The legendary Mitsubishi Pajero is officially back

Mitsubishi Motors has officially pulled the covers off the all-new Pajero, marking the return of one of the brand's most recognizable nameplates as its next-generation flagship SUV.

Making its world premiere today, the redesigned Pajero brings the model into a new era while retaining the formula that made its predecessors popular. Mitsubishi describes the new SUV around three key pillars: confidence, comfort, and a new element it calls prestige.

The all-new Pajero will be built in Thailand, with the country set to be its first market. Mitsubishi plans to introduce the SUV in Japan and Australia within fiscal year 2026, before expanding its availability to around 100 markets worldwide from fiscal year 2027, including ASEAN, Latin America, and the Middle East.

First introduced in 1982, the Pajero became one of Mitsubishi's defining models, with more than 3.29 million units produced across four generations. Its combination of genuine off-road ability and everyday usability also helped establish the SUV as a popular choice among adventure-oriented buyers.

For its latest iteration, Mitsubishi has given the Pajero a more premium and imposing appearance under a design concept called "Grand Charisma." The exterior retains familiar cues from earlier generations, including an upright profile, prominent horizontal lines, a distinctive C-pillar inspired by the original model's roll bar, and a hexagonal rear design that references the spare tire mounted on previous Pajeros.

Inside, the SUV gets a thoroughly modern cabin centered around a pair of 14.3-inch displays. Mitsubishi has also brought back the Pajero's signature triple-gauge layout in digital form through its new Multi-Meter display, which can show information such as altitude, compass direction, temperature, vehicle pitch and roll, and Active Yaw Control status.

Under the hood is a newly developed 2.4-liter clean diesel engine; no hp figures yet, but Mitsubishi says it can produce up to 480 Nm of torque. It is paired with a new eight-speed automatic transmission and rides on a highly rigid ladder-frame chassis. The suspension combines a double-wishbone front setup with a newly developed five-link rigid rear axle, aiming to balance off-road performance with improved comfort on paved roads.

As expected from a Pajero, four-wheel-drive capability remains. The SUV comes equipped with Mitsubishi's Super Select 4WD-II system, offering 2H, 4H, 4HLc, and 4LLc modes, along with the brand's Super-All Wheel Control system. Seven drive modes are also available, covering Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand, and Rock conditions.

Measuring 4,920 mm long, 1,925 mm wide, and 1,910 mm tall, the seven-seat SUV has 230 mm of ground clearance and approach, breakover, and departure angles of 30.4, 22.6, and 25.8 degrees, respectively.

Being that the Pajero is set to make a move upmarket, comfort has also received plenty of attention, with three-row seating, a 150 mm sliding second row, seat ventilation, three-zone automatic climate control, and additional sound insulation throughout the cabin. Safety features include Forward Collision Mitigation, Emergency Lane Assist, Front Cross Traffic Alert, MI-PILOT highway driving assistance, and eight airbags, including Mitsubishi's first center airbag.

Other highlights include a 3D Multi Around Monitor with an under-floor view for off-road driving, Mitsubishi Connect services, and a 12-speaker Dynamic Sound Yamaha Ultimate audio system.

With a stronger focus on refinement while maintaining its ladder-frame construction and serious off-road hardware, the all-new Pajero is shaping up to be one of Mitsubishi’s most important cars this year. How long it will take to reach our shores, we don’t know just yet, but we’re definitely excited.