Mitsubishi has pulled the covers off the new Pajero, releasing the first complete set of images of the reborn off-roader and confirming a suite of mechanical details that had until now been the subject of educated guesswork – as we covered a couple of months ago.
After five years in retirement – the nameplate that first appeared in 1983 was discontinued in 2021 – the iconic Pajero nameplate is back to take of the Ford Everest, Toyota Prado and Isuzu MU-X, as well as an imminent influx of Chinese rivals.
The fifth-generation interpretation of the off-road wagon is a very different machine to the one we’ve known since the early 2000s.
READ MORE: Full details of the previous Mitsubishi Pajero: NM, NP, NS, NT
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But, as before, it’s designed to tackle the best – and worst – Australia can throw at it.
The new Pajero has a very different aesthetic to recent Pajeros.
There’s a more upright stance and bold nose, capped off by a distinctive LED light graphic stretching acoss the top of the grille and flowing down into the headlight cluster.
Back to basics for new Mitsubishi Pajero
The biggest news for the new Pajero is what’s under the body.
It uses a ladder frame chassis, reversing a decision Mitsubishi made back in 2000 when the third-generation Pajero switched to a monocoque body with independent suspension front and rear.
That was a forward-thinking move at the time and it gave the Pajero a road-going polish few rivals could match.
But the market is swinging back towards separate chassis wagons, something that also simplifies the engineering investment by sharing plenty with the Triton.
Mitsubishi says the new frame is significantly stiffer than the one under the Pajero Sport that is in many ways a similar style of vehicle.
The ladder frame is thicker for improved torsional and bending rigidity, along with greater use of high-tensile steel to keep weight down, and beefed-up body mounts to settle things over corrugations.
Mitsubishi says it used “off-road comfort” as a development benchmark, which suggests engineers were chasing rough-road compliance rather than simply chasing rigidity.
Suspension is independent via double wishbones up front and a five-link live rear axle, also on coil springs.
Switching back to a more traditional 4WD layout is clearly about improving wheel articulation, something Mitsubishi is clearly proud to showcase in these first images.
The new Pajero certainly looks to have serious suspension travel, especially at the rear.
Mitsubishi says the wagon also gets a wider track and new “high-response” dampers.
Weight distribution is quoted at 52:48 front to rear.
New Pajero focuses on off-road cred
Mitsubishi has also released the Pajero’s off-road geometry, demonstrating a car that’s clearly engineered to get down and dirty.
Ground clearance is 230mm, with a 30.4-degree approach angle, 22.6-degree rampover angle and 25.8-degree departure angle.
The Pajero measures 4920mm long, 1925mm wide and 1910mm tall, riding on a 2870mm wheelbase with 1630mm tracks front and rear.
That makes it similar in length to a Prado on a slightly longer wheelbase, and the relatively tight overhangs are doing a lot of the work in those approach and departure numbers.
More power from single turbo 2.4
Power comes from Mitsubishi’s familiar 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, the 4N16 that also does duty in the Triton.
It’s been given a mild going-over for Pajero duty, with peak torque lifted 10Nm to 480Nm but power matching the Triton’s 150kW.
Interestingly, Mitsubishi refers to a single variable-geometry turbocharger, rather than the sequential twin-turbo setup used in the Triton.
Assuming that’s the case, it’s a meaningful change to the way the engine breathes, with the VGT targeting stronger mid-range response, something that should be well suited to touring and towing duties.
An eight-speed automatic has a wider ratio spread.
There’s also a water-cooled intercooler, a dual-loop EGR system and AdBlue, the latter now near-universal on new diesel off-roaders.
Super Select II 4WD standard
The new Pajero gets Mitsubishi’s Super Select II 4WD system, which remains one of the better setups in the segment because it hands the driver genuine choice.
There’s 2H for rear-wheel drive running on the blacktop, 4H for all-wheel drive on sealed or variable surfaces, 4HLc to lock the centre diff, and 4LLc for low range with the centre diff locked.
Layered over the top is Mitsubishi’s S-AWC integrated dynamics system, which ties together Active Yaw Control – braking individual front wheels to shuffle torque left to right – with stability and traction control and ABS.
Seven drive modes tweak things such as throttle response and transmission calibration: Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand and Rock.
Also expect a rear differential lock.
Braked towing capacity is a class-standard 3.5 tonnes, with Mitsubishi also fitting a trailer sway system that can brake individual wheels.
Seven seats and hints of luxury inside
Current Pajero owners won’t recognise the infusion of tech and some little hints of luxury in the cabin.
A digital instrument cluster is standard and it’s paired with either a 12.3-inch infotainment screen on lower grades or a 14.3-inch display at the top end of town.
That centre screen gets a dedicated customisable off-road display featuring three gauges – including an altimeter and inclinometers showing pitch and roll – in a nod to the dash-top multi-meter that became a Pajero signature.
The instrument cluster also adjusts its layout according to the selected drive mode.
The tan hue in the supplied images show Mitsubishi is trying some different presentations in the cabin, right down to the dual glovebox.
But there’s also tradition mixed in there; despite the shift to buttons and fancy gear selectors, the Pajero sticks with a regular gear selector.
And we’re liking the look of the grab handles either side of the dash.
There’s also the availability of a seven-seat layout.
Second-row seats slide through a 150mm range and tumble forward for third-row access, and Mitsubishi claims genuine adult headroom in the back row.
Tri-zone climate control is fitted, and acoustic glass is used in the front and rear door windows as well as the windscreen.
Also of interest to anyone who spends time picking a line: the 3D around-view camera system includes a front under-floor view that shows the ground beneath and immediately ahead of the vehicle. It switches on automatically when 4HLc or 4LLc is selected, and can be called up manually.
Design nods to the original are scattered throughout.
The C-pillar mimics the first-generation Pajero’s roll bar, while a hexagonal motif on the tailgate is a reference to the rear-mounted spare wheel of earlier models.
Headlights adopt a T-shaped signature, and Mitsubishi says the front-end treatment was inspired by kendo.
More details to come ahead of late 2026 on-sale
Weights are the notable omission.
Mitsubishi is yet to release kerb weight, GVM, GCM or payload figures, and those numbers will do a lot to determine how the Pajero stacks up against the Prado, Everest and MU-X – particularly the payload once you’ve hitched 3.5 tonnes to the towbar.
No doubt we’ll learn more about that ahead of the Pajero’s local arrival late in 2026/
Australian pricing and specifications are also due shortly.
