Mitsubishi has officially announced that its new flagship 4WD SUV will be named Pajero and is set to arrive at Australian dealerships before the end of 2026.
After months of speculation and frequent sightings of camouflaged test vehicles, the new large off-road flagship will take its place at the top of Mitsubishi’s range as a new-generation 4WD in the fourth quarter of 2026. While the brand has not yet revealed details such as dimensions or powertrain specifications, it has shared a teaser image. However, it has confirmed that the new Pajero is a ground-up offering designed to uphold the nameplate’s legacy. It will also represent a step beyond the current Triton-based Pajero Sport in terms of positioning.
A new Mitsubishi Pajero is drawing closer, and there are expectations that it could spawn a tough off-road Ralliart version to compete with the 2026 Toyota LandCruiser and 2027 Nissan Patrol.
There is also a fresh twist for the new 2027 Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD, as the iconic style of previous models may be axed in favor of a reborn legend. Reports suggest that the new Pajero will serve as a benchmark against the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.
Additionally, the 2026 Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD is expected to have a broad range as it prepares to face competition from the Denza B5 and Toyota Prado, according to recent reports.
The Pajero will be manufactured in Thailand alongside the new-generation Triton. It is confirmed that it will share its underpinnings with the brand’s best-selling ute, much like the Pajero Sport that came before it.
Bruce Hampel, Mitsubishi Australia’s General Manager of Product Strategy and PR, mentioned that the company anticipates running out of stock of the outgoing Pajero Sport before the new full-fat Pajero arrives as a replacement. He also noted that Australia will not be the launch market for the new-generation Pajero, with the Thai market likely to see it first. Previous reports indicated that the model is intended to be as global as possible for Mitsubishi, with plans to export the 4WD to Japan and other key markets.
Hampel emphasized that the Pajero will be the brand’s premium flagship.
Earlier information from Japan suggests that the new Pajero will be available in at least three trim levels, likely following familiar naming conventions to the current Triton range. There is also the possibility that the top-spec grade could be called Exceed, a nod to the previous-generation model that ended production in 2021.
Don’t expect the return of the previous model’s 3.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine (141kW/441Nm). Instead, the most likely powertrain will be the updated 2.4-litre diesel engine that powers the current Triton range (150kW/470Nm).
The new Pajero won’t be Mitsubishi’s only radical new offering in Australia in 2026. The brand has also confirmed that its upcoming joint-venture electric small SUV with Taiwan’s Foxconn is set to arrive before the end of the year.
Mitsubishi is hoping that the addition of these two key new models will help reverse its sales decline of over 25 per cent in Australia this year. This decline has been partly due to reduced stock of the Pajero Sport and the discontinuation of the previously popular Japan-sourced ASX small SUV. The ASX has since been replaced by a more expensive Euro-sourced model based on the Renault Captur.
On a positive note, the Triton has seen a healthy increase in sales, with 18.7 per cent growth for 4×4 variants and 36.3 per cent for 4×2 variants. This is due to the full range of commercial and private buyer offerings coming online, along with recent MY26 updates that continue to enhance the key ute model.
The just-launched Premcar-tuned Raider now tops out the range at $79,990, as Mitsubishi experiments with a new price point ahead of a long-rumored Ralliart revival in the future.
More details about the new-generation Pajero are expected to be revealed closer to its on-sale date later this year.
