffirms previous rumors of Mitsubishi’s multiple Pajero offerings or another crossover-based soft-roader. Previous rumors suggested the new Pajero could revive its smaller sibling, the Pajero Sport. Alternatively, it could be a more rugged spin-off of the Outlander.

With the prospect of the Pajero returning to America as the Montero, however, said rumors about the Pajero Sport also drummed up hype around a possible new Montero Sport model.

The smaller Pajero will likely be a crossover

Silver Mitsubishi Montero Sport SUV parked on a dirt path with grassy hills and trees in the background. — The original Montero Sport was a fairly sizable SUV, even when it was new back in the 2000s. It was certainly larger than a RAV4.

In the latest bit from Nikkei, company insiders apparently did confirm a new, smaller rugged crossover SUV based on the Pajero in some capacity. Unlike the standard Pajero, which will depend on a tough ladder body-on-frame platform, this new supposed RAV4 contender will stick to a car-based unibody.

The plan is to offer the best of both worlds, pairing the size, efficiency, and affordability of a family-friendly gas-electric hybrid CUV with the off-roading chops of the larger Pajero.

Gray leather steering wheel and seats with wood trim dashboard and automatic gear shift in a car interior. — It’s not known if this new RAV4 competitor will take on the Pajero Sport or Montero Sport nameplates.

It’s a formula that’s been gaining a lot of traction lately. Some alternative examples include the Nissan Rogue/X-Trail Rock Creek, Subaru’s Wilderness models, Hyundai’s XRT Pro line and, of course, Toyota’s RAV4 Woodland.

Earlier this year, during Mitsubishi’s annual investor conference, company executives confirmed the three new SUVs as part of a product strategy pitch. In the visual graphic provided in the presentation, one can clearly see the standard Pajero in the pipeline.

Underside of a vehicle kicking up dust with the word "PAJERO" overlaid in white text. — Unlike the standard Pajero, the crossover variant will stick to a car-based unibody and a front-wheel-drive-based powertrain.

But below it, two covered vehicles hinted at a smaller, midsize SUV along with a much smaller Kei car-like variant. Further details are sparse.

However, the same report says the Pajero’s variants will still arrive before the end of the decade.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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