Body-on-frame SUVs that seat seven and can handle genuine off-road terrain have long been Toyota’s stronghold. The 4Runner’s price keeps climbing, and the Land Cruiser now starts at approximately $59,195. Mitsubishi just confirmed specs for a vehicle that fits squarely into that gap — a fifth-generation Pajero with serious off-road hardware, three-row seating, and a Japanese starting price around $39,000. The catch: Mitsubishi hasn’t decided whether American buyers will ever see it.
What Mitsubishi Actually Confirmed
The confirmed specs reveal a genuinely capable off-roader built for buyers who need more than pavement.
Built on a ladder-frame platform shared with the Triton pickup, the new Pajero stretches approximately 193.7 inches long, 75.8 wide, and 75.2 tall — three rows, seven seats. Power comes from a 2.4-liter turbo-diesel making 201 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, routed through an eight-speed automatic. Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD-II handles off-road duties, with standard four-wheel drive, selectable low-range gearing, and seven drive modes covering Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand, and Rock. Higher trims add roughly 9 inches of ground clearance and a 30.4-degree approach angle. Mitsubishi claims approximately 28.5 mpg under WLTC testing — a Japanese cycle, not a U.S. EPA rating, and those numbers don’t translate directly. Mitsubishi hasn’t decided whether American buyers will ever see it, making this one of the more intriguing JDM Cars Worth tracking for import-curious shoppers.
By the Numbers
- Starting price: 6.193 million yen (~$39,000–$39,300); range-topping Super Exceed trim reaches approximately $50,000
- Engine: 2.4L turbo-diesel, 201 hp, 354 lb-ft torque, 8-speed automatic
- Size: 193.7 inches long; three rows; 7-seat capacity
- Off-road hardware: Super Select 4WD-II with low-range gearing and seven terrain modes; approximately 9 inches ground clearance
- Japan on-sale date: December 17, 2026; U.S. availability: no decision made
The Toyota Question – and the American Silence
The Pajero’s Japanese-equivalent pricing puts it in striking distance of rivals that American off-road buyers know well.
The Pajero’s starting price undercuts the 4Runner’s U.S. entry point and sits well below the Land Cruiser’s. Market differences — powertrains, taxes, equipment levels, and exchange rates — make any direct comparison unreliable. The ballpark, though, is close enough to invite serious scrutiny from buyers who have watched Toyota’s prices climb steadily out of reach.
The American question remains unanswered. Mitsubishi’s North American operation acknowledged the global debut but told Car and Driver that “no decision has been made” on a U.S. introduction. The company added, according to Car and Driver, that the model’s return “strengthens Mitsubishi Motors globally by reconnecting the brand with one of its most iconic and celebrated nameplates.” If the Pajero does reach U.S. showrooms, it would likely revive the Montero name — a nameplate absent from American roads since 2006. That remains unconfirmed speculation, not a product announcement.
What is confirmed: the hardware is real. A ladder frame, low-range four-wheel drive, three rows, and competitive pricing give the Pajero a credible foundation. Whether Mitsubishi commits to engineering a U.S.-appropriate powertrain and approving a North American launch is the only question left worth waiting for.
