Mitsubishi pulled the covers off an all-new Pajero on September 2, 2026, resurrecting a nameplate that hasn’t been sold new in America, under its U.S. name Montero, since the 2006 model year. The reveal is real and official, straight from Mitsubishi itself, even though the automaker hasn’t said a word yet about whether American buyers will ever get to order one.

Key Points

• Mitsubishi’s official newsroom release confirms the world premiere of the “all-new Pajero Cross-Country SUV” on September 2, 2026.
• “The all-new Pajero is the first model to bring this vision to life,” said Keisuke Kishiura, Mitsubishi’s president and COO, in the company’s statement.
• Launch begins in Thailand, followed by Japan and Australia during Mitsubishi’s current fiscal year, then expands to roughly 100 countries across the Middle East, Latin America and ASEAN starting in fiscal 2027, per the release. No U.S. launch has been confirmed.
• Power comes from a 2.4-liter diesel with a variable-geometry turbocharger producing up to 480Nm of torque through an 8-speed automatic, according to Mitsubishi.
• Off-road hardware includes Super Select 4WD-II with four modes, a seven-position drive mode selector covering everything from Gravel to Rock, a body-on-ladder-frame chassis, and a 230mm ground clearance, per Mitsubishi’s specifications.

Why the Montero Name Still Carries Weight in America

The Montero ran in U.S. showrooms from 1983 through 2006, evolving from a boxy two-door off-roader into a three-row family SUV before Mitsubishi pulled it from the American lineup entirely, according to research compiled by Cars.com. Globally, the Pajero name never stopped selling, moving more than 3.29 million units across four generations in over 170 countries and regions, per Mitsubishi’s own figures. That gap between the nameplate’s continued global relevance and its two-decade American absence is exactly what makes this reveal notable to U.S. enthusiasts who’ve watched Mitsubishi’s domestic lineup shrink to crossovers and the Outlander in the years since.

The new truck is unmistakably built for real off-roading rather than pavement duty. Mitsubishi’s spec sheet lists a 30.4-degree approach angle and 25.8-degree departure angle, a five-link rigid rear axle paired with independent double-wishbone front suspension, and a 3D Multi Around Monitor with a front under-floor camera view for picking a line over obstacles the driver can’t otherwise see. Seven dedicated drive modes, including Sand, Mud and Rock settings layered on top of the Super Select 4WD-II system, point toward a vehicle engineered for markets where unpaved roads are the norm rather than the exception.

The Open Question

Mitsubishi’s rollout plan runs through roughly 100 countries by fiscal 2027 without a single mention of North America, according to the company’s own release. For now, the Pajero’s return is confirmed, funded and already scheduled market by market, just not for the one market where its old Montero badge still means something to a generation of off-road buyers who haven’t been able to walk into a dealership and order one in twenty years.