Although all eyes have been on the rumored (and then revealed) 2027 Mitsubishi Pajero for the last few months, the automaker has been cooking up some other SUV news in secret. Confirmed yesterday at the midsize SUV’s debut, the three-row Pajero will also get “compact and small” siblings that will share its name, a move that’ll imbue them with some off-road personality (if not as much overt capability).
The entry-level SUVs haven’t been confirmed for US sale – come to think of it, neither has the big Pajero – but we suspect Mitsubishi might consider bringing ’em here to rival small crossovers like the Ford Bronco Sport and Subaru Crosstrek.
There Will Be Two More Members Of The Pajero Family
Mitsubishi Pajero Mini Kei Car TeaserMitsubishi
Although Mitsubishi didn’t reveal them, the automaker did include two obscured, pint-sized SUVs in its reveal presentation for the Pajero. One has the tall, narrow proportions of a kei car, not unlike the Delica Mini, which suggests less intense terrain capability in favor of around-town style and occasional outdoor adventures at the end of a country road. With standard all-wheel drive and a handful of off-road drive modes, the littlest Delica could be a solid basis for a kei-size SUV, which wouldn’t be entirely out of character for Mitsubishi – the company offered a dinky little Pajero Mini powered by a 0.7-liter four-cylinder until 2012.
Mitsubishi Pajero Compact SUV TeaserMitsubishi
The other vehicle hidden beneath the silk sheets is clearly larger than the suspected kei crossover. It looks like it could make a great replacement for the aging Outlander Sport, which has been on the market essentially unchanged since the 2011 model year. Unlike that vehicle, the potential Pajero pequeño is tall and blocky, with a stance that reminds us of the first-generation Land Rover Discovery – just downsized a bit. Again, there’s precedent for a compact off-road SUV, as Mitsubishi marketed a Grand Vitara-sized Pajero iO (also called the Pajero Pinin) until 2015 in some markets.
It seems all but guaranteed that Mitsubishi will use unibody architecture for both of its small Pajero-family SUVs, considering the company doesn’t really have a body-on-frame platform that’s smaller than the one used by the Pajero and its Triton pickup sibling. That doesn’t necessarily preclude off-road personality, considering the Bronco Sport, Forester Wilderness, and bygone Land Rover Freelander all use unitized chassis and can handle an off-road trail or two.
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
Infotainment & Features
9 /10
Will The Pajero And Its Compact Siblings Come To The US?
Mitsubishi Motors North America hasn’t confirmed whether the newly revealed Pajero or its smaller counterparts will be offered in US showrooms. Considering how popular off-road–flavored SUVs and crossovers have become in the past five years or so, we think the automaker would be missing out on a profitable little segment if it chooses to keep the Pajero family away, but the larger SUV is built exclusively in Thailand, and the Triton truck with which it shares a platform isn’t offered in the US – tariffs and manufacturing complexity could conspire to keep it out of local dealerships, unfortunately.
2000 Mitsubishi Pajero Mini Snoopy EditionBring a Trailer
The same might not be true of the smaller Pajero SUVs. A kei-class trucklet wouldn’t make the swim across the Pacific, but a subcompact or compact SUV could be just the ticket to help Mitsubishi accomplish two goals: Become more profitable and re-establish a unique identity in the US. Sales for its existing small SUVs, the Eclipse Cross and the Outlander Sport, are a drop in the bucket compared to their more popular rivals from Subaru and Toyota, and a stylish, off-road–oriented Pajero crossover could help the brand gain more visibility and relevance.
2001 – 2002 Mitsubishi Montero – front 3/4 angle in redMitsubishi
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
The Pajero alone was enough to prove that there are signs of life at Mitsubishi, and now that there are two smaller vehicles that’ll take after their off-road legend of a big brother, the brand might be right on the verge of a healthy turnaround. We’d love to witness it up close, as in, from behind the wheel of a rebadged 2028 Montero or Montero Sport, but we’ll see if that’s the case.
If not, America will once again miss out on some of Mitsubishi’s coolest, most unique cars.
Source: Motor1
