After officially confirming its arrival in May, Mitsubishi is finally giving us a target date for the debut of the 2027 Montero SUV, which will be known in Japan and other markets as a Pajero. The automaker acknowledged via Instagram that the body-on-frame off-roader will debut to the public on September 2, meaning we’re less than two weeks away from seeing what Mitsubishi is cooking up to fight the Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser.
Back To The Future
A teaser image of a Mitsubishi Pajero under a cover with the headlights showing through.Mitsubishi
The 2027 Mitsubishi Pajero has some big shoes to fill, but luckily for off-road enthusiasts, the automaker doesn’t seem like it wants to reinvent the wheel. Body-on-frame construction and a solid rear axle ensure the new Pajero/Montero will be a robust performer over rough terrain. A recent teaser video confirmed our expectations from spy photos, specifically that the Mitsubishi SUV will have plenty of ground clearance thanks to an exhaust and other underbody components that are tucked up above the frame rails.
Also plainly seen in Mitsubishi’s teaser images is a slick secondary instrument display that recalls the original Monty’s dash-mounted auxiliary gauge cluster, providing the modern SUV with altitude, tilt, and roll information that proves very important when traversing off-road obstacles. The 2027 Montero and its global-market Pajero sibling are clearly channeling their predecessors’ Dakar-winning history and legendary ruggedness with both hardware and software.
What To Expect From The Newest Mitsubishi?
Close
Unfortunately, apart from a few key specifications, we don’t know what to expect of the next-generation Pajero and Montero. It could ride on a beefed-up version of the Nissan F-Alpha platform currently used by the Frontier pickup, or it could take inspiration from the overseas-only Mitsubishi Triton midsize truck. There’s also the possibility that it’ll ride on a totally new body-on-frame chassis that it could share with the forthcoming 2028 Xterra and 2029 Pathfinder. We suspect a hybrid powertrain will be offered, potentially giving us a preview of the gas-electric Xterra redux.
If that’s the case, Mitsubishi could potentially repurpose the 297-horsepower, 332-pound-foot plug-in hybrid powertrain from the Outlander PHEV, subbing in an electrified transmission and transfer case for the less rugged crossover’s front and rear electric drive units. Doing so would give the Montero more power and torque than the non-hybrid 4Runner and the non-V8 Jeep Wrangler. Of course, we learned a few months ago that the Xterra’s hybrid powertrain would feature a V6, not the Outlander’s four-banger, so it’s possible Mitsubishi is cooking up something entirely different for its own off-roader.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Mitsubishi isn’t doing too hot in the US right now. Apart from the thoroughly decent Outlander, the rest of the brand’s products are pretty stale. That’ll change next year, not only via the Montero and Pajero but also thanks to the 2027 Eclipse Sportback, a cheerful EV that clearly shares a lot with the similarly lovable Nissan Leaf. Still, after being an afterthought in the American market for so long, Mitsubishi really needs to make a splash to entice new shoppers.
Base Trim Engine
1.5L I4 Hybrid
Base Trim Transmission
2-speed CVT
Base Trim Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
177 HP @6000 RPM
Base Trim Torque
207 lb.-ft. @ 3600 RPM
Segment
Compact SUV
The Montero could be just that vehicle, with a name that harks back to the last time Mitsubishi was relevant in the US. If it nails the off-road capability brief and is large and/or well-priced enough, the next-generation Mitsu off-roader should be a brand-defining success.
Source: Mitsubishi on Instagram
