Key highlights:
- 5th-gen Pajero debuts September 2 ahead of showroom arrival by Dec 2025
- New S-AWC full-time 4WD system confirmed
- Six variants carry forward the GLX, GLS, Exceed and GSR grades
Mitsubishi has locked in the global debut of its new-generation Pajero on September 2, 2026, with the iconic SUV set to return to the market after a five-year absence. The fifth-generation Pajero will hit Australian showrooms by the end of the year, as revealed earlier.
Mitsubishi hasn’t mentioned any further details about the SUV yet, but government filings, spy shots and previous company announcements already paint a clear picture of what to expect. The company is expected to announce the Pajero’s pricing after the September 2 reveal.
Mitsubishi ended production of the fourth-generation Pajero in 2021 after 15 years, and the new 2027 model brings the nameplate back while also effectively replacing the Pajero Sport, which was stopped in 2025.
The new Pajero will enter a competitive large off-road SUV market alongside Isuzu MU-X, Ford Everest, and Toyota LandCruiser Prado.
Six variants of Pajero across four grades
Australian government homologation filings show the new 2027 Mitsubishi Pajero will come in six variants across four familiar grades: GLX, GLS, Exceed, and GSR. The GLS and Exceed grades will offer both five-seat and seven-seat configurations.
Pajero returns to a tougher foundation
Spy photos and teaser images unveiled so far show a more rugged, boxier SUV than the outgoing Pajero, and it also appears the Pajero has returned to ladder-frame construction for the first time in two generations.
The new Pajero is expected to have the rugged underpinnings from the current-generation Triton ute, and it could pair the ladder frame with a multi-link rear suspension to offer a more sophisticated setup than the Triton.
The Triton is also expected to donate its 2.4-litre twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder engine to the new Pajero, producing 150kW and 470Nm.
Upcoming Pajero’s rivals, like the Ford Everest, have a 2.0-litre single-turbo diesel producing 125kW / 405Nm, and the Toyota Prado uses a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel producing 150kW / 500Nm.
The previous Pajero Sport used an eight-speed automatic, which the brand is expected to continue.
Mitsubishi has also confirmed plans for a Pajero hybrid, but it isn’t expected to reach showrooms until around 2030, with Mitsubishi prioritising development of a hybrid Triton ute first. The Japanese carmaker has also confirmed that it is investigating electric Pajero options.
Also read: Freelander 8 SUV spotted in UAE ahead of global launch
S-AWC replaces the Pajero Sport’s system
The new Pajero is confirmed to use the latest version of its Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) full-time four-wheel-drive system, which goes beyond the Super Select II setup used by the outgoing Pajero Sport. That gives Mitsubishi a more sophisticated four-wheel-drive system for the new SUV’s off-road capability.
Mitsubishi needs a sales recovery
The Pajero arrives as Mitsubishi tries to tackle falling sales in Australia and globally. The brand’s Australian sales fell 17.9% in 2025, which is one of the largest declines among Japanese brands; only Nissan, down 21.6%, and Suzuki, down 27.7%, recorded larger falls.
The decline has continued into 2026, and sales fell another 27.1% between January and July. The Outlander remained Mitsubishi’s best-selling Australian model, ahead of the Triton and ASX.
Mitsubishi will also introduce its first EV in more than a decade, the ASX VR-e, by the end of 2026.
New Comment
GP
The only negative will be if the drivetrain is to not powerful enough.Mitsubishi has always built a reliable vehicle and being retired need a vehicle that has great towing ability and off road reliability
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