All-New Mitsubishi Pajero Returns to Japan December 17
Mitsubishi Motors will put the all-new Pajero on sale across Japan on December 17, 2026, returning its flagship body-on-frame SUV to the domestic market with a 2.4-liter turbo-diesel engine, three rows of seats and a renewed focus on off-road capability.
The Japan launch follows the model’s arrival in Thailand, which Chiefs Review covered earlier in October. Mitsubishi says Japanese preorders opened October 1 and reached approximately 5,500 vehicles by October 28—already more than the company’s full fiscal-2026 sales target for the model. That preorder figure is a manufacturer-reported total and has not been independently audited.
Prices in Japan run from ¥6,193,000 to ¥7,950,800, including 10% consumption tax, according to Mitsubishi’s Japanese-language price table. The four-trim range consists of GLS, GSR, Exceed and Super Exceed. Those prices apply only to Japan; taxes, equipment and exchange rates make a direct dollar conversion misleading.
Market note: Mitsubishi has announced sales in Thailand and Japan. It has not announced United States availability or pricing. The Pajero name is also used as Montero in some markets.
A ladder-frame, seven-seat flagship
The new Pajero is 4,920 mm long, 1,925 mm wide and 1,910 mm tall, although the GSR and GLS are 1,900 mm tall. All versions have three rows and seven seats. The second row slides through a 150 mm range and tumbles forward to ease access to the third row.
Underneath is a ladder frame with double-wishbone independent front suspension and a newly developed five-link rigid rear axle. Mitsubishi says it expanded the use of high-tensile steel, enlarged sections of the frame and revised the crossmembers to improve bending and torsional rigidity while controlling weight. Those are company engineering claims; Chiefs Review has not driven or independently tested the vehicle.
| Japan specification | All-new Pajero |
|---|---|
| Seating | Seven, across three rows |
| Engine | 2.4-liter clean turbo-diesel |
| Output | 150 kW at 3,500 rpm |
| Torque | 480 Nm from 1,750–2,500 rpm; 470 Nm on select specifications |
| Transmission | Eight-speed automatic with Sport mode |
| WLTC economy | 12.1 km/L |
| Ground clearance | 230 mm on 20-inch-wheel models |
The diesel is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Mitsubishi rates it at 150 kW, or roughly 201 hp, and 480 Nm of torque from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm; select specifications are rated at 470 Nm. The company lists fuel economy at 12.1 km/L on Japan’s WLTC cycle.
Four-wheel-drive hardware goes beyond selectable terrain modes
Super Select 4WD-II gives the driver four drivetrain settings: rear-wheel-drive 2H, full-time four-wheel-drive 4H, center-differential-locked 4HLc and low-range 4LLc. Mitsubishi combines that hardware with its S-AWC vehicle-dynamics control system, Active Yaw Control, stability and traction control, and anti-lock brakes.
Seven drive modes—Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand and Rock—adjust the vehicle for different surfaces. On versions fitted with 20-inch wheels, Mitsubishi’s in-house measurements give a 30.4-degree approach angle, 22.6-degree breakover angle and 25.8-degree departure angle. GSR and GLS models use 18-inch wheels with 255/65R18 tires, while Exceed and Super Exceed use 20-inch wheels and 255/55R20 tires.
That mechanical package places the Pajero above road-focused family crossovers such as the Outlander Diamond Trail. The latter adds a Rock drive mode and styling changes, but the Pajero brings a separate ladder-frame foundation, low-range gearing and a rigid rear axle for heavier-duty use.
Safety and cabin technology
Standard or available equipment varies by trim, but Mitsubishi’s Japan specification includes MI-PILOT single-lane highway assistance, a 3D surround-view camera system and a front under-floor view intended to help on narrow roads and trails.
The e-Assist package includes forward collision mitigation with detection for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, predictive forward collision warning and pedal-misapplication assistance. Mitsubishi says Emergency Lane Assist appears on one of its vehicles for the first time here. The Pajero also has eight airbags, including the brand’s first center airbag.
Inside, a wide two-screen display replaces the old triple-meter theme with a digital interpretation. Higher trims add ventilated front seats, heated first- and second-row seats and a 12-speaker Dynamic Sound Yamaha Ultimate audio system. Super Exceed uses camel-and-black semi-aniline leather, while two grille designs and wheel packages distinguish the range.
What the Japan launch means
The 5,500-preorder start gives Mitsubishi a clear signal that the revived nameplate has an audience at home, but supply, delivery timing and sustained demand will determine whether that early interest holds. For now, the announcement is a Japan-market product launch—not a global rollout timetable.
For buyers comparing large three-row SUVs, the Pajero’s appeal is unusually specific: diesel torque, a two-speed transfer case and body-on-frame construction rather than a crossover-only formula. Another recently announced three-row model, the 2027 Mazda CX-90, takes a different road-focused approach and illustrates how broad this segment has become.
Featured image: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, all-new Pajero Super Exceed. Editorial-use press image from the official October 29, 2026 news release.