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Mitsubishi is returning to America’s truck market with a little help from corporate partner Nissan. In the coming years, Mitsubishi will offer a pickup, very likely based on the Frontier, and return to the segment it abandoned when the Dakota-based Raider exited the market more than 15 years ago.
Rumors of a new Nissan-based Mitsubishi pickup have been swirling for years. At one point, it was suggested that the resulting product might be something more closely aligned with the unibody Ford Maverick, rather than the midsize, body-on-frame Frontier. Based on what we can see here, not to mention Nissan’s current financial situation, it makes far more sense for the two to produce a new vehicle on an existing, U.S.-built platform. That’s the Frontier you hear in the back corner, shouting, “Ooooh, pick me!”
Mitsubishi confirmed the truck’s introduction as one of the next steps in its “Momentum 2030” initiative, which includes several other models we already knew about, including a Leaf-based Eclipse EV.
“As part of this strategy, Mitsubishi Motors also intends to re-enter the pickup truck segment in North America through its collaboration with Nissan, further expanding the brand’s reach and relevance in the U.S. market,” the company’s announcement said.
“When we launched Momentum 2030, many questioned whether such an ambitious vision could be achieved. Today, that vision is taking shape,” said Mark Chaffin, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. “Mitsubishi Motors is fully committed, and the path forward for the U.S. market is clear. This is the most comprehensive growth plan we have ever undertaken in the region, built around delivering greater value to customers, creating new opportunities for our dealer partners, and strengthening the long-term future of the brand.”
Mitsubishi has also confirmed that we’re going to learn more about the revived Montero (sold elsewhere as the Pajero) soon—quite soon, in fact. The global reveal is slated for next Wednesday, Sept. 2, but we’re not expecting the U.S.-specific model to arrive for a few years.
This feels like a promising development for those who might be in the market for an affordable pickup truck. How about some fun cars next, eh?
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Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories.
