UPDATE: 2026/08/08 11:00 EST BY SEAN MCMANUS
Mitsubishi Needs The Montero To Stay Relevant
We added a section to talk about the brand’s current offerings, sales figures, and insight into why the Montero needs to be great.
Mitsubishi has officially committed to a date for the return of its once-popular Pajero nameplate, which will debut this fall. The automaker will market the off-roader in some regions, including the US, as the Montero, harking back to the big, boxy flagship SUV sold here until the 2006 model year. Furthermore, Mitsubishi confirmed a few things in its teaser confirming the new Pajero’s reveal, including a robust ladder frame and solid rear axle, as if to warn the Toyota Land Cruiser to watch its back.
Robust Off-Road Hardware
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The 2027 Mitsubishi Pajero (and its likely-2028 Montero twin) have a few key construction elements that should help it live up to the Dakar-winning reputation of its forebears. The fully boxed ladder frame will likely share a heavily modified version of Nissan’s F-Alpha architecture with the forthcoming Pathfinder and Xterra SUVs, and it will also borrow some DNA from the overseas-only Mitsubishi Triton pickup. Those robust bones should give it a stiff chassis, allowing the solid rear axle to flex and articulate over bumps and obstacles.
The teaser image at the top also shows that Mitsubishi is serious about giving its SUV good underbody clearance. As on the current Nissan Armada and Patrol, the Montero’s exhaust system is tucked up high, routing above the frame crossmembers in some places to increase breakover angle when traversing larger bumps. The rear differential looks to be the point of minimum ground clearance, which is easy to compensate for by wheel placement. Such a design does require some compromises in interior space, but it shows that Mitsubishi wants the Montero and Pajero to be as capable off-road as anything else in the class.
The new Mitsubishi SUV will get a version of the company’s full-time Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) technology, which should include an active center differential and brake-based torque vectoring. That said, we presume the system will be much different than the lighter-duty S-AWC found on unibody CUVs like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and Outlander Sport. Plan on seeing a two-speed transfer case and mechanical rear axle lock on the 2027 Pajero and 2028 Montero, giving it much better performance in low-grip situations than its crossover kin.
What’s Under The Hood?
Mitsubishi Pajero TeaserMitsubishi
It’s unclear what powertrain Mitsubishi will use to power the new Montero, but we presume it’ll have some form of electrification like its forthcoming Xterra cousin. That model has been confirmed to return with a V6 hybrid powertrain, which may borrow some e-POWER technology from the Nissan Rogue. Although we doubt the engine will be completely disconnected from the wheels, as it is in the Rogue, the Xterra and Montero could potentially use an electric motor-generator transmission to send power to the transfer case and then on to physical front and rear driveshafts.
That layout would allow the Montero’s gasoline engine to operate in a more closely defined rev range that better balances power needs and efficiency, without sacrificing any of the SUV’s reputation for reliability and toughness in hard off-road conditions. In fact, an e-motor transmission could be even more reliable than a traditional geared unit, having fewer moving parts (and potential failure spots as a result).
Close-up of the Multi Meter gauges in the upcoming Mitsubishi Montero and PajeroMitsubishi
Although we haven’t seen the Montero/Pajero twins undisguised yet, the test mules we have seen clearly betray the SUV’s resemblance to its forebears. The upright windshield, tall stance, and relatively narrow track give it the same charming proportions as the funky family off-roader from the 1990s, although the wide front light bar (and clever digital triplet of auxiliary gauges) clearly mark it as a modern sport-ute.
That’s Not The Only Off-Roader Making A Comeback
2028 Nissan Xterra side profile silhouetteNissan / Christian Meunier (LinkedIn)
As great as a future Pajero/Montero will be, we’re equally excited about the previously-mentioned forthcoming Nissan Xterra. CarBuzz previously reported on the Xterra’s confirmed powertrains, and how there will be both gas-only and hybrid V6 options. It most likely won’t use the brand’s new “e-Power technology,” since it uses the gas engine as a generator for its electric motors that actually spin the wheels. Instead, the Xterra will feature a regular hybrid system similar to its rival, the Toyota 4Runner.
Nissan is serious about off-roading this new SUV. The automaker confirmed the use of 35-inch tires (with room for 37s), and the car will heavily lean into customization. Part of what makes off-roading fun is the ability to build, upgrade, and otherwise customize your rig — Nissan knows this and intends to make the Xterra “adaptable very easily, so the aftermarket can do things like lift kits, bigger wheels, tires, and fender flares, for example” (Ponz Pandikuthira, Chief Product Officer at Nissan Americas).
Mitsubishi Needs The Montero To Stay Relevant
A teaser image of a Mitsubishi Pajero under a cover with the headlights showing through.Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi once offered an incredible range of sports cars and SUVs, including the 3000GT VR4, the first and second-generation Montero and Pajero, the Lancer EVO X (and all the previous EVOs), Eclipse GSX Turbo, and so on. You get the picture. However, today’s buyers are limited to the 2026 Outlander, Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, and Eclipse Cross. Three versions of the Outlander and one crossover bearing the name of a discontinued sports car isn’t the best look for a brand trying to become relevant again.
To date, according to the automaker’s Q2 sales report, Mitsubishi has sold 50,011 units from January through June. That accounts for 20,508 Outlander Sports — easily the brand’s most popular model — 16,283 Outlanders, 1,914 Outlander PHEVs, 11,260 Eclipse Crosses, and, for some reason, 46 Mirages, which were discontinued after the 2025 model year. All that said, sales are down by 3,742 units compared to 2025.
If the brand is to bounce back in the public eye, it needs more models. Not just any models, either — buyers don’t want another Outlander variant. The new Montero/Pajero needs to be cool, rugged, durable, capable, and relatively affordable.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Mitsubishi is a few wrong moves away from life support in the US. Although the modern, seven-seat Outlander PHEV is a fine option in its segment, most of the company’s other cars are extremely dated and dull. Some help is coming via the 2027 Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback EV – which is clearly based on the excellent Nissan Leaf – but the new Pajero and Montero will probably be the first real salvo in the company’s comeback tour. We like what we see so far, and we’re feeling more bullish about the company’s prospects than ever.
Base Trim Engine
3.5L Twin-Turbo V6 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
9-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
425 HP @5600 RPM
Base Trim Torque
516 lb.-ft. @ 3600 RPM
Infotainment & Features
9 /10
Source: Mitsubishi, Nissan
