Is The Mitsubishi Montero Coming Back To America?

Following a five-year hiatus, Mitsubishi plans to revive the Pajero name this fall with a new SUV aimed at off-road enthusiasts. Announced at the end of last month, the body-on-frame vehicle will be closely related to the Triton pickup truck. When the announcement was made on May 29, the Montero name was also mentioned as the Pajero’s alter ego. Naturally, that sparked hopes of seeing the large go-anywhere model return to the United States.

As it turns out, there are reasons to be optimistic about the new Montero getting a U.S. visa. Automotive News reports Mitsubishi held a dealer meeting on June 5 in Chicago, where around 180 retailers from the United States and Canada got a glimpse of the brand’s future product lineup. The highlight was unquestionably the ladder-frame SUV, which is reportedly significantly larger than the Outlander. One attendee cited the Toyota Land Cruiser as a point of reference.

What should we expect? Those who saw the SUV claim it features boxy styling, with vertical headlights connected by a wide light bar. Apparently, the same design theme continues at the rear, where the new Pajero/Montero wears T-shaped taillights. Interestingly, the resurrected off-roader is reportedly ditching the side-hinged rear door and externally mounted spare wheel in favor of a conventional tailgate. That would mark a major departure from the previous four generations, all of which carried the spare wheel on a rear-mounted door.

Three-Row Seating, More Upscale Than A Truck

Inside, dealers say the SUV offers three-row seating with ample room for passengers in the rearmost seats. Up front, a digital instrument cluster is paired with a large infotainment screen and a newly designed, smaller steering wheel that Mitsubishi intends to roll out across additional models. The cabin is described as “premium and modern,” suggesting it will be more upscale than the Triton’s interior. That would make sense, considering that transforming a workhorse pickup truck into a family-oriented SUV typically brings a more refined cabin.

While complete technical specifications did not emerge from the meeting, Mitsubishi reportedly said the new Montero will offer around 12 inches (nearly 305 millimeters) of ground clearance. For reference, a four-door Ford Bronco equipped with the Sasquatch Package has 11.5 inches (292 millimeters) of ground clearance, while the flagship Bronco Raptor is rated at 13.1 inches (332 millimeters).

New Mitsubishi Models Planned

Beyond the return of the Montero, North American dealers also learned about other models Mitsubishi is planning to introduce. The Outlander Sport is reportedly scheduled to enter its next generation in the second half of 2028. It is said to be a completely new model riding on a different platform and growing in size. The larger Outlander is expected to arrive around the same time and move away from its Renault ties in favor of an all-Mitsubishi architecture.

Come 2029, a new midsize truck derived from the body-on-frame platform underpinning the next-generation Frontier will reach U.S. dealerships. It will reportedly look significantly different from the Nissan, drawing inspiration from Mitsubishi’s own Triton, which in turn served as the foundation for Nissan’s new Navara.

Photo by: Mitsubishi

Motor1’s Take: While we’re certainly excited about the possibility of the Montero returning to the United States, 2030 feels a long way off. Mitsubishi is launching the next-generation SUV this fall in select markets, but it appears Americans may have to wait another three years.

The good news about the Pajero/Montero’s return is that it won’t be limited to a single model carrying different names. Mitsubishi wants to turn Pajero into a family of SUVs with genuine off-road capability. Judging by the adjacent teaser, future additions are likely to be smaller, and it remains to be seen whether any of them will reach the U.S. after the flagship model arrives around the turn of the decade.