Why 2027 Mitsubishi Pajero dropped its tailgate spare wheel

Key highlights:

• New Pajero moves its spare wheel underneath the vehicle
• Mitsubishi prioritised easier tailgate access and greater storage usability
• The new Pajero uses an 80-litre fuel tank and a 150 kW diesel engine

The 2027 Mitsubishi Pajero is bringing back a familiar nameplate with one obvious change: the spare wheel no longer hangs off the tailgate because the Japanese carmaker has moved it underneath the vehicle, following a shift already seen across several large four-wheel-drive rivals and for convenient parking.

Why Mitsubishi moved the spare wheel

The change comes down to everyday usability. Mitsubishi chief product specialist Kunitoshi Itagaki says the company listened to feedback from customers around the world, who use their Pajeros for much more than extreme off-road driving.

Itagaki said, “Our customers not only use this model for extreme off-road conditions, but also they use it in their daily usage.”

The rear-mounted spare wheel made it harder to open the tailgate in tight car parks, and moving it underneath the car frees up the rear gate for easier everyday access. The rear gate can also serve as a kind of roof when the vehicle sits at a campsite.

The outgoing Mitsubishi Pajero Sport never carried its spare wheel on the tailgate.

Mitsubishi keeps a Pajero design cue

Mitsubishi knows the rear-mounted spare became part of the previous Pajero’s identity, and that’s why the new model still carries a visual link to its predecessor through hexagonal graphics built into the tailgate’s creases. These lines create a subtle bulge around the licence plate in the centre of the tailgate.

Chief designer Norihiko Yoshimine says Mitsubishi prioritised storage space and third-row seating capacity during the design process.

Yoshimine said, “Even though we installed … hexagonal graphics from the previous iteration of the Pajero. That’s why, in the end, it still looks like a Pajero, even without the spare tyre on the back.”

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The 4WD market is moving the same way

Mitsubishi’s decision follows a broader shift among large four-wheel drives. Manufacturers have increasingly moved spare wheels from the tailgate to an underslung position to make cargo-area access easier, particularly in tight parking spaces, and several familiar names have already made the switch.

Nissan Patrol dropped the tailgate tyre after the Y61 ended in 2016. The Toyota Prado dropped its rear-mounted spare with its latest generation two years ago. The tailgate-mounted spare remains in the LandCruiser range only on the 76 Series workhorse.

Diesel power for the new Pajero

The 2027 Pajero will store diesel in the 80-litre tank to feed a 2.4-litre single-turbo four-cylinder engine. 

So while the new Pajero drops one of the old model’s most recognisable features, Mitsubishi hasn’t abandoned the practical thinking behind the change.