Home / Motoring / SUVs & Trucks

Mitsubishi’s Toyota Land Cruiser Rival Is Definitely Coming Back to America

The Japanese four-wheeling trifecta will once again be complete in the US.

Silver Mitsubishi SUV front view with visible grille and headlights on a dirt road.Mitsubishi
Add Gear Patrol as a Preferred Source on Google
A black and white portrait of a smiling man with short, dark hair. He is wearing a light-colored blazer over a collared shirt. The background is plain and unobtrusive.

By Chris Chin

Published

·

Mitsubishi off-roader fans assemble! After a nearly 20-year hiatus, the full-size Montero is returning to America along with the next-gen Pajero.

Automotive News received confirmation after attending a closed-door North American Mitsubishi dealer conference. During that conference, Mitsubishi Cars execs shared the news with dealer principals, as the brand is looking to revamp its presence here in the States.

The Montero strikes back

Silver Mitsubishi Pajero SUV driving on a road with greenery and water in the background.
Japanese off-roader fans will be ecstatic to know that the Mitsubishi Montero is coming back to America.
Mitsubishi

The last time Mitsubishi sold a full-size Montero was between 1999 and 2006 with the third-generation model. When the fourth-gen arrived in 2007, the Japanese Three-Diamond yanked the model from American shores.

Reasons for the US discontinuation were due to slumping sales and rising price tags on account of unfavorable taxes and currency conversion rates at the time. Additionally, Mitsubishi suffered a major blow after rollover safety became a huge priority in America in the 2000s.

Silver Mitsubishi SUV with roof rails driving on a dirt road with blurred green background.
A smaller Montero Sport is also said to be in the works.
Mitsubishi

Sadly, both the Montero and Montero Sport achieved poor rollover crash ratings, which affected their Stateside reputation. However, fans and off-roading enthusiasts still love the worldly four-by-four to the point that it has reached cult status.

Mitsubishi wants to be whole again in America

Two silver Mitsubishi Pajero SUVs parked on an asphalt lot with trees in the background.
We may not get a three-door Montero, so the full-size will likely take the Toyota Land Cruiser head-on.
Mitsubishi

Additionally, Mitsubishi’s presence here in Yankeeland has fallen by the wayside over the past nearly two decades. From the Galant and Lancer sedan to the Eclipse sports coupe, it’s lost some great ones. And even some pioneering electric vehicles, such as the i-MiEV.

Mitsubishi Motors is a shadow of its former glorious past today, rebadging Nissans just to say somewhat relevant. The carmaker’s lineup only consists of the Outlander Sport and Outlander SUVs.

But the brand now wants to completely change that, with its new “Momentum 2030” strategy.

Dark SUV with vertical LED headlights driving on a road at sunset with hills in the background.
Mitsubishi teased the next-gen Pajero not too long ago, and we already love it.
Mitsubishi

“It’s night and day from the current aging lineup,” an unnamed dealer principal told AN in a brief interview. “Mitsubishi’s a niche player, I don’t want to sell $20,000 cars.”

The plan reportedly consists of reviving the Montero for the US, along with a potential Montero Sport and even a midsize pickup, a la Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger fighter.

Expected arrival dates? The strategy is calling for the Montero to return by 2030 while the midsize pickup is slated for 2029. Said pickup will also apparently utilize a Nissan body-on-frame chassis.

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).

Read More

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

add as a preferred source on google
, ,