Is the Mitsubishi Montero coming back to America?

After a five-year hiatus, Mitsubishi plans to revive the Pajero name with a new SUV for off-road enthusiasts this fall. It was announced late last month that the body-on-frame vehicle would be closely related to the Triton pickup truck. When announced on May 29, the Montero name was also mentioned as an alternate alter ego of Pajero. Naturally, this has raised hopes of a massive go-anywhere model making a comeback in the United States.

As it turns out, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the new Montero getting a US visa. automotive news Reports say Mitsubishi held a dealer meeting in Chicago on June 5, where about 180 retailers from the United States and Canada got a glimpse of the brand’s future product lineup. The main attraction was undoubtedly the ladder-frame SUV, which is reportedly much larger than the Outlander. One attendee cited the Toyota Land Cruiser as a reference point.

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

Three-row seating, more advanced than a truck

Inside, dealers say the SUV offers three-row seating with ample space for passengers in the rearmost seats. At the front, a digital instrument cluster has been paired with a larger infotainment screen and a newly designed, smaller steering wheel that Mitsubishi intends to introduce in additional models. The cabin is described as “premium and modern”, suggesting it will be more upscale than the Triton’s interior. It makes sense, given that converting a workhorse pickup truck into a family-oriented SUV typically brings a more refined cabin.

Although full technical specifications were not revealed at the meeting, Mitsubishi reportedly said that the new Montero will offer approximately 12 inches (about 305 millimeters) of ground clearance. For reference, a four-door Ford Bronco equipped with the Sasquatch package has 11.5 inches (292 mm) of ground clearance, while the flagship Bronco Raptor is rated at 13.1 inches (332 mm).

New Mitsubishi models planned

In addition to the return of the Montero, North American dealers also learned about other models Mitsubishi plans to introduce. The Outlander Sport is reportedly scheduled to enter its next generation in the second half of 2028. It is said to be an entirely new model running 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.

In 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 quite different from the Nissan, taking inspiration from Mitsubishi’s Triton, which in turn served as the foundation for Nissan’s new Navara.

Photo by: Mitsubishi

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

The good news about the return of the Pajero/Montero is that it won’t be limited to the same model with different names. Mitsubishi wants to turn the Pajero into a family of SUVs with genuine off-road capability. Judging by the near teaser, the models added in the future are likely to be small, and it remains to be seen whether any of them will reach the US once the flagship model arrives at the end of the decade.