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The story
On September 2, Mitsubishi Motors unveiled the fully redesigned new Pajero to the world for the first time. Its return to the Japanese market comes after roughly seven years away, with pre-orders opening on October 1. The Pajero was the quintessential rugged 4×4 that symbolized the 1990s RV boom, but as that boom faded and demand shifted toward minivans and urban SUVs, domestic production ended in 2019. This time around, it returns as a globally strategic model built in Thailand, rolling out to around 100 countries including Japan. Thread reactions ranged widely — covering the new dedicated ladder frame, opinions on the redesign, Mitsubishi’s shrinking domestic market share, and nostalgia for the old model’s round headlights.
Mitsubishi Motors unveiled the comprehensively redesigned Pajero to the world on September 2. The Pajero’s return to the domestic market comes after about seven years. As the brand’s flagship model, it will be sold in around 100 countries including Japan, Thailand, and Australia. Production will take place in Thailand, with pre-orders opening in Japan on October 1.
The Pajero was a serious off-roader that won huge popularity during the 1990s “RV boom,” becoming a symbol of the company. But as that boom ended and demand grew for minivans and urban SUVs, sales slumped, and domestic production came to an end in 2019.
This time, it returns as the company’s flagship model, rolling out globally, including in the Japanese market.
Source: imgur.com / Original article here
What people said
Sounds like they're bringing back the Pajero Mini too.
If anything, that's probably the whole point of reviving the full-size Pajero.
The Mini alone wouldn't cut it.
Fair point.
Honestly, a ladder-frame-integrated monocoque had better rigidity and torsional strength anyway.
And four-wheel independent suspension gave a smoother ride too.
The correct way to drive one of these is to polish it up to a mirror shine and never, ever take it off-road.
Re: #33
I wonder what the old Pajero town is up to now.
Nobody buys a car like this for horsepower — it's all about torque.
Pulling close to 50 kgm of torque is genuinely strong.
200 hp for that much weight? That's kei-car-tier garbage (kei cars being Japan's tiny 660cc minicars).
Never thought we'd see the day when you barely spot a Mitsubishi on the road.
There are fewer Mitsubishis around now than foreign cars.
The one you probably see most often is the Minicab (Mitsubishi's kei truck).
Seriously though, outside of Toyota, Honda, and Suzuki, every other Japanese automaker combined sells less than foreign brands do.
Don Quijote parking spaces are absurdly narrow.
Even with a normal SUV, if the car next to you is parked close, you can't open your door.
If they added a PHEV version too, I bet it'd actually sell pretty well.
Would be nice if they had something like Subaru, where they're actually stronger in the US than back home.
The Outlander PHEV is genuinely a great car.
They really don't get it.
Makes you wonder if whoever developed this actually hates rugged 4x4s.
At least they brought the ladder frame back, I guess.
Probably not even targeting the Japanese market.
Southeast Asia or Australia is likely the main focus.
Round headlights don't really fly globally anyway.
The revived Mitsubishi Pajero — Triton-based, launching in Japan in 2026!
https://www.goo-net.com/magazine/newmodel/scoop/228849/
Honestly the fan-made rendering looks cooler than the real thing lol
The Delica is Mitsubishi's conscience.
Nah, it should be the Dion.
The Grandis had needlessly high taxes and bad fuel economy.
Didn't realize Pajero Manufacturing had shut down.
So that's why it's made in Thailand now.
Would you even buy this? The Land Cruiser's still built in Japan.
Someone told me unless you're a serious car enthusiast, you wouldn't even know what a Lancer Evo is over there.
Southeast Asia is Mitsubishi's real home turf.
The Pajero has to look like this, and nothing else.
https://imgur.com/a/drYZMjk.png
Background and Key Points
The Pajero was built for decades at “Pajero Manufacturing” in Sakahogi, Gifu Prefecture, but that plant ceased operations when domestic production ended in 2019. The thread comment about “the lights not coming back on in Sakahogi” refers to this factory closure. The new model shifts production to Thailand and is designed around a rollout spanning roughly 100 countries, including Australia and Southeast Asia — which is also the context behind calls for the old round headlights, since development priorities lean toward global markets over Japan. The debate over the ladder frame reflects a broader divide in design philosophy: rugged, off-road-focused SUVs built around a ladder frame versus more recent SUVs that prioritize ride comfort and monocoque construction. Pricing, Japan-specific specs, and an official launch date were not revealed in this announcement, and are expected to be disclosed gradually after pre-orders open in October.
*This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (News Express+) thread “[Mitsubishi Motors] New Pajero Makes World Debut — Back in Japan After 7 Years, Pre-Orders Open in October, Featuring Dedicated Ladder Frame.”
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