The Montero is coming back, and Mitsubishi is not defending. At a US dealer preview this week, the Japanese automaker took the wraps off the new body-on-frame Montero—A real off-road SUV Building on the prospects of Pajero returning to the global market in the third quarter of this year. This is not a crossover with a strong badge on it. it’s the real thing.
For Montero loyalists who saw the nameplate disappear from North America after 2006, the dealer preview holds serious significance. Mitsubishi does not show body-on-frame hardware on its retail network until production intentions are locked. The timeline is going strong, and the platform below confirms the revival is exactly what off-road enthusiasts have been demanding.
Why body-on-frame still matters for serious off-road buyers
The shift toward unibody crossovers over the past two decades has made mainstream SUVs lighter, more fuel-efficient and more comfortable on pavement — but it came at a cost for buyers who actually use their trucks off-road. Body-on-frame construction separates the passenger cabin from the chassis, meaning the frame can bend freely over uneven terrain without putting strain on the body structure. This simply means better articulation, higher tow ratings, and a platform that is much easier to lift, armor, and modify for serious trail use.
Unibody SUVs may indeed be capable – modern examples prove it – but they make engineering compromises that body-on-frame rigs don’t have. For buyers cross-shopping the Montero against the Wrangler or 4Runner, platform choice is the first question. Here Mitsubishi’s answer is clear.
This vintage Japanese SUV is the best overlanding deal
The Mitsubishi Pajero has been around for a long time and has been known by many names, but no matter what you call it, it’s a big deal.
Nameplate heritage gives real stakes to this revival
Sold globally as Pajero, the Montero earned its reputation through hard work. Mitsubishi’s Pajero won the Dakar Rally 12 times between 1985 and 2007, a record that still stands and which shaped the nameplate around the world. In North America, the Montero spanned multiple generations for more than three decades, building a loyal following among overlanders, trail runners, and buyers who wanted true off-road capability without stepping into a pickup truck.
When Mitsubishi quietly discontinued the Montero for North America in 2006, it left a gap that the brand never adequately filled. The Outlander Sport and subsequent crossovers served a different buyer entirely. The Montero’s absence has been felt most acutely as the body-on-frame segment has grown – 4Runner sales remain strong, demand for the Bronco has persisted, and the Wrangler continues to anchor Jeep’s lineup. Mitsubishi watched that market from the sidelines for nearly two decades.
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What the dealer preview hints about the US launch
Showing North American dealers the new Pajero-based Montero alongside the redesigned Outlander is no concept tease or mood board exercise – it’s a business conversation. Dealers do not receive product walk-throughs for vehicles that are not arriving on their lot. The global Pajero is expected to arrive in the third quarter of this year, and the Montero version shown to US dealers appears to directly share that platform.
Pricing and the exact on-sale date for the US market haven’t been confirmed, and Dealer Preview hasn’t publicly locked down those details. This confirmed that Mitsubishi is treating the Montero as a serious entry in the body-on-frame segment – not as a hello show car. For a brand that is systematically rebuilding its US lineup, this is its most significant product hint in years.
A Ralliart Trim This has also been floated as a possibility, given the Pajero’s platform, which would tie the new Montero directly to the rally heritage that made the nameplate worth reviving in the first place. Nothing confirmed there yet – but the bones are right, and for the first time in a long time, the hardware is right too.
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Showing this actual body-on-frame hardware to dealers is the kind of news that will help calm the skepticism of enthusiasts who have learned to be skeptical after two decades of false starts. Ralliart speculation is the part we’re holding our breath on right now. Either way, between the new Montero, the upcoming truck, and the less-enthusiast-friendly but mainstream Eclipse Sportback EV, it’s clear that Mitsubishi is making a big effort to revive its name and its presence on American roads.
Source: automotive news, carscoops, road and track
